ulterior epicure

There's been recent discussion about gelatos and ice creams on another thread and I've taken the liberty to re-locate that discussion over here. Aaron Deacon had asked for suggestions on gelato at Balsano's on the Plaza. I commented on their gelatos here. Well, Aaron, your wish is my command. The balmy weather yesterday gave me the perfect excuse to scoot on by Balsano's for another tasting. This time, I tasted: Apple Caramel Spice (which replaced the earlier Apple Spice) sorbetto: Improvement on the older version - this time it was less crystallized than the last time - it tasted creamier, although this was a non-dairy product. I wonder how they made "caramel" without dairy in a supposedly "all-natural" way? Still, very good. Not like apple filling any more; tastes more like apples toffee. Pumpkin Spice: Boy, was it ever. You could really taste the pumpkin... the spices were just a compliment. It was a lot more mellow than I anticipated... but, very pumpkin-y. Tiramisu: Tasted more like ameretto than rum... not my favorite. Pistachio: Was glowing green... the guy behind the counter swears it's all natural, but I certainly have never seen any pistachios naturally that shade, or shall I say, luminescence of green. It tasted alright though - managed not to be the consitency of clay, like some overly-thick pistachio gelatos tend to be. Espresso: More like cafe au lait. For a strictly dark coffee-drinker like me, this was candy. Not my favorite. Vanilla Irish Cream: Can we say verysweet? Yes, it was very sweet - but I did enjoy the flavor despite the saccharin distraction. The vanilla held its own against the nice cooling Irish Cream. But, personally, it was way above my sugar-tolerance to stomach more than a small bite. Butter Brickle: Passable - there was a lot of crushed nuts scattered across the top, which was nice addition. It managed to be somewhat complex in flavor, not just the cloying sweet buttery-caramel-y impression that most butter brickles leave you with. Coconut: Ehh, good, I've had better. Overall, this batch of gelato was noticeably more creamy in conisistency than last time I was in (maybe four months ago?) - perhaps because they've adjusted the temperature in the refrigerated case? Maybe they tweeked the recipe? Dunno. I will say, that this time, the guy working behind the counter mentioned that they use 2%... although negligible, it is slightly more fatty than the non-fat skim they mentioned last time I was in. There were probably a good two dozen flavors in all. Off the top of my head: Chocolate-Hazlenut, Chocolate Strawberry, three kinds of sorbetto including a berry one, Wedding Cake (I get the heaves just thinking about the nasty "Cake Batter" they sell at The Cold Stone Creamery, so I avoided this one), and some others that appeared rather pedestrian to me... I mean, sheesh, I did try like half the case. Now it's time for you all to round up the rest! Oh, and bring plenty of pocket change - a small scoop starts off at $3.50... by the time you get to a large, it's upwards of $5/$6... Here are the various other ice creameries and gelateria's mentioned in various and sundry threads: Murray's Ice Cream & Cookies in Wesport. Still have yet to make it there. DOH! The Sweet Guy in Parkville. The best I've had in KC, by far... limited selection, but consistently the most authentic and creamy stuff around! SPIN! Neapolitan Pizzeria, also along the 119th corridor. I say have your pizza and head on over to.... Dean and Deluca's in Town Center Plaza - where I saw a vanilla malt that made me pause. Scoot along, we've got the ginormous beacon of light across the way that is the new C&B to see...

Luckylies. I've only dined in front of "Big Daddy" (twice), so I can't speak to the talents or ways of the other chefs in the house. However, I will tell you that on my second visit, there was something funny going on with the reservations. I had to re-confirm thrice with them to ensure that I was to be sat in front of Yasuda. That being said, after I was seated and in front of His Highness, everything was smooth sailing... as much uni, toro and eel as i wanted - and more!

I left the invite at home so ethier I'm an idiot or it's a typo...... Man! U.E. busts balls on all the details ← I've got $5 on the first choice. In every other setting I can think of, I wield the fastest "red pen" and then I get called-out for the tiniest error or omission. With UE around, I can enjoy the festivities without fear of retribution. ← Damn! Am I developing a reputation around here, or what? Judy, I don't bite, you know. BTW, ChefCAG, I like the way you described my "round-up" of the details...

Um, do you mean Thursday, the 16th? Or Friday, the 17th?

I've followed this thread with interest, but have yet to find myself a bottle of the PX. Judging from the description however I would suggest a good dessert would be Sticky Toffee Pudding. Got your figs, got your nice warm caramelized sauce. So can I come for dinner, I'll bring the dessert. ← So, I made a pumpkin bread pudding and paired it with a Alvear Solera 1927 Pedro Ximenes. Spectacular... that's all I have to say. Sticky toffee pudding will be my next conquest! I think that would be wonderful as well!

My gosh... no need to show me, just feed me! ... one of my college roommates is in Cleveland....

Katie, I hope you meant "persimmon" ice cream... 'cause I know I don't have to get anyone's "permission" to eat my ice cream!! u.e.

Thanks for the explanations! I can't wait to try these! So, the truffle was more like a fudge?

Thanks, mamagotcha for that report. I just went on to their website and looked at their menu. It doesn't look terribly expensive - but then, it is a small plates concept. I didn't see the menu broken out into regional or national cuisines. Were those labels (on you blog/website) your own? u.e.

LOL! Yes, they're working on that as we speak! =R= ← As if this current (and thankfully soon ending) election cycle isn't enough to wear a man down... ... best of luck to all the eligible candidates!! u.e.

