ulterior epicure

Depends on whether you like beef fat - a lot of it. My experience with bona fide A5 Kobe is that the proportion is 80/20 - fat/meat. I may be exaggerating just a *tad* - but not by much. It was beyond my level of fatty enjoyment.

Can an administrator please fix the title to this thread? The restaurant's name is "Justus Drugstore," not "Justus Drugs" - though some might argue that his food is just as habit forming.

Sorry, Schwa re-opened Wednesday; we went on Friday... ← And?

Has anyone been to Gazala Place?

My (former) college roommate and I celebrated our 27th/29th (respectively) birthdays at EMP last year. We felt perfectly comfortable there. In fact, most of the diners around us seemed like the same age bracket (mid-20's to mid-30's).

Oh, AND p.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.: I heard that starting March 1, bluestem will be closed on Mondays. Can I get a confirmation on that, ChefCAG? So, if there are any of you who would be silly enough to drive a considerable distance to a oft-booked restaurant sans reservations or response on the phone (ahem, Zeemanb )....

What about The Modern Bar and Aquavit Cafe? Unless, you consider them to be completely different restaurants from the dining rooms. ← You can get the Bar Room's menu at the bar, but you can't get the Modern dining room menu at the bar. Aquavit is similar.Right, but you CAN'T get the dining room menu at either The Modern Bar or Aquavit Cafe, which is why I mentioned them, piggy-backing off of what Nathan observed about GT and EMP. But, Nathan doesnt' consider The Modern Bar or Aquavit to be part and parcel of the dining rooms.

Practically every restaurant serves something at the bar, but there are a number of upscale places (not just the four-stars) where it's not the same as the sit-down menu. ← well, GT and EMP...I can't think of any others offhand...(and the vast majority of my dining is done at the bar) ← What about The Modern Bar and Aquavit Cafe? Unless, you consider them to be completely different restaurants from the dining rooms. Nougatine is definitely a different restaurant than Jean Georges.

Depending on the which evening you were dining with us, it was either pecan or walnut pralines that was a part of Megan's Petit Four Collection. The honey lollipops have fresh hand grated cinnamon for hidden depth and the green apple is what we call sour apple pate de fruit utilizing citric acid (think of kid's sour gummy worm candies) in a mixture of sugar rather than just the traditional sugar coating. We're glad you enjoyed the candies ← Actually, JWest, bluestem's green apple pate de fruit was *better* than those sour gummy worms. For one, bluestem's ACTUALLY contains green apple. Yes, pecan toffee. And, I don't even LIKE toffee - usually. This was more of a pecan toffee crumble. It wasn't the tooth-sticking crackle substance that they sell in bark form in candy bins. This was an incredibly buttery, crumbly candy studded with bits of pecans.

Ooooh, AND, as if all of that dinner wasn't enough, bluestem's pastry department is upping the ante with a wonderful post-dinner parade of mignardises: lavender dark chocolate truffles, pecan toffee (correct me if I'm wrong, JWest), and green apple (?) pate de fruits. There were also suckers - cinnamon honey (I tasted all honey, and no cinnamon) that were just wonderful. The server told us that the suckers were a good "digestif," as if I needed convincing.

