Zeemanb

Is it too soon? Is today's weather making me even more delusional than usual? First person to get a sighting of seasonal goodness, let me know...... I know, I get like this every year. You should be used to it by now......

All I know is, as I watched him during those reflective scenes in the easy chair I thought to myself "now that is one impressive index finger, how does he point it straight up in the air like that?". My sorry index finger couldn't get me an open mic gig at the Chuckle Hut in Topeka, much less a reality show.

Hey, hoping to hear how you are doing! Sorry that I've forgotten about this thread, and I won't go on and ON like I usually do, but I will share my favorite word since surgery......LEFTOVERS! My wee stomach keeps me from enjoying absolutely NOTHING.....I'm happier and healthier than I've ever been, and when it comes to the greatest restaurants I get at least two or three meals for the same price. I pretty much eat what I want when I want, and surgery impacts different people in different ways......for me, I have to watch out for the high-fat foods. Serious Ludovico treatment moments.....I'm very cautious with the fatty foods, which is just smart anyway. Hope you are doing well! If you have any questions or just want to shoot the breeze, feel free to contact me anytime!

If you crazy kids want the best burger in KC, you needn't go any further than the Bluestem lounge......

Anyone else remember sitting there as a kid going "no way they are going to let The Fonz get eaten by that shark......TO BE CONTINUED? WTF"? Oh well, at least there was some good Gail cleavage last night......

A serious question about Alinea....(and this is mainly for those who have dined at Minibar...will cross-post on that thread)..... I am curious about the QUANTITY of food over several hours, compared to a a meal like I had at minibar. In short, my 40th birthday is coming up on July 4, and I can't think of a better meal to escort me into these bitter years than Alinea....but my capacity is limited due to my gastric bypass. I handled minibar, barely, just fine, and I know that the time spent at Alinea is at least twice that. So....how much food do I get, AND who wants to join me for my 40th birthday shenanigans ?

Kickin' it old school here in KC.... Spinach Salad w/Warm Bacon Dressing Caramelized onions w/nicoise olives and anchovy on top of baguette Mashed potato casserole w/bacon and smoked gouda Prime beef filet topped with a morel marsala sauce and for dessert.......Bananas Foster And after dinner, we'll probably watch Chocolat.....or the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre....we really haven't decided yet.

I didn't realize sauntering was in your repertoire, Z ← I saunter so much that it is shameful.....a crime against god and man. And that bacon explosion....I can only wish it was contained in my skeevy and hurtful heart.....but we all know those boundaries have been breached.....

Okay, I have been so smitten with Jamie all along....dammit.....I'm very very sad that she is no longer a "Top Chef" cheftestant...but the watermark isn't really that high.

Zeemanb, since you seem to be up in that neck of the woods often, what's the story on that Agave that opened up around the corner from the Cupini's? I see that the Backyard BBQ place got an upgrade and went to a larger, more visible spot. ← I have not been to Agave, was hoping you'd take the bullet and check it out, lol. Backyard BBQ has definitely taken a turn for the better as far as location, and I believe they are hosting an event at Briarcliff this weekend to feature the creators of the "Bacon Explosion" that is all the rage online. I may have to saunter over there and check it out. Good things happening in NKC!

Just a bump and a reminder if you haven't been lately.....Cupini's is a local treasure as far as I'm concerned. I keep forgetting that they opened a location right up the street from my house in Parkville, and I've visited the past couple of days for lunch. Great food, fantastic customer service, and they've done a VERY fine job of dressing up a spot that would have otherwise been taken over by some chain. The sausage panini is a favorite of mine.....

so perhaps he should pack his douchebag and go. ← A Glad brand douchebag?

Ever since I ate in a Madrid restaurant with a Ferran Adria created menu and chefs trained by him, years back, I've been wanting to go to Minibar. That meal in Spain made me an absolute nut over molecular gastronomy. I love that Tony has a passion for that type of food. "Decoding Ferran Adria" was so much fun! And certainly the time he spent with Ferran's brother on the show was wonderful. Jose Andres segment on Monday is super funny. And watch for when Jose smooshes Tony's face into a box of peaches at the farmer's market, insisting that he REALLY smell the peaches. Heh. Think I'm going to hit Eden Center earlier in the day before Minibar (also in the DC show to air on Monday). It looks absolutely amazing! I'll just have to make sure I have room for dinner later. ← If Tony goes to Central, then I'm just going to fall over. I can't take it. We just had the meal of a lifetime there a few weeks ago. "Bargain" is a relative word, but that's what it was. My girlfriend is here in Kansas City for Valentine's Day, and we'll be channeling good thoughts to you for your dinner at minibar.......hoping you get that Thai dessert we loved so much!

