Kansas City Openings

[moosnsqrl]

I try to keep my finger on the pulse of what's going on around here but I'm only one person and every time I blink there is another restaurant up and running. This is especially true in the downtown area due to the entertainment venues due to come online in the next 2 years, but Zona Rosa, Briar Cliff and developments too numerous to name in the far southern reaches of Johnson County.

I thought there might be merit to a thread devoted to these. Perhaps we can just provide name, location, chef/owner(s) and menu or theme as it becomes available. For more detailed reviews and discussion, a separate thread (similar to the ones for Starker's and 40 Sardines) could be started.

I'm open to suggestions, comments and constructive criticism before this takes off but this seems workable - and useful - to me.

[ChefCAG]

It seems like nothing is going on except in Briarcliff and downtown. Piropos just reopened. Tim Doolittel's place is slated for January and I don't think we will hear anything more about downtown until next year and it won't be much local activity. The price per square foot is unbelievably high. Way out of my league.

Ted and Andy’s place Room39 is opening out at Mission Farms at 110th and Mission Rd. Which is the neighborhood I grew up in. My father still lives a few blocks from there. So I am really excited for that to open but I think they are about a year out. We are always looking also for another location for a more casual concept. We have looked at about 10 places but nothing has really stuck.

I'm supposed to look at another place this week in the crossroads district. If I hear anything else I will let you know

[Katie Nell]

Was at 1924 Main the other night, and the construction for their new restaurant concept "Souperman" is set to begin at the end of October. I don't know much about it other than that and the little blurb on their website, but I will be first in line when they do open!

[ulterior epicure]

I hear Nara's opening sometime this month?

[ChefCAG]

I hear Nara's opening sometime this month?

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Yes of course, Nara is opening also!!!

[moosnsqrl]

I should live so long!

Actually I poked my head in a couple of weeks ago and it looks like it might, in fact, be a restaurant one day soon. It's all stainless/chrome/red inside and, while not really my personal cup of tea, it is impressive. Clearly they have spent some money (and time, as we all already knew) getting the space just right before opening the doors.

[joiei]

what about this grilled cheese place that was in todays paper, I am drooling as I type.

[towncompany]

i just read about chinaBAR that is opening or has opened in the p&l district. but i am excited to be returning to kc after about 13 years and am getting very interested in opening a place because everything i read about (from a distance) seems very chain(y) and dated. obviously there are exceptions, but for a city that is getting mucho press about being a new dining destination, the new places aren't what i was expecting.

[moosnsqrl]

i just read about chinaBAR that is opening or has opened in the p&l district.  but i am excited to be returning to kc after about 13 years and am getting very interested in opening a place because everything i read about (from a distance) seems very chain(y) and dated.  obviously there are exceptions, but for a city that is getting mucho press about being a new dining destination, the new places aren't what i was expecting.

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Welcome back. Don't be too discouraged - to be sure, there are many chains and more opening daily, it seems, but there is a very good collection of creative, high-quality independent restaurants as well. The actual P&L development is, sadly, mostly chain (or chain-ish) but there are real restaurants, cafes and bars opening in the area as well, and The Crossroads not far to the south so it's not all bad news. The chains are concentrated in the 'burbs and on The Plaza (naturally there are exceptions to that but generally speaking).

[chileheadmike]

There's a new place that is opening close to us at 119th and Blackbob called Gimme Sum. I'm assuming this is a chain. Looking through the front door, its very nice inside, i might even call it upscale, if I ever used words like that. Anyway, anyone ever heard of it? Any info? Is this a cheesy dim sum chain owned by Cheesecake Factory?

[moosnsqrl]

There's a new place that is opening close to us at 119th and Blackbob called Gimme Sum. I'm assuming this is a chain. Looking through the front door, its very nice inside, i might even call it upscale, if I ever used words like that. Anyway, anyone ever heard of it? Any info? Is this a cheesy dim sum chain owned by Cheesecake Factory?

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Yep, you're instincts are correct (clickety). It looks kinda like Stix, the Japanese/Sushi chain at The Legends in its upscaliness (if you can use upscale, I can use upscaliness ) and they have a Mission Statement - I hope never to eat in a restaurant with a written mission statement, preferring the more traditional menu. I wonder if their servers have to go to 7 Habits training?

[chileheadmike]

There's a new place that is opening close to us at 119th and Blackbob called Gimme Sum. I'm assuming this is a chain. Looking through the front door, its very nice inside, i might even call it upscale, if I ever used words like that. Anyway, anyone ever heard of it? Any info? Is this a cheesy dim sum chain owned by Cheesecake Factory?

