monkfish_103

What cause would that be, monkfish?u.e. ← Chicago Chefs for Choice ← Do you have any information on this organization? ← here's a small link about them. http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-foiegras15.html

What cause would that be, monkfish?u.e. ← Chicago Chefs for Choice

It just blows me away! they banned Foie Gras and didn't ban the breast or legs from these bird.........lol.......Is Chicago ran by a bunch of morrons? I recieved this letter demanding I stop serving foie gras (they even spelled Foie Gras wrong I had to laugh at that one).Well anyways here what my restaurant in Kansas City is going to do for the month of September... Since Peta says the birds should be set free I'm going to set them free! Free to any customer that somes in and asks for Freedom Gras. and any Foie Gras I sell as a supplement I'm going to donate all the money from the sell to the cause!

I know there used to be a place called Captial City Steakhouse or capital Cy some thing like that never knew there was a Captial grille there, anyways if all else fails and full blooded jayhawker will feel right at home at the good'ol Kansas famous restaurant Applebee's I know they have one there. I still hate the Jayhawkers for they did to Westport during the war!

Thanks Pete! So, you gonna let me come in to make a pictorial study on your food sometime? u.e. ← let me think about it,...hmmmm......NOPE

Thanks JWest. Thanks to the late sunset summers (and the window), my pictures turned out okay. Yeah, no kidding - ChefCAG didn't ever make an appearance at my table last night - and it was a First Friday!! Just kidding ChefCAG, I know you got better things to do! ← Menu looks good, we did the same type of prix fixed format at the ritz about 12 years ago in Kansas city it went over pretty well. Pics look great!

I've heard they have brought in a few people from the old Japango on the plaza, could be interesting. Going any place interesting to eat U.E.?

Not sure if its the Drum Room, but I hear the President Hotel has a new chef, recently as a sous from the American. ← Courious if that was the chef of the restaurant when the Pitch wrote them up last week? I think Chris Hall is still the chef over the hotel.

I know they are trying to kick up the food, they just recieved the "Best of Award of Excellence" from Wine Spectator. So far that's the highest rating Kansas City has since there are no more restaurants with a current "Grand Award". (It's not the best list in town and a few restaurants have the same award.) I ate there a while back, it was lacking, but average for a hotel I guess.

To begin with, although it might come as a surprise to anyone who has not participated in a Zagat survey, the 30-point ratings in the book do not represent actual choices. In fact, the surv form is much cruder, offering oy four choices, 0 through 3. Thus, a conscntious participant who believes that a restaurant’s rank should be, say, 25 on a 30-point scale must choose either a 2 or a 3, each of which represents an inaccurate extreme. These tings are then averaged and multiplied to give the appearance of a more nuanced evaluation. There now it's not exact, I would have figured since the article had been pointed I would have thought people of intrest would have read it.Sorry my bad

... moving along... Did anyone read Chapin's review of Cafe Maison? Anyone care to step up and say that the food was on par with, say bluestem or 40 Sardines? (She gave C.M. 3 1/2 stars for food) u.e. ← Since you are using 40 and blue to set the scale, and I have eaten at all three places, but hey just like you, I can't say that I ate at all three places on the same day, same table that she did so I can't comement on her review. I do have my own opion, I can say the one I thought was a little bit better, I've dinned at three times this month. (here's a clue I ain't been to 40 in a year) I bet she rewarded them with three and a half stars(not gave it out like candy)because of the guide lines she has posted on her fourm: Are the ingredients fresh? Are the cooking techniques on the mark? Do the flavors work together or is there a promiscuous use of ingredients? How's the presentation? Is the meal worth the price?

I don't think M&G put us on the map, I think places like La Mediterranee, La Bonee Auberge, Cafe Allegro, The Venu & Jasper's helpped put M&G on the map. M&G weren't that cutting edge, I remember when we hired this guy at the stolen grille he just came from the American under M&G he told me after only spending a month there he had learned all he could from M&G. I was with them about a year and a half, was it cutting edge? NO, it was basic cuisine. I remember alot of the verbal degrading from M&G to the cooks that worked under them and their views on Home town Kansas City Chefs in general. Bradley was hired there as a sous chef fresh out of the CIA six months later he became the chef and moved on within two years. Rex was maybe the only truely cutting edge the american has ever had. He was Manic with out his meds he was out of control. John before M&G was paving the way the American was going Debbie was just hired to consult, then Micheal came after that. Nobody is doing anything cutting edge in this town and never has, never will cuisine just chases it tail like everything else. The more it changes the more it stays the same. ← Of all of those Restaurants you named how many are open now?????? I have worked and trailed at several restaurants under top Chefs. When they think of Kansas City it is M&D. I bet most of them have never heard of Jasper's!! If anyone thinks that they can learn everything that any Chef has to offer in one month they are wrong. I worked with them for 3 years in two separtate restaurant. As a cook and as a Sous Chef. They still would be the first people that I would ask for advice in the industry. The only time I have ever saw either of them get on a cook it was justified. Inclueding me. They demand a very high level in their kitchen and if some people can not live up to their standards then they will let them know it. There is a great say that goes,"IF YOU CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN" There are no excuses in excellence, and I will not make any for them because they are two Great Chefs and every Chef in this city should recognize that quite obviously. If not then they are blindfolded. ← We both worked for them at two seperate times, I'm going to couch my words out of the little respect I have for them. So how bout those dodgers?

