Remedy October 27, 2012

For the past few years I could without skipping a beat, tell you my favorite sandwich in KC was the grilled cheese at Westside Local.  Then last month a sandwich I would have never ordered knocked my beloved grilled cheese off the sandwich throne.   If you are familiar with the Waldo area you might know where Kennedy’s was located and now in its spot sits Remedy.   After reading several stellar reviews from local food critics I knew I had to add this to my list of places to try.  

This is another local independently owned restaurant that also strives to use ingredients also sourced here locally.   The term “Gastropub” is hot right now and Remedy fits the bill.  Gastropub simply means that as much love and attention goes into the food as it does into the cocktail.  So if you are looking for some potato skins this probably is not your place.

So back to the topic of this amazing sandwich…..first let me say I HATE, LOATHE, and DETEST bologna with every fiber of my being.    However review after review talked about the smoked bologna sandwich on the menu at Remedy.   Now keep in mind we are not talking about Oscar Meyer on sale in that yellow package.  We are talking about bologna that actually made me go to this restaurant on two different occasions and order the same sandwich both times.

 

There is nothing about this sandwich photo that resembles food porn but let me assure you the components of this sandwich together are nothing short of heaven.  The bologna is made in-house and is sliced super thin, then topped with melted swiss cheese and a kick of mustard.  The bread is the perfect size and texture that it does not overpower all the ingredients…it just all goes together.  This is the sandwich choir in my mouth!   If you go to Remedy feel free to skip the fries and try their homemade chips.   They are so thin you can almost see through them and are perfectly seasoned.

The other things on this menu I keep hearing about is the fried chicken, cauliflower steak and eggplant fried so I guess I probably need to go back at some point and tear myself away from this sandwich.

http://whatsyourremedykc.com/

Glace….who doesn’t love ice cream! October 25, 2012

So you live in KC…do you know who Christopher Elbow is? Well you should because he is a rockstar Chef and Chocolatier who just happens to call Kansas City home and does some amazing things with chocolate and ice cream.  His chocolates are works of art and are not on the cheap side however if you want a bang for your buck check out Glace and you will not be dissapointed.

There are two locations for Glace. One is south of the Plaza on Main and the other is on 119th Street in Overland Park. You can also find some hand packed pints in the Cosentino stores. Let me assure you this is NOT your typical ice cream. He uses seasonal all natural ingredients and also is a big fan of things local for flavors like The Roasterie or Boulevard Beer.  Some of the flavors you might think sound odd but take a leap of faith and ask for a taste before you shake your head.  With a small cup you get to choose two flavor combinations so last night I went with Strawberry Balsamic and Christopher Elbow Dark Chocolate and Bryan chose Roasterie Organic Coffee and Madagascar Vanilla.   My go to flavor typically is the Goat Cheese and Wildflower Honey paired with something and I went last night hoping to score some roasted apple but they were out.  The flavors here are intense….when you order coffee ice cream believe me you will really taste the coffee.  In the case it will usually reflect seasonal fruits and vegetables in his creations.

They also have sundaes with toppings that make me want to walk around in elastic sweat pants and they have ice cream bars that also look amazing but I have not tried yet.   Their website lists the available flavors and the options are endless…check it out!

http://www.glaceicecream.com/

The Broadmoor Bistro October 11, 2012

There is nothing better than fine dining on a dime and when you are supporting a good cause it makes it that much better.   In Overland Park just off 83^rd Street there is a place called The Broadmoor Bistro, and it is a true gem.   This is not really a restaurant,  it is actually a High school Vocational program teaching culinary arts and commercial baking that is available for juniors and senior students in the Shawnee Mission School District.   So when you pull up don’t be alarmed that it looks like you are going back to school.  These students create the menus, cook the food and even wait on the tables.  When I dine here I cannot help but think back to what a program like this might have done for me and wonder if it would have set my path in life any different direction.   Dinners are only served on Wednesday nights and the menu usually changes every couple of months during the school year.  You simply make your reservations on line and pay in advance and you can view the menu on the reservation page.   Within the school there is a dining room where you will enjoy this fantastic four course meal and afterwards they are more than happy to give you a tour.   I have slung drinks and food at more bar and restaurants than I care to admit and I have never seen a working kitchen that is so clean.

 

The price for all of this is $30.00 and with that you get your choice of soup or salad, an appetizer, an entrée and a desert.  It is a great way to venture outside the box and try something new and learn about new foods you have never heard of before.   You choose a salad or soup item and usually you have about four choices to pick from, an appetizer where I had two choices to pick from, an entree where I chose from four items,  and finally a dessert where I had four choices. So here is what I ate on this adventure…..