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Yep, you're instincts are correct (clickety). It looks kinda like Stix, the Japanese/Sushi chain at The Legends in its upscaliness (if you can use upscale, I can use upscaliness ) and they have a Mission Statement - I hope never to eat in a restaurant with a written mission statement, preferring the more traditional menu. I wonder if their servers have to go to 7 Habits training?

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Wow, truly scary stuff. Run away....

[Zeemanb]

I hope never to eat in a restaurant with a written mission statement

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Unless that mission statement is "Caffeine, Nicotine and Poutine!"

[joiei]

There's a new place that is opening close to us at 119th and Blackbob called Gimme Sum. I'm assuming this is a chain. Looking through the front door, its very nice inside, i might even call it upscale, if I ever used words like that. Anyway, anyone ever heard of it? Any info? Is this a cheesy dim sum chain owned by Cheesecake Factory?

←

Yep, you're instincts are correct (clickety). It looks kinda like Stix, the Japanese/Sushi chain at The Legends in its upscaliness (if you can use upscale, I can use upscaliness ) and they have a Mission Statement - I hope never to eat in a restaurant with a written mission statement, preferring the more traditional menu. I wonder if their servers have to go to 7 Habits training?

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Wow, truly scary stuff. Run away....

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there should be no reason a restaurant web site should have so much flash and NO MENU. The picture gallery is all full of people who are nameless and the ones of the actual restaurant make it look pretty plain, like a knock off of PF Changs Pei Wei chain. (and I refuse to pronunce that name like they tell me too, to me it will always be the Pee Wee restaurant)

[moosnsqrl]

From Friday's Business Section, an article on new openings in the "Martini Corner" area on east 31st Street; refugees from chains on The Plaza are starting a new restaurant row.

[chicagowench]

The copper flashing is on the roof of the new Plaza III steakhouse at 135th inbetween Nall and Roe (same area as- shudder- Cheeseburger in Paradise and Bonefish Grill, right near Church of the Resurrection) and the parking lot's been packed as they do employee training. No signs up with an opening date tho.

[ulterior epicure]

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.

Edited November 5, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[Katie Nell]

The copper flashing is on the roof of the new Plaza III steakhouse at 135th inbetween Nall and Roe (same area as- shudder- Cheeseburger in Paradise and Bonefish Grill, right near Church of the Resurrection) and the parking lot's been packed as they do employee training.  No signs up with an opening date tho.

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It's open. Can you sense my excitement?

[Zeemanb]

A girl in class told me about a restaurant her boyfriend has just opened (or is about to open) in Bonner Springs. I can't find much about it online, but it's called Timbers BBQ and is located at 13024 Kansas Ave. Another bbq restaurant, so who knows. Maybe Judy can chime in as far as the lay of the land in that part of the world....I have no idea about the restaurant situation in Bonner, or if a BBQ restaurant will be able to fill some void.

The owner's family also owns Fritz's smoked meats over on 103rd and State Line. From the info I got from my classmate, it sounds like they will have counter service, various side dishes including a rendition of the cheesy corn bake, and most of the meats with the exception of their wings will be smoked over at Fritz's and brought into the restaurant (I guess they also do all of Jack Stack's mail order meats).

[moosnsqrl]

I noticed Timbers and grabbed a take-out menu - I would offer to dig it out of the recycling but it's so full of sleazy campaign literature I hate to stick my hands in there. Ick.

Anywho, I remember thinking when I saw it that it looked like some Jack Stack refugees opened their own place. They do have all of the usual stuff and their prices are reasonable. The have a website so you can check it out for yourself.

It's in a baby strip mall with a liquor store, a cellular store and a Taco Juan's. A wing place was the previous occupant. I'm not sure how it will fare - it's not someplace I would put a restaurant (competing with McD's, Arby's, Quiznos, Good Cents, Taco John, a grocery w/deli and hot food, a Side Pockets and - need I say it? - the WalMartians). That area is booming on the heels of The Legends, Village West, Speedway, etc. so who knows?

[bbqqueen]

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.

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Torte-tort-tart you say tomato I say tomato tell us what it taste like not what to call it!

[joiei]

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.

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Torte-tort-tart you say tomato I say tomato tell us what it taste like not what to call it!

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unless you say torta.

[ChefCAG]

I got an invitation to M Petersons new place Trezo Mare in Briarcliff on Thursday the 17th but im not sure if we are going

[ulterior epicure]

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

[moosnsqrl]

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

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I think that's their way of telling him that they don't really want him there

I'm looking forward to seeing this place. The owner/group also have Eno Vino in Madison and it looks like a place where I would want to eat.

Edited to make sense.

Edited November 8, 2006 by moosnsqrl (log)