Cute mug, there ChefGEB!!

Yes, three times in the couple months since we've been in town, most recently yesterday morning. This is one of a couple posts to compose, so more detail anon, but suffice to say, the Sat and Sun morning country breakfast (two of the three visits) is terrific. BBQ was quite good, not quite great, though more about my context for that judgment in another post. If it takes me longer to get around to posting, and you happen to go for dinner in the meantime, I'll leave you with this advice: Get the corn fritters. Thanks Aaron! The reason I ask is that recently, a very good friend gave me a gift certificate to RJ's of a rather generous sum. I need to find a way to spend it all... perhaps Thanksgiving this year will be RJ's!! I don't suppose those corn fritters would be any good after a car-ride back up to the Northland???

Well, your grandmother-in-law can walk down to the Jack Stack now - it's open. Oh, I had heard great things about OK Joe's... ... anybody been to RJ's Bob-B-Que in Mission?

Besides the home-smoked... where do you favor for BBQ outings?

Wow, this thread has gone untouched for far too long! I'm a blue cheese- er. I've recently been re-acquainted with a long lost friend, the Shropshire, just after ending a wonderful relationship with Valdeon and Cabrales (the latter ended in a rather bitter and amoniac fall-out, resulting from a bad interloping cheesemonger ). I decided to read up on what gives Shropshire its Cheddar-like colour. I discovered that it is in fact coloured with the same agent as Cheddar - annato. Now, I don't know that much about annato, but I do know that it's not from England - nor anywhere else near that longitudinal/latitudinal coordinate. So, how did annato get into English cheese? I know Shropshire isn't that, but Cheddar is...

Alas, I have yet to try them beans... *hanging head in shame* I know, I know, moosnsqrl, "hie me to a JS for some beans."

A couplah things from random recent drive-bys: 1. In the Shoal Creek Shoppes in Liberty, MO, there is a new Italian eatery called Mavi Italian Casual. It looked like it could be pre-fabbed (i.e., a "chain"), but I doubt it... it was open for business, but empty. From what I could tell looking into the store from the parking lot, it's a self-service place with a huge printed menu board on one wall. Google came up with nothing... 2. Drove through the new Briarcliff shops - North of the river just west of I-29/169. Besides Piropos, there's another fancy-lookin' restaurant called Trezzo Mare, a simpler eatery called Cafe at Briarcliff, a Latte Land, and The Pastry Goddess. Piropos and The Pastry Goddess are the only ones open... the other three look like they've got a good week or two - maybe more. The Pastry Goddess had a nice selection of pastries (e.g. croissants, pain au chocolat, pain au raisin, frangipanes, and cream-filled eclairs (which woman woman was raving about to herself in one corner)) to tarts, pies (although they insist on calling them tarts), and a whole case devoted to Joseph Schmidt chocolates. There's also a specialty foods store (Yay!!) that is a la Whole Foods/Wild Oats - but on a smaller scale. Rimann Liquors has also opened a new store in Briarcliff.

You often see a tiering between destination versions- like, at Downtown Disney or at integrated resorts/theme parks- and mall versions of the 'immersion' chain restaurants like Rainforest Cafe. The destination ones are bigger and have (god help us) more theming- often more outdoor theming, so it's like you're walking into a big fake mountain/jungle/gaping maw. There's more hardscape and theming OUTSIDE the restaurant, to....begin your adventure sooner! Or something. Yeah, I was in Chicago for the opening of their River North location (many years ago). The line wrapped around the block - thrice! Four more times and a trumpet blast and they could have had them walls a'tumblin' down! I just walked by them, shakin' my head... on my way to the now-re-done "Rock & Roll McDonald's." Can't wait to hear about Cassis!

This article ran in the Kansas City Star this week (November 3). I'm sure it was a wire report that was published in other newspapers. Did anyone else read about this claim that at current rates of decline in the population of fish, the sea will be empty by the year 2048? Who comes up with this information? u.e.

Can you expound on the "chocolate mess?" Spoonable chocolate is always a topic of interest to me!

Good luck! I hope the strobe lighting and other "scary" special effects in the restaurant don't break your camera's auto light sensors!!

Just a note, I was at Tatsu's Cafe yesterday for lunch. The prix fixe menu is gone. It's now a la carte. The choices seem to be the same, but just separated out on the menu. Starters are in the $4-$5 range. Entrees between $8-$12ish and desserts are from $5-$7ish. There were considerably more diners in than when I was in last - a few months ago. I posted a short write-up on my blog about the experience.

doc, i've also been to five out of the seven... and arun's isn't one of them. so, i can't say... but, from what i know, it does seem to be the odd one out. u.e.

Not that I'm surprised... Congrats ChefGEB!

Yes, JWest. I've said on this forum and elsewhere that the best gelato that I've had in Kansas City is as this little shop called "The Sweet Guy" in Parkville. I haven't been in half a year, but the half dozen times I've been, it's been very good. As for Balsano's, I've been there a couple of times. Their gelato is okay - they've got a lot of flavors, some of them are really good. But, 1. They use skim milk instead of whole. The result is that their gelato is just a tad on the crystallized side (i.e. more water to fat ratio). While it's not as smooth and "luscious" as the real stuff, it's not bad - and I guess it's lower in fat. 2. Their flavors, I don't think, are all natural - I think they add flavoring from powder pre-mixes from Italy (but I'm not sure), as many gelaterias do. My favorite of their flavors is the spiced apple sorbetto. It tastes like apple pie filling. u.e.