Justus Drugstore

[joiei]

I was just reading a review of this new restaurant and was wondering if anyone here had any experience with it. Where is Smithville anyway? Here is the piece I was reading.

[moosnsqrl]

I was just reading a review of this new restaurant and was wondering if anyone here had any experience with it.  Where is Smithville anyway?  Here is the piece I was reading.

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I drove up to Trimble for some Berkshire pork, etc, yesterday and stopped at Parkville Market first. The Crums asked me if I was going to Justus and I had only a vague, sketchy memory of what they were even talking about at first. Thanks for the link fleshing it out. Smithville is ~30 minutes north of KC. Definitely sounds like it's worth a run up there one evening.

And veering a few short miles off-topic, Paradise Meats have Piemontese beef now. I picked up a filet and we made some pretty decent tartare with it last night. Another bad habit is born.

[justhoward]

I went with my grilfriend a month or so ago and really liked it. As a disclaimer I should note that Jonathan and Camile are friends of ours, but we were glad we made the trip up there because we had a wonderful meal. The space is beautiful, with a lot of interesting detail, natural light and a good view of the open kitchen. They kept the bar and stools from the original soda fountain and I thought that was a nice touch. At one point in the evening a couple from Smithville lifted up a barstool seat and checked to see if the grafitti they had scrawled there as teenagers was still there. (It was).

The food is pretty straightforward, with a real emphasis on the ingredients. Jonathan and sous chef Jeff Scott (formerly chef of Zin) are committed to using as many local products as possible. They use Shatto butter with bread baked in house by Camile. They list many local farmers whose produce they feature, and the meats were free-range or heritage breed or hormone and antibiotic free. Basically, everything was as local and sustainable as possible. And it showed.

We had a foie gras terrine and another app to begin (I can't remember it but I know we enjoyed it-something with an egg on it?). The terrine was great and the plate was brought to our table by the guy who baked the brioche. Next we had salads - a smoked trout one and a warm goat cheese one. Both were nicely done. I had a Kobe beef entree that was well executed and delicious, but I can't remember the other one - quite a bit of wine by this point. Everything was solid. The food made sense, and things were as they should be. We will be back.

Finally, I was also impressed with how busy they were. I thought we might be the only table on a Tuesday night in Smithville, but it was nearly full. A nice mix of people obviously up from KC, and people obviously from Smithville. Some big families and some young couples on dates. Overall a very good vibe. Definately worth the trip.

[joiei]

I went with my grilfriend a month or so ago and really liked it.  As a disclaimer I should note that Jonathan and Camile are friends of ours, but we were glad we made the trip up there because we had a wonderful meal.  The space is beautiful, with a lot of interesting detail, natural light and a good view of the open kitchen.  They kept the bar and stools from the original soda fountain and I thought that was a nice touch.  At one point in the evening a couple from Smithville lifted up a barstool seat and checked to see if the grafitti they had scrawled there as teenagers was still there. (It was).

The food is pretty straightforward, with a real emphasis on the ingredients.  Jonathan and sous chef Jeff Scott (formerly chef of Zin) are committed to using as many local products as possible.  They use Shatto butter with bread baked in house by Camile.  They list many local farmers whose produce they feature, and the meats were free-range or heritage breed or hormone and antibiotic free.  Basically, everything was as local and sustainable as possible.  And it showed.

We had a foie gras terrine and another app to begin (I can't remember it but I know we enjoyed it-something with an egg on it?).  The terrine was great and the plate was brought to our table by the guy who baked the brioche.  Next we had salads - a smoked trout one and a warm goat cheese one.  Both were nicely done.  I had a Kobe beef entree that was well executed and delicious, but I can't remember the other one - quite a bit of wine by this point.  Everything was solid.  The food made sense, and things were as they should be.  We will be back.

Finally, I was also impressed with how busy they were.  I thought we might be the only table on a Tuesday night in Smithville, but it was nearly full.  A nice mix of people obviously up from KC, and people obviously from Smithville.  Some big families and some young couples on dates.  Overall a very good vibe.  Definately worth the trip.

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HI Justhoward and welcome aboard. Thanks for the review, I will definitly put Justus Drugstore on my must do sooner than soon list. Plus, I will get the chance to go someplace new.