As many of you know, Chef Garrelts is back in the kitchen now full-force, and I'd say his efforts are paying off. I had a very enjoyable evening with two friends over a 7-course dinner recently. I was told that the menu was a work in progress, and I found that there were some weaknesses (the pastas were touchy). But, overall, it was a great dinner - some of the most interesting dishes and flavor combinations I've experienced at bluestem, yet. Here is what we had (you can see all of the photos on my flickr account); I've commented on some of the dishes that stood out: ***** Amuse Bouche: Shotglass containing layers of mascarpone and red beets (suspended in a jelly-type substance) topped with champagne foam. This is what I call "schmancy borscht." It was a more accomplished version of a beet and horseradish cream amuse I had at Bouley. ***** First Course: Pear Salad Pecans, bacon, frisee, Stilton, Champagne vinaigrette, Blis Syrup. Bay Scallop Green apple, fennel, endive, grapefruit, honey. ***** Second Course: “Manhattan Chowder” San Marzano tomato, mussels, shrimp, bacon, potato. Oxtail, Natural Broth Braised tongue, sourdough crouton, Cypress Grove “Humboldt Fog.” The server aptly described this as "French onion soup, but better." Yes, it was. The broth was immensely and satisfyingly rich and complex. The oxtail meat was moist and soft, the tongue was thin and appropriately cooked. The best part, for me, however, was the Humboldt Fog cheese, which melted ever so slightly in the warm broth and imparted a wonderful creamy pungent aroma. ***** Third Course: Wagyu Tartare Black olive caramel. How beautiful! I don't know if this was a spontaneous presentation, but this is probably my favorite incarnation to date. The cake of beef was ringed by a confetti of tiny vegetables and dotted with that addictive black olive caramel that I love so much. The beef was finely hand-chopped and nicely textured. This dish was served with a side of potato chips which made this dish fun to eat. Foie Gras au Torchon Quince, pomegranate, peanut. Crispy Sweetbreads Rock shrimp, watercress, apple, squash, pickled shallot. ***** Fourth Course: Calamarata Braised short rib, goat cheese, pinenut. My friends thought the calamarata was bland, but I thought the ragu component was rather lovely. It wasn't the most complex and nuanced ragu, but it was very lovely in a subtle way. The pasta was nicely cooked. The reason the dish might have seemed a bit flat was because I *think* it was missing the goat cheese, which I didn't realize it was missing until I thought about the dish more. Still, a very good ragu pasta; I just think there was a level of complexity missing that would have been provided by creamy, tangy cheese. “Mac & Cheese” Al Ceppo, fontina, black truffle, “La Quercia” speck Americano. Burgundy Escargot Gnocchi, porcini, Parmesano Reggiano. This was the only true disappointment of the meal. The last time I had the gnocchi, it was the best dish of my meal. But, that was a very different dish, it involved bay scallops and piquant Grana Padano cheese. It was salty, briny, earthy-beefy, and comforting. This dish, unfortunately, was completely bland. I think they forgot to season it. The porcini also failed to impart the earthy aroma I expected. The escargot also had a bit of sandy grit in it. The gnocchi were nice, but not as fluffy as last time. Not a disaster, just not as good as I know it could be. ***** Fifth Course: Seared Haddock White beans, chorizo, onion, herb emulsion. Had I the night to do over again, I would have ordered this fish for myself. My scallops were perfect, but this dish was more interesting. The haddock fillet was silky and moist. The beans were cooked to perfection. I liked their meaty sturdiness against the supple fish. I didn't get much chorizo flavor (but I didn't get much of a tasting at all), but the velvety herb emulsion (which was more of a sauce) really brought the fish and beans together nicely. The seasoning reminded me of Ripert's cod with potatoes and chorizo, and the simplicity and cleanness of the dish's preparation and presentation reminded me of my meals at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Gramercy Tavern last year. Yet, this dish managed to be something altogether its own. This was excellent, the highlight of the dinner. Arctic Char Braised brisket, mustard greens, pumpernickel horseradish crumble. I have no idea what Chef Garrelts' inspiration was for this dish, but I found it to be a wonderful take on Scandinavian cuisine (specifically, Swedish). Char, brisket, pumpernickel, and dill, with nose-poking mustard greens standing in for horseradish. The mustard greens, with the horseradish crumble, was pretty aggressive, but I like mustard/horseradish and enjoyed the prod. This is an unlikely surf-and-turf combination, but one that bluestem (and Swedish cuisine) features often: char/salmon/sea trout and beef. It's definitely a heartier coupling and it's the perfect kind of haute comfort food on a cold wintry night. Diver Scallops Rock shrimp & mussels, turnip, potato, Champagne emulsion. ***** Sixth Course: Campo Lindo Hen Anson Mills grits, cippolini, oyster mushrooms, Parmesan. After 20+ visits to bluestem, this was the first time I've actually tried to hen. It was great. I have to say that I'm not a huge Anson Mills grits fan (I like my grits more textured - more "gritty"), but, for those who are devotees to the soft-milled grit, hie thee to bluestem for it. I've seen it out on the Lounge (Shrimp & Grits, and with Brisket/Short Ribs) menu. Roast La Belle Duck Butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, maple. “Akaushi” Waygu Flatiron Crispy creamed spinach, potato puree, corn nuts. Brilliant. This is my first time trying Chef Garrelts' Akaushi Wagyu Flatiron (I'm very excited about the Akaushi dinner at Starker's Reserve on March 17). It is spectacular. I understand that he has come up with a way to roll and cut it like a filet, which makes a more tender cut. Indeed, it was. And, the meat was nothing short of blissful. I've seen this of meat raw, and the marbling is unbelievable. Eating this cut and preparation of Akaushi makes you think twice about the way beef should taste. The roulade of beef (you can see, it was coming unrolled) sat atop a potato puree with a breaded and fried ball of creamed spinach (the inside was velvety spinach with a creamy, cheesy mix), a clever steakhouse rift that played out with equal wit on the palate. Also on the plate are citrus rind powder, blood orange sections, and crushed corn nuts. I was thrown by the blood orange and the citrus rind powder. But, their contribution was not unwelcomed. The citrus powder, together with the beef and demi actually reminded me of (very fine) orange peel beef, a Chinese original. As for corn nuts, I wished there were more. Reminded me of the buffalo encrusted with corn nuts I had at The Avenues three years ago. ***** At this point in the game, we had over-stayed our welcome in the dining room and were kindly asked to remove ourselves to the Lounge to accommodate the following party. We were more than happy to oblige. ***** Pre-Dessert: The sous pastry chef, JWest, sent out a wonderful pre-dessert amuse. It was so refreshing. In fact I would have been happy with a bowl of it. Dessert Amuse Fresh orange, vanilla ice cream, lemon sherbet, vanilla bubbles. ***** Dessert (7th Course): Dark Chocolate Mousse Sponge Cake Milk chocolate semifreddo, lime curd, Amerena cherries, hazelnut “glass.” It wasn't hard for me to to like this dessert, I love chocolate and I love cherries. This was my favorite of the three desserts for the evening. The sponge cake was moist, yet fluffy, filled with a light mousse. There was just the slightest hint of amarena cherry in the cake crumb itself, and larger morsels of cherries in the mousse filling. There were some macerated amarena cherries as garnish also. The milk chocolate semifreddo was wonderful. I especially liked the bracing tartness of the lime curd against the cream milky chocolate goodness. Texturally, this dish also had a lot going for it: crunchy hazelnut glass, light and airy cake, luscious curd, and meaty sweet cherries. Marcona Almond Tart Rose petal meringue, cardamom, hibiscus, brown butter almond gelato. Hot Valrhona Cocoa Warm churros, Bourbon marshmallows, cinnamon ice milk. What a fun dessert. Sipping, dunking, and munching all come together on one plate. The hot cocoa was very rich. We floated some of the marshmallows in it and dunked the churros in. While the flavors were all there, the churros were too crispy/hard. Otherwise, an enjoyable dessert. ***** Service was friendly and accommodating. Jeremy Lamb, the wine director confidently paired two wines with my dinner, as requested. For the first courses, he poured a Sauvignon Blanc, which I loved (can't remember the label). It paired especially well with my sweetbreads and scallops (and the haddock). The red wine, a Cedarville Cabernet Sauvignon (California) - spicy, jammy and bold, with a full, velvety body - went perfectly with my Akaushi beef course.