I literally had 3 phones going, redialing them all...but once you get in, and others can back me up here....talk about friendly! Dealing w/Bonji was an absolute pleasure, you feel like a Hollywood A-Lister, .

I know I am giddy with anticipation for next week's show....my girlfriend and I had our first "real date" at minibar last May, and I have to say we could have done a LOT worse.... . I generally avoid dinner out on Valentine's Day, but I think you scored the HUGE exception to that rule! All I can say is ENJOY....what a wonderful and memorable meal. We'll be going back at some point this year. She bought me the entire PBS series "Made in Spain" for Christmas, so Jose is a MAJOR man-crush for me, .

Hey Kim, we had a great time with you guys at dinner the other night, and I have to say that the service, quality and price point at Black Sheep make it a real winner. I'll absolutely be visiting the next time I'm in Richmond. Getting 2-3 meals out of an eight dollar sandwich is always a bonus. Not a lot of new food reports from this trip other than our meal at Central in DC. Sticky Rice is still great, and I'm pretty much addicted to the pizza at Frank's Ristorante in the Stony Point Shopping Center. The secret is to not overdo it with the toppings, because they are very generous with them. Great crust, and they use good Kalamata olives instead of the generic canned variety. Meatball and olive is the way to go..... Casa Grande has some decent Tex-Mex style Mexican food.....low prices and a huge menu. Sino-American buffet on Midlothian was a novelty for us late on Christmas night when we were starving on the drive home from visiting friends......not great, but definitely not the WORST Chinese buffet I've ever visited. Bad Chinese food on Christmas....what better tradition is there? I'm playing host for my girlfriend in KC next month, and will return to the Richmond area in March. Looking forward to it!

My girlfriend and I had a fantastic dining experience at Central on Friday night, and it's nice to see someone else mention Pamela already......the combination of her stellar and friendly service and our view of the kitchen added volumes of fun and comfort to our evening. Maybe it was just because it was the day after Christmas, I don't think they were completely swamped at any time, but it is still sooo nice when your server (during primetime on a Friday night) asks how long you want her to wait before she places your entree/dessert orders so that you can be sure and pace yourself and enjoy your wine. I put a long review on my blog, but I'll at least mention what we had to eat and overall thoughts. I don't think there is any new info here other than the Manhattan..... Bourbon and Maple Manhattan- I enjoyed one of these at the bar before we were seated, and while it is a simple concoction of good bourbon, a simple syrup made with maple syrup and a dash of orange bitters, it is a rockstar of a wintertime cocktail. Gougeres- tasty, and held up surprisingly well when we ate leftovers the next day Lardon and onion tart- I'll probably get this as an appetizer AND dessert the next time I visit....the combo of the thick bacon, caramelized onions, creme fraiche and chives on a paper thin crust was dreamy. Pied de Cochon- fortunately for me, mine was not stringy at all like someone experienced earlier in this thread....the presentation makes it such an approachable dish. The meat is taken off of the foot and rolled in what looks like an egg roll after being mixed with chopped mushrooms. The pork was pure unctious, meaty and sometimes gummy goodness and was so well matched with the texture of the mushrooms that it gave me a chuckle. The addition of mashed potatoes, mustard sauce and a little lardon/frisee salad helps it right along. Braised Lamb Shank- my girlfriend went out of her comfort zone with this choice, and was wild for it. I have to say, the depth of flavor they are able to infuse into the meat along with the lip-smacking collagen goodness made it one of the best shanks I've probably ever eaten. Michel's Chocolate Bar- formerly the "Kit Kat" bar....I guess the trademark police finally caught up with them. I'm not the best judge of dessert, but if you are a fan of chocolate it sure does taste a lot like.......chocolate. In all seriousness, nice texture and flavor, but I stuck with my Sauternes as my girlfriend swooned over the chocolate bar. We drank not one but two bottles (we like to party) of a very tasty and reasonable Cab Franc with dinner...sorry if I butcher the name, we did go through two bottles during our three hour tour....Frederic Mabileau St. Nicolas de Bourgeil 2006. In all, because of the service, the food, the atmosphere and the fact that it was our first holiday season together, it is probably my most memorable meal of 2008. Elegant yet approachable, delicious and affordable, total dinner theatre if you are sitting in front of the kitchen.......so all things considered I also consider this the "bargain" of 2008. Two appetizers, two entrees, two bottles of wine, one dessert, one dessert wine, tax and a healthy tip for just over $216. I spend a lot of time in Richmond at my girlfriend's, so we'll definitely be making the trip again in the spring. We'll have another meal at Central, no doubt about that.