M&G= Micheal & Gold, I have my reasons.

I don't think M&G put us on the map, I think places like La Mediterranee, La Bonee Auberge, Cafe Allegro, The Venu & Jasper's helpped put M&G on the map. M&G weren't that cutting edge, I remember when we hired this guy at the stolen grille he just came from the American under M&G he told me after only spending a month there he had learned all he could from M&G. I was with them about a year and a half, was it cutting edge? NO, it was basic cuisine. I remember alot of the verbal degrading from M&G to the cooks that worked under them and their views on Home town Kansas City Chefs in general. Bradley was hired there as a sous chef fresh out of the CIA six months later he became the chef and moved on within two years. Rex was maybe the only truely cutting edge the american has ever had. He was Manic with out his meds he was out of control. John before M&G was paving the way the American was going Debbie was just hired to consult, then Micheal came after that. Nobody is doing anything cutting edge in this town and never has, never will cuisine just chases it tail like everything else. The more it changes the more it stays the same.

Far from it, The James Beard Foundation is an extremely useful tool and organization with education and food culture. The foundation is responsible for giving thousands of thousands of dollars to young students who may not be able to afford post secondary education and would like to make the best of it. I hardly find it a joke to see many dedicated young people who want to educate their mind in whatever they feel is necessary for there future careers. Also, 99% of the best chefs in the country are involved with the James Beard Foundation. The standards of these chefs exceed much higher than any other organized group of culinarians such as the closed minded ACF. It's no longer just a foundation or "organization" but a community as well. It's not like Strouds won Best of the Midwest or anything anyways. The James Beard Foundation has increased the awareness of quality standards in the food undustry and has given an opportunity of all kinds of chefs to shine when their has come. There's nothing wrong with covering all different kinds of cuisine, restuarants, food, chefs, and ideas. That's why the U.S. is very unique, we are diversed in many ways that has shaped this country's cuisine into being extremely diverse. Sure, it's had some problems behind the scenes but it still carries the same tradition of recognizing chefs and educating people. Even Ferran Adria who doesn't have to do anything for anyone or anything is involved with the James Beard Foundation. Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Jean-George, Grant Achatz, Gary Danko, and I definetly know Charlie Trotter wouldn't put his name on it if he thought it was a joke. By calling this country's best culinary community a joke is extremely humorous and revolting. It's just foolish to think like that. ← You never found it kind of funny that hmmm....I'll give you an example...The American Restaurant before they opened their doors hired this dude name James Beard to consult for them......and Poof low and behold on their 25th anniversy the chefs there recieved an award from the foundation, only after the Halls spent about a million or so to promote the foundation?....The foundtion was great about 15 years ago, now it's just a machine with no tools, other than the ones it so calls invite (if you want to call it an invite). It is what it is!

I'm really not a big fan of any type of rating system, when the star did the review I refused to let them take a picture I asked not to have a review same with the Pitch. When food & wine called I sent them on their way. When the Zagat called I told them to go away also. I made Ingrams sign a contract before she dinned she couldn't review me. I had Kansas City Mag pull out everything about me in their Mag. some airline called a few months back, same response. Spaces mag I sent them on their way also. I'm just a cook cooking food, It is what it is. I think ratings are a joke to begain with. Everyone has two things and one of them is an opion well I'll leave the other item out because I'm in a good mood today. ← That's funny, Food & Wine never called me until it was done. Hmmm... come to think of it neither did Zagat. Same with KC mag and all the airline magazines. Why are these people calling you? Seems strange the want you to know their comming. ← Food and wine called because they were interested in my wine list, I told them F*** off and call you Colby, they were doing a story on wines in the heartland. Zagat called because they wanted to add me as a write in and they wanted the correct information. I'm not going to toy with their joke of a rating scale. Did I say they were coming? You need to get your head out of your foie gras, But hey if stroud's can top zagat and do a beard dinner I guess anyone can. the beard is such a joke.

Nicely put! Next time I'm in chicago I'll buy you a tripple order of Foie Gras!!! I might even buy the whole house a round! I wish some blogger's shared the same view.

I'm really not a big fan of any type of rating system, when the star did the review I refused to let them take a picture I asked not to have a review same with the Pitch. When food & wine called I sent them on their way. When the Zagat called I told them to go away also. I made Ingrams sign a contract before she dinned she couldn't review me. I had Kansas City Mag pull out everything about me in their Mag. some airline called a few months back, same response. Spaces mag I sent them on their way also. I'm just a cook cooking food, It is what it is. I think ratings are a joke to begain with. Everyone has two things and one of them is an opion well I'll leave the other item out because I'm in a good mood today.

