Mac n Cheese Six

The March edition of SupperClubSix prompted a new moniker for the group or at least a nickname.  Holly had us all guessing about her selection.  Typically, one or two of us guess the location when given enough hints.  (I frankly never get it.)  She peppered us with hints:  casual, Crossroads district, new establishment and finally the name included the term some gay men use to refer to each other.  Still nothing.  However, we had some creative guesses.   Have you guessed it?


Hamburger Mary's!  Eat, drink and be . . . MARY!  Holly definitely stumped us.  Hamburger Mary's is a chain hamburger joint that is decidedly gay and flamboyant including the toxic purple colored building on Southwest Boulevard.  Although, the chain is definitely geared towards a GLBT crowd, it's straight friendly as well with an assorted mix of patrons.  The decor is tongue and cheek over the top funky filled with every gay cliche from Cher on the video TV monitors to flamboyantly dressed wait staff.  Fun and playful. 

(However, for six straight teetering on the cusp of "extremely  pre middle age/ post hipster age" the music was a bit loud because we couldn't hear each other speak.)

We first scoured the menu for our signature appetizer--Mac n Cheese.  To our delight we found, Deep Fat Fried Mac n Cheese.  It sounded like such a good idea when we ordered it.  Unfortunately, it didn't live up to our expectations.  The fried batter was essentially the only flavor you taste which is fine when you are frying cauliflower but we wanted to taste some Mac n Cheese.    Now that we are such Mac n Cheese connoisseurs with discriminating taste,  we've dubbed ourselves Mac n Cheese Six.  

The burgers were juicy bits of heaven.  Several different types to order with names like Big Johnson, Rock Star (gouda cheese, roasted garlic, caramelized onions), Proud Mary, Queen Mary and a Peppermint Patty Melt.  Succulent.  Don't come here for the vegetarian fare.  However, it was Lent and our lone (practicing) Catholic did enjoy a black bean burger.  

Have I mentioned "The Dirty Mary"?  Oh, yeah.  I had one.  Maggie had two.  Sorry, had to "out" you, Mags!   The Dirty Mary is "Skyy Vodka and olive juice, shaken like a bad girl".  The rest of the table ordered a Carrie Bradshaw ("Aka:  Sex and the Tini" which includes Clementine vodka, peach schnapps, raspberry liqueur, pineapple and cranberry) and a Bucklers.  How was that Bucklers, Kim?

We had high hopes for dessert.  Fried Twinkies and Snickers but it soon became evidently clear we would have several medical emergencies if we consumed any more food.  One of us may have unbuttoned her jeans at the table.  The rest of us made it to the car.  Seriously, we went from starving to engorged in 15 minutes. 

Our service was okay, the atmosphere is fun and there is an upper deck that we all hope to enjoy this summer.   We will return with stretchy pants.  

Our bill arrived in a gold lame 6 inch heel.  We happily paid our bill and waddled out to our cars leaving the Marys to whoop it up late into the evening while we all made it home in time for 10 o'clock news.

Mother Nature Isn't Welcome

For the second time in our short history, our plans were waylaid by Mother Nature.  I love Winter as much as the next Nebraska native but this winter has pretty much made me wax nostalgic about those long hot muggy torturous days in the dead of August when you sweat in places you shouldn't mention in a PG blog just walking from your office to your car.  Icy rain/snow/sludge mixture convinced us not to head north for our late January convention of The SupperClubSix KC so as the host I had to choose Plan B.  I   played it safe with Carmen's Cafe located only a few blocks from my house in Brookside.  We met at my house for pre dinner wine and commiserated about the lousy weather.  One member shared some jaw dropping happy news causing us to refill our glasses while we pummeled her with questions:  how?  where?  when?  really?  seriously?  (More on this development on a later blog but we may become Supper Club Six Plus One.)