So, is everyone else available January 5? Aaron, chilihead, Dividend, Mamagotcha? jgm, joiei, are you coming up? ← Thinking about it, seriously. Just get all the snow and ice melted before then. ← It's like 75 degrees today! No excuses! When do we eat? ← Well, either before January 6 or we have to wait until Z's next trip to Richmond. I'm fairly certain we're going on the 30th with some out-of-town company (including Osnav if any remembers him - he's too busy working on his Martha Stewart impersonation to post these days). If anyone else is interested please PM/email me. ← You're hilarious..... I'll chuckle about this tonight at Central here in DC when I'm eating Michel Richard's cassoulet. Have fun playing hostess over the New Year holiday, I'm sure everyone will enjoy your world famous Velveeta and Rotel dip!

I haven't been this excited to try a new restaurant in KC since......I don't remember when. I'll be back in town after January 6th, so if anyone is planning a trip, count me in. Big time.

I saw you perched at the end of the bar, but you ducked out before I could stop by and say hello... I had the cassoulet, which was satisfying, if a little undersalted (or maybe just underhammed). And a nice plate of smoked salmon. And most importantly, a Sazerac and a Negroni. I don't make it here often enough, but it remains my favorite spot in town for a drink. ← Ducking out is my forte..... I did enjoy a couple of the aforementioned "perfect" Manhattans, as well as bottle of super-proof EKU (?) German beer with my burger. I'm not a beer guy by any stretch of the imagination, but I should mention that Bluestem's beer selection is fantastic.....and they PROBABLY have one or two brews that are in such short supply they don't even make it to the menu, so just ask. But anyway, glad I had the cassoulet when it had the sausage and lamb....oh so good. Oh, the olives.....crazy great selection for the money, and the presentation is just a bonus.

Re: "one pot" meals..... I'm not what people would call "intelligent", but does a meal count as one-pot as long as you only use one POT, but as many pans as necessary? Just curious, because if that's the case I've been one lazy bastard when it comes to my favorite one pot dishes.......

Geez, what is this, the walk in each others shoes thread? I had a terrific Negroni this past not-sure-when, followed by a Van-recommended Perfect Manhattan as well, though I thought what made it "perfect" is equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. Anyway, concur on both. And with that, I'm off for a drink. ← Heh heh, what can I say....we both have impeccable taste! Poor you though.....walking in MY shoes..... Anyway, visited again last night for one last fix before I head out east for the holidays, and all I can say is (granted, I'm no "gourmet" burger dude, never been to ChefBurger, or Blanc....) run, don't walk to try the new Kobe burger at Bluestem! Perfectly juicy, huge, and topped with fried onions. I'll never look at LC's or Fritz's the same way again......

I didn't see a thread dedicated to Extra Virgin yet, so I'm topping this one...... Anyone visit yet? I probably won't have a chance until after the holidays, but dear sweet lord the menu looks fanTAStic...... Extra Virgin KC

That's great news. I had tried to order one of these two, probably about the same time frame. I think at that time the problem was that they didn't have any rye. Classic or no, I've found bluestem to have the best cocktails in town. ← I'm a big fan of their Negroni's. Over the summer, Vann introduced me to a drink that, as a bourbon lover, I can't believe I haven't tried before.....the "Perfect" Manhattan. Basically just a regular Manhattan w/dry instead of sweet vermouth. With a mellower, smoother bourbon like Basil Hayden or Woodford Reserve, it is one fantastic little brain fogger.

Lazy, cheap yet incredibly popular and well received (just like me, there, beat you to it Judy).......... home roasted coffee in cute little gift bags. I stocked up on my favorite bean this year, Ethiopian Harar. The fifteen bucks I spent on a Poppery II popcorn popper several years ago has provided caffeinated Christmas joy for family and friends year after year!