I believe everyone that votes on the zagat at that moment is a single critic, and they vote on the same things that the star rates on, in the same format.

Just because it's an independent restaurant doesn't make the food taste better. If Kansas City has a hard time supporting mobile rated restaurants and wine spectator awarded restaurants how would raising the bar on the little guys do any good? The bulk of the dinners that support those level of cuisine are tourist. I'm sure all the tourist that come to KC for the races and BBQ will have no problem supportting a mobile rated restaurant (even though arthur bryant's bbq has a mobile 1 star rating)or another other type of rating like that. If I remember right a few years back Applebee's was highly rated by the Zagat in KC. Arkansas has alot of money but the food scene has progress backwards about ten years. Money doesn't really figure in here.

I agree and disagree on this one, even the zagat rates this way(they rate the 1,2,3). The bulk of the time when a new restaurant opens up, people flock there to check out the decore and to be seen there, that's why restaurant's like Trotter's spend $50 grand a year on plates because people are more wowed over the decore, you can see it on reviews on the net posted by customers. People will bad mouth a place over the decore before the food. This all drivin by magazines like Kansas City Magazine, Last time Katie the editor was on the walt show all she wanted to talk about was were to go to be seen and to people watch, Ingrams was the same way last month. I belive if a hole in the wall dinner is putting out 4 star food but it has a very comfort feel then the customers should know. I would imagin the BuckHead dinner is putting out 4 star food in a 2 star setting. If Kansas City ever wants to become a top contender then we have to take a steller level of food down to their level of dinning. 40 sardines is a great example! Did Chef Tower start off wanting to offer an excellent expensive experience? I personally hate eating in a jacket, I hate food that is too fussy I grew past the tumble weed effect with all the micro greens I just want food prepaired with care that I can understand. As long as we keep confusing the general public on the enviroment they should dine in we'll never get any where. As long as we as restaurants mark our wines up to prices make your head spin we will never make the general public interested in wine( I've bought alot of $100 bottles of wines at local restaurants that I wouldn't cook with that were worth only $25 max on the open market.If I had tasted wine for the first time that was way over priced and was bad I doubt if I would ever order a bottle of wine again) I personally think the 1,2,3,4,5 star and diamond rating should be used by The big three. Let the local critics break it down so the customers knows which direction they want to dine in. I'm glad I recived 4 stars for food and 2 1/2 for service and Atmosphere. I wanted a restaurant that was down to earth in which I was comfortable with. I would hate to deal with the snotty customer looking for the excellent expensive experience, for me it's all about every day food, and good wine worth sharing. So I guess if we go by the standard of stars mention by J West I'll gladly except calling soredux a one or no star restaurant, Same with the sour octopus, The only place I worked at that wasn't a four star rated restaurant was stolen grille and I would give it a one star also. When I was the chef for the Mobile 4 star rated restaurant at the Ritz in KC I would have given it a two star and Two stars for the American Restaurant. I belive we do not have the amount of international tourism in Kansas City to go to that type of a rating system.

It's really hard to define "seasonal" veggie or anything these days since fedex and other companys make it all happen. That asparagus might have been seasonal Down under. I see no difference than shipping in from california during the peek. or zuccini blossums from Isreal. If that wasn't the case we would never see a aritchoke here I've only found one person growing aritchokes in the area and they were only able to produce one globe for the whole season, ramps won't grow here either. I ran asparagus for two weeks then they dried up I haven't been able to find a white one locally. Scallops are out of season now but I bet you still see them on menues every where. If the restaurant used out of season Asparagus and turned it into something awesome I would find that less frustrating than a restaurant doing unjust to trully seasonal vegetables. I do have to admitt I find Ronnies recapps more professional than others.

It's easier to force feed a duck than it is to force feed foie gras to Kansas City! only a small % of the people in and around Kansas City live to eat, I think if you want to change Kansas City's way of thinking you need to start from the head down because a fish rots from the head down. The city wants revenue from the tourist so they promote BBQ everyone in this town has bbq on the brain, heck go to that lame site chowhound and read the bulk of the forms there about kansas city IT"S BBQ. I hope they band the stuff for causing cancer(well done meats have been linked to cancer)Turn on the Walt Bodine show what do you get? chilli dogs and BBQ. I better not get started I have no love for the press anywhere. But a few do do a good job in Kansas City.

I think the press is doing a great job keeping up, the most of them promote the independent restaurants. When the major magazines come to town or want to know about the food scene in Kansas City they call the food critics(those guys are not surfing the net looking for fine cuisine)Most of the time when Bon Appitite writes up Kansas City they call the critics and go off their words with out dininng at any restaurant. When Food and Wine called me the KC Star gave them my number, when the Zagat called she sent them the infomation, last week she called me when Dana with Food and Wine was in town and when the Wine spectator was in town about a month ago.(BTY Big Country congrads on your 10 out of 10 he gave you!) When the food network called she Offered them The Peach Tree. So before we go smitting the press because we don't agree with them, just keep this in mind if you weren't at the table at that moment, then you didn't get the effect of the meal.