Fois Gras and something with an egg on it. That spells must investigate to me.

Edited September 20, 2007 by joiei (log)

[joiei]

If you haven't been to Justus Drugstore in Smithville yet, then go soon. I understand the New York Times has been there already.

As a break from judging bbq at the Royal this past weekend, I went up on Saturday night. Without a reservation, I was seated immediately. The dining room is in the old Justus Drugstore building, a mid-century structure. When Camille and Jonathan the owners and Manager and Exec Chef decorated the dining room they kept it simple and clean which fits the original dates of the building. I was told that Jonathan was the artist who painted all the artwork on the walls.

For dinner I started with a Goat cheese fritter salad. The goat cheese had been infused with local honey and a rose and rose hip infusion they made themselves. It was finished with a bit of watermelon which served beautifully to be a palate cleanser before my entree. My main course was Wild Sturgeon with deconstruced manicotti - homemade pasta, smoked tomato sauce, house made ricotta, a spinch anglaise and a wild mushroom ragout. Since it was my birthday celebration, I did dessert. I had a caramel latte with pistacho doughnuts and pistacho brittle.

Everything was delicious, excellent flavors and well balanced plating. The service was fun, I sat at the bar being solo and that was no problem. Lory, the bartender was fun to visit with. The bar by the way was the old soda fountain.

In all well worth the drive up. It seemed a lot like driving from downtown to OP without the heavy freeway traffic and about that far really.

[JWest]

Jonathan Justus's passion really shined through his food. Everything that my party and I had was absolutely tasty. A couple of my favorites were the hot brandade which seemed baked in a ramekin for dipping with house made crispy toast and the Pork Chop which was perfectly seasoned, perfectly brined, and perfectly cooked propped on some very fluffy and creamy polenta. For dessert, I had the Coffee and Dough nuts- an amazing caramel Latte with hot fluffy house made dough nuts that were seasoned with sugar, salt, and pistachios. Kudos to the team at Justus Drug Store.

[Zeemanb]

Curious thing tonight......some friends and I drove up to Smithville hoping to get an early table and found the place to be closed on a Saturday night. I tried calling earlier to see if there would be trouble getting a table, and after I never got an answer I figured they were just busy so we went ahead and arrived a little after 6pm to find it closed. Curious if anyone knows if it is actually "closed", or if it was just tonight for some reason. We ended up at Swagat for Indian food in Zona Rosa (a.k.a. my idea of hell on a Saturday night) and the food was very good, so not all was lost. Weird though, we were really hoping to finally try Justus.

[Le Peche]

great food! they have a really solid wine list with good value, they have a daily cocktail which is usually really good, and the food is again really great. You are in for a long dinner, as it says on their menu quote, they take their time. nothing wrong with that in my opinion but its good to be ready for it. they just got a new website as well: www.drugstorerestaurant.com

their my favorite restaurant in the kc area, other then the one i work for, of course

and dont quote me on this, but they should be getting a new spring menu very soon so if you haven't tried their pork two ways or some of the other dishes that were on the kc star article you should make reservations pretty soon. they should get some nice spring dishes in.

[ulterior epicure]

great food! they have a really solid wine list with good value, they have a daily cocktail which is usually really good, and the food is again really great. You are in for a long dinner, as it says on their menu quote, they take their time. nothing wrong with that in my opinion but its good to be ready for it. they just got a new website as well: www.drugstorerestaurant.com

their my favorite restaurant in the kc area, other then the one i work for, of course

and dont quote me on this, but they should be getting a new spring menu very soon so if you haven't tried their pork two ways or some of the other dishes that were on the kc star article you should make reservations pretty soon. they should get some nice spring dishes in.

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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.

[kendix]

This is the best restaurant in KC right now.

Jonathan is so dreamy.

[ulterior epicure]

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.

[kendix]

I'm going on Friday.

Can anyone who has been recently comment on what menu items are particularly fresh/good right now?

[ulterior epicure]

joiei initiated this thread with an article, and I'll add another one here. Justus gets press in the New York Times Magazine

[joiei]

joiei initiated this  thread with an article, and I'll add another one here.  Justus gets press in the New York Times Magazine

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Hey u.e., long time no talk. thanks for the link, I would of missed it. I will be up soon, keep your calendar open.