Zeemanb: I had heard that they would be closed sometime in February for a while (a week?). Sorry to hear you made all that effort only to meet disappointment. However, I encourage you to go when they re-open; it's truly a wonderful restaurant. le peche: Thanks for the link to the website! I've been waiting for it for quite sometime. Now, I just hope they update the online menu. There's nothing that makes me want to tear my hair out more than an outdated online menu.

Several years ago our daughter was a cheese specialist at Whole Foods in Minneapolis. She would bring us burrata every summer, packed in a cooler, for us to have with tomatoes. We always looked forward to our burrata arriving. ← Hence, can you understand the heartache I experienced when no burrata appeared on my cheese plate? My anticipation was great, and the let down was even moreso. ChefCAG, I'll be on the watch-out for burrata as soon as tomato season opens.

No, it is not.

Finally. I've always wondered why Michael Smith doesn't offer a cheese course. 40 Sardines (as far back as I can remember) did. It was wonderful. The selections were novel and always well-presented. I was recently at Michael Smith, and was delighted to find "Artisinal [sic] Cheese Plate" ($14). The four printed offerings were: Burrata, Petit Basque, Forme d'Ambert, and 18-month white Cheddar. Not that I had the slightest hesitation to order this without thought, I did take a moment to review my sweet choices. A few appealed to me, but I really wanted cheese. I've had three of the cheese before (I've had aged white Cheddar, but not sure which artisan this was from) and love 'em greatly. However, I RARELY see burrata, a cheese I dearly love, on a Kansas City menu, and, definitely, not on a cheese plate. (Besides 40 Sardines, and maybe bluestem or Room 39, I don't think I've ever seen it in this city.) And, given the choice, I'll usually spring for cheese over sweets. I must say, for $14, you get a very nice assortment of fine cheeses. However, I note, there was no burrata. Instead, the progression was Petit Basque, Manchego, Forme d'Ambert, and 18-month white Cheddar. This was particularly disappointing because the server had not notified me of the substitution. (I *think* I even mentioned that I was especially excited about the burrata - but maybe that was my enthusiastic inner dialogue). Regardless, it was most enjoyable. The generous cuts of cheeses were lined up (it's probably enough cheese for two or three people), with an entourage of almonds in honey, slices of shaved pears, a wonderfully red wine-reduced fig compote (especially good with the white Cheddar), and a good heap of toasted baguette slices drizzled with olive oil. On one minor note, I'm not sure I agreed with the progression. Here, the white Cheddar is quite sharp and aged, and on most cheese progressions would probably be last. But I think here, the Forme d'Ambert (a creamy pungent blue) was more aggressive-tasting and should have followed, instead of preceded the Cheddar. I'm thrilled to see one more restaurant in KC putting out a great cheese plate. The others that come to mind are bluestem, 40 Sardines, JP Wine Bar, Aixois, and 1924 Main.

Ronnie, nice report and excellent pictures. I can't get over how *perfect* that artichoke heart quarter looks on the Country Cottage Farm Chicken dish.

Just for that, Bruni's going to give Adour 3 stars!

Maybe Ms. Van Pelt is getting in touch with her Dutch-German roots?

What is the relation?

Dovetail on the UWS gets 3 stars. BTW, is there new "Bruni 2008" thread? This one is outdated, by the title.

Actually it's a cappuccino semifreddo unless I'm mistaken. The hot donuts with the cold semifreddo is a great combo, and I don't even like coffee most of the time! ← When I ate there I did the dumb thing of picking up the coffee cup and trying to drink the semifreddo. Fortunately I was was eating alone and nobody saw. ← Don't be so hard on yourself. I mean, after all, it IS called "Coffee and Donuts," and the "Coffee" WAS served in a cup. If one is to make a witty play on the quotidien breakfast coupling, one WOULD presume that the "Coffee" was appropriate for donut dunking... or drinking.

Alex, re: the Cod. I see the "crispy" milt on top, and the rice on the bottom - but where is the "Steamed Cod?" Is it mixed in with the rice?

So, The Bad Seed is a store, in which there is an eatery called Fud? And, this is totally a separate store/restaurant from Cafe Seed? I'm confused.

I just had a thought: could Cafe Seed be Füd? The Füd website didn't give a target opening date. Perhaps, Füd morphed into Cafe Seed.

Heidi Van Pelt plans to open Füd, a organic vegan restaurant in Kansas City. There's a brief web video interveiw with Ms. Van Pelt on her website. Does anyone know anything about this restaurant? Opening, location, etc???