By the time we left for Carmen's, Mother Nature let loose with a flurry of white flakes making the walk from our cars less than ideal.  Luckily, we were seated immediately.  Carmen's bar area is usually quite cramped.  We were seated at the first table in the dining room and it was dark.  By dark I mean, we couldn't read our menus.  I don't remember it being this dark and I've dined at Carmen's (or catered Carmen's for bookclub in an attempt to pass it off as my own) numerous times.  Luckily, I always travel with a book light in my purse.  People may mock me (okay they do mock me and did mock me at dinner) but it has saved me on numerous occasions.  There weren't enough candles to go around the table and I feared lighting the tablecloth on fire so we shared my book light.   We also had a pen light our waitress gave us after we pointed out that we still weren't ready to order because we couldn't read.

We have yet to order six different entrees.  We cluster order.   A couple of us had the Chicken Spidini Jacqueline--chunks of chicken breast marinated, breaded, charbroiled and served over angle hair pasta with crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and fresh basil.  One member ordered the Tortellini Andres -- donut shaped pasta, stuffed with prosciutto ham and chicken served in Alfredo sauce with mushrooms and peas.  A few opted for Judy's Rigatoni which is pasta served in a Vodka tomato cream sauce with mushrooms, peas and prosciutto ham.   All in all the food was delicious.  I've always experienced consistently excellent food at Carmen's.  Our service left a bit to be desired.  There didn't seem to be much concern about the lighting and she was pushing the wine.  For once, we were resisting.

Hoarders, Champagne and Lights, What More Do You Need?

Last Friday, SupperClubSix partook in some holiday cheer and celebrated the Season at Cafe Trio on the Plaza.  Once again, Maggie organized the evening complete with arranging for a driver to pick us up for our 2nd Annual Tour de Lights in a stretch limousine.  We could have been going to Prom,  except without dates, some 20 odd years too late and wearing jeans.   But prom nonetheless.

Most of us were dining at Trio for the first time.  The atmosphere of Trio is very charming and has a local restaurant feel with low lights and a woman playing a grand piano on the first level.  We were seated upstairs with a table overlooking the main dining room.  

We started the meal with our usual macaroni and cheese.  It is amazing to me that every place we go carries it on the menu.  The Mac Daddy was tasty but not the best that we have sampled.  We are becoming quite the Mac & Cheese connoisseurs.  It was kind of runny with more of bacon than cheese flavor.  Of course, we devoured it so I'm not saying it was inedible.  In fact, the waiter mocked how fast we plowed through it.  Easy.  You want a tip, don't you?  

We were generally pleased with everything we ordered but again the mashed potatoes needed a healthy dose of salt.  I say again because we seem to have two themes:  Mac&Cheese and Mashed Potatoes that need salt.  I ordered the beef tenderloin special which I enjoyed.  A couple of the group ordered the filet mignon and the scallops.   Definitely, a nice meal at a moderate price.  We need to go back in the Spring when we can sit on the patio.  However, the night was less about the restaurant review then ride around town.

The highlight of the evening?  Definitely, the Hoarder Christmas House (I'm sure my fellow Clubbers disagree but I'm writing this blog).  Seriously, does anyone watch Hoarders?  I do and I'm fascinated by this affliction.  I felt like we were seeing it up close.  All you Kansas Citians probably know the Prairie Village House.   The owner has been decorating his house for 40 years and has seriously overdosed in the decoration department.  Every window is filled with animated Christmas toys or figures.   It is insane.  However, by the sheer number of vehicles lined up on the street to walk up to the house to look in his windows, I'd say he is spreading holiday cheer.  Just not to his neighbors.

Our driver took us all over town.  He knew where the best lights were located and also hit a few addresses that we shared with him.    A few times, he got a bit too friendly with a few curbs causing me to spill my champagne (I'm sure the amount of champagne I consumed had nothing to do with it).  However, he had the patience of a saint.   Holly pulled out another set of decorated champagne flutes.  Debauchery did not ensue this year.  We were a much tamer group because a few members were under the weather and one had expended too much cheer the previous night at her company's holiday party.   It was a nice evening and the people of K.C. really rock the lights.  

So here concludes another year of great restaurants and even better friends.  Here's to a Happy New Year!  Stayed tuned for more reviews in 2010.

Reverse Happy Hour? We Are All In.

