Table Hopping – February 2012
“Double Date – Romantic ideas for a meal & more.”
Sushi House
5041 W. 117th Street
Leawood, KS 66211
(913) 633-3333
Sushi House is actually the newest location for this restaurant concept out of Chicago, even though it has been open in Town Center for many years. Owned by Tom Johnson, a local KC restaurant veteran, Sushi House has modern decor and servers who are attentive and quick. The sushi is good, but try something more comforting, get the Nabeyaki Udon for $13. A large hot pot will come to your table filled with a fragrant broth, chewy udon noodles, a poached egg, sliced fish cake, spinach, mushrooms and a single tempura shrimp. Large enough for two & still enjoy some sushi, too. CATCH: a movie at the AMC Town Center Theater. They are fast, so you can make both dinner and a movie happen.
Queen Lizzy’s Fish and Chips
125 East 10th Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 856-5570
Chef Matt Poulton left his native England years ago, to come to Lawrence with his wife, who was originally from here. After cooking around town, he decided it was time to open up a proper fish & chips restaurant in Lawrence serving all the English pub favorites he missed from home, and Queen Lizzy’s was born. From mushy peas $1.50, to Scotch egg salad $5.75, to beer battered sausage and chips served with both HP and curry sauce for $6.25 to finally the outstanding fish & chips for $6.95, the food here will put you right into an English pub. WALK: down 3 blocks north on Massachusetts to the Free State Brewing Company, for a pint of locally brewed beer. Everyone knows that beer, and fish and chips, need each other.
Magical Meatball Tour
(inside Czar Bar)
1531 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 421-0300
When partners, Venus Van Horn and Ceasar Reyes, needed a place to park their mobile meatball truck for the winter, they decided to approach their friends at the Czar Bar about camping in their kitchen. It was an inspired decision benefitting both the venue and the Chefs. Open inside of the Czar Bar for lunch Thursday & Friday from 11am-2pm, & dinner Thursday-Saturday, they’ve got the balls rolling. Order the Bare Ball Sampler for $10 for a taste of every meatball they make minus the bread. Who cares about bread, you are here for the meat! COME: early to get your magical meatball fix, then stay for a drink and the live music or entertainment that the Czar Bar is known for bringing in.
Westport Café & Bar
419 Westport Road
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 931- 4740
Owners, Aaron Confessori and Chef Richard Wiles, might be running the hottest weekend brunch spot in the city, right now. Serving Saturday and Sunday until 4 pm, with their convivial crowd and warm French cafe, it is the perfect spot to land for a bite in the heart of Westport. Each brunch entrée comes with your choice of coffee or one of three different cocktails. Get the Full English Breakfast for $12, and you will not leave hungry. Two eggs, your way, sausage, bacon and baked beans, with sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes and bread and jam. DRIVE: down the street to Pryde’s Old Westport if it is Saturday, or World Market if it is Sunday, and paw through their kitchen wares and foodstuff from around the globe.
SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza
4950 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64112
(4 Metro Area Locations)
(816)561-SPIN
When you have a winning recipe, you don’t mess with it. Partners, Gail and Richard Lozoff and Edwin Brownell are certainly winning with this locally owned pizza concept. With recipes developed by Chef Michael Smith, and artisanal pizzas made with the finest quality ingredients, the food is exceptional. Multiple awards and an aggressive local expansion plan across Kansas City is continued evidence of their success. Go for lunch and share a Sopressata salami and Calabrian pepper pizza for $12 to get the date off on smoky spicy note, while you share a bottle of excellent wine at a value price. STROLL: up the street to local chocolate shop, Andre's Confiserie Suisse, after your lunch and buy your sweetheart a box of chocolates.
Nice suggestions! I'm especially appreciative of the fish and chips over in Lawrence. 40+ years ago I got addicted to the real thing, with a little malt vinegar on the side. I'm headed that way in a few days.
Appreciate your blog, and am glad you've posted a bit more frequently of late.
Posted by: Bob | March 04, 2012 at 02:49 PM