Pass the Wine, We Must Carry On

On Friday, we met for our last summer Supper Club of the year. Unfortunately, we were short two members. Michelle opted to float down some river with siblings and Kim made only a brief appearance with her sister opting for Indian take out. However, the show must go on so Maggie, Kathryn, Holly and I preceded to split two bottles of red (I think I enjoyed the majority of the Kenwood Pinot Noir as Kathryn was my ride), and tried to carry on without them.

Taste is located in Old Overland Park in the space once occupied by Tonic which was a bar and dining room. Taste is divided into two parts. The bar side is quite large and we enjoyed cocktails as we waited to be seated for dinner. The dining room side is lined with an exposed brick wall and eclectic decor.

The menu consists of tapas called "First Tastes" and then various entrees. The First Tastes are ample enough to either share or order as your meal. In fact, Holly ordered the crab cakes for her entree. The main entrees are a mix of seafood, beach and chicken. The Filet Mignon was excellent. We also ordered a seafood tasting of Seared Halibut, Mahi Mahi & Sea Bass and Brick Chicken which was chicken seared between hot bricks.

The general consensus was that the food was fine but nothing to rave about on our blog. As Maggie put it, "the food was ok, but the company was outstanding!!"

Our recommendation would be, "I wouldn't avoid it."

Intimate Dining for 6 Please

First, I'm dreadfully behind on blogging so this post will be devoid of all the details I would have remembered and Room 39 changes its menu on a weekly basis. However, trust me when I say, we all loved our dining experience and left quite happy.

Room 39 is located on 39th Street. Kathryn was our host for the evening and she chose this hip yet cozy restaurant for our June outing. The space has an unassuming store front. Inside you are greeted with a very quaint European cafe setting that could easily come across as pretentious but maintains its warm inviting charm.

As luck would have it, we were seated at a round table. No one was isolated at the corner of the table struggling to hear the conversation and when we get together you don't want to miss anything. Round tables are the way to go. The food was delicious and imaginative served with an artistic flair. However, it was the service that impressed us the most. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about what he was serving both as it related to the menu and the wine list. This became even more impressive when we realized the frequency in which the menu changes. He seemed very interested in the food and it translated into genuine interaction with us that was helpful and in no way intrusive.

We recommend adding this one to your rotation. Oh, and we started the evening with wine and cheese at Kathryn's house. We came to the conclusion that we tend to over do it and it becomes the predinner dinner. Thus, we are now only serving cocktails.

Just Roll Me Out on a Stretcher Please

Kim was our host for the latest gathering. It was a Friday evening in April and we gathered at her house for our predinner drinks. If you recall, the last time Kim hosted we had to divert our plans to sit out a tornado warning. Fortunately, the weather cooperated this go around so we were able to catch up and hang with Kim's ginourmous cats before heading to the restaurant.

Kim chose a Kansas City comfort food institution: Stroud's. Their newest location is off of Shawnee Mission Parkway and just minutes from Kim's house.

We were anticipating a long wait which is typical of the original Stroud's locations where you can expect an hour long wait. Immediate seating was available but we opted for a cocktail in the bar before being seated. The Royals were playing that night and the staff thought this explained why it was a slow evening. I hope so.

As expected the service was great and food was exceptional. The meals are served family-style. We ordered up a bowl of real mashed potatoes, thick cream gravy, green beans, cottage fried potatoes, chicken fried steak and of course, pan fried chicken. Oh, and dinner was topped off with warm from the oven cinnamon rolls. We were crammed around a corner booth. When our meal was served, there was barely room for our drinks on the table. However, given our priorities we found the space.

The fried chicken and chicken fried steak are crusty not bready. The mashed potatoes are pure buttery dense potatoes. We did notice the spuds could use a dose of salt but with the shaker handy everyone could salt to their own satisfaction. The bacon infused green beans are soft and mushy so if you like your beans al dente they aren't for you. You cannot go wrong with Stroud's but you must leave your calorie counter in the car. This isn't for the "no carb" crowd nor would we recommend following dinner with a night of dancing. You must go directly to the nearest couch.

Frankly, the too delectable to stop inhaling food was so heavy and coma inducing that we all agreed that it simply cannot be on your weekly (or monthly) rotation. Save it for special occasions and out of town guests or start training for a marathon. We left stuffed and miserable but in a good way.