Heirloom Corn Soup – Corn Creme Brulee, Caramel Corn Crouton

This is a fancy description of a fresh and creamy corn soup…I know typically corn soup is not something most people would crave but this was so fresh and creamy.  It was really a great way to start the meal

Hot Smoked Salmon – Silver Queen Roulade, Corn Crisp, Hazlenut Powder

So let me translate this awesome bite of yumminess.   There were two corn cakes on the bottom that had pieces of whole corn dispersed in them.  That was topped with a piece of perfectly cooked bacon, and some smoked salmon as well as some sauces.   The flavors together were amazing but I have to admit I am a die hard salmon lover and when it is prepared well and in an inventive way it is something I really enjoy.

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Korean Skirt Steak – Wood Roasted Vanilla Spiced Pineapple, House Kimchi, Coconut Udon Noodles

Now on this one I went out on a limb because typically I avoid kimchi like the plague howevever in this dish it was great.   Once I cut the steak up into pieces and created a noodle bowl that is when this dish became a star.  You really needed to enjoy all the flavors in every bite and the tiny bit of kimchi in this dish added a sweet spiciness that completed this dish.  I always order my meat medium rare and this was cooked perfectly however I am guessing the skirt steak was marinated in something that it took on the color of.  It was an outstanding dish

 

Milk Chocolate Hazlenut Parfait – Hazlenut Crunch, Chocolate Biscuit, Brown Butter Cake, Praline Ice Cream

Really what could be bad about this???  Believe me it was just what the doctor ordered and the presentation was great.  My only complaint with this is they used watercress to garnish the plate.  I understand they were trying to use ingredients on hand and wanted a green pop of color but they probably should have used mint.  No worries it certainly did not stop me from enjoying the desert.

So as you see for $30.00 this is a great deal!   I will warn you because this is a school there is no alcohol served here so with your meal you can have sparking or regular water as well as tea.

http://www.broadmoorbistro.org/

6701 W 83rd Street

Overland Park, KS 66204

 

 

 

Food Find….ok Adult Beverage Find October 7, 2012

Typically I am not swayed or interested in the lastest sugar sweet vodka fad that seems to be running rampant….cake, whipped cream, cotton candy etc.  Who knows maybe I am just old, or maybe it is the years of working in bars that everytime a drink is ordered like that it took everything in my power to not roll my eyes.  Anyway today I went up to Weston, MO to check out the Applefest and found myself in the McCormick store.  I picked up a bottle of 360 Glazed Donut Vodka and said…”disgusting”.  The gentleman working in the store urged me to go to the back and check out some samples..well who am I to say no to alcohol in little plastic cups.  They had put the Glazed Donut Vodka with apple cider and WOW..did I say WOW was it good!   The nice lady making the libations urged me to buy the cheap apple cider like Best Choice and to avoid the fancy stuff because the flavor was not the same. So I lest Weston without any apples but with a couple bottles of vodka…it was a good day.

Longboards Bowls and Wraps October 5, 2012

In a free standing building, next to a slighty aged  strip mall that is located in Liberty stands a food gem called Longboards Wraps and Bowls.  There has been a bit of a buzz about this place so I was  eager to try it out.  It certainly did not disappoint!

I was advised by a coworker who is also a Liberty resident that if we were going to visit this place at lunch we needed to arrive well after the lunch rush because there was limited seating…. and that was an understatement.   Believe me they have VERY limited seating but don’t let that deter you, just avoid the rush times and carryout is always an option as well.

So wraps are their thing and typically I would not find much excitement about a tortilla wrapped sandwich but it is the crazy mixes of ingredients that sets Longboards apart and as a bonus several of the options are grilled after they are wrapped in a panini type press.  A word of warning!  You might want to go hungry as the wrap is not what I would call petite.  In preparation I skipped breakfast and any snacks so was close to gnawing on a piece of corrugate to get me by until we left.

You order at the counter from a menu board that is hanging up and I struggled with my decision…hot, cold, bowl, salad geez!   My friend had been bragging on the grilled wrap so I followed his advice.   You order and then grab a seat while they crank out your food.

I ended up ordering something called the “619” which consisted of…beef, shrimp, guacamole, pepper jack, salsa, bacon, hard-boiled egg, rice and chipotle ranch on a chipotle wrap.   When they called my name the first thing that I noticed was that it was WRAPPED, obviously these folks had some practice wrapping these babies up because it was nice and tight and there was no danger of it falling apart in your hands while eating it as some wraps do.

And Away We Go…………..

I always had this thought in the back of my mind and more than a few times it has been suggested to me that I start a blog so here I go!   The first thing in my head is why and here are some of my reasons…..

I live in Kansas City and I believe we all should embrace the place we live and explore all the city has to offer.   That of course means we have to get out of our “bubble” and explore and DO!   Make a plan and do it!  I am a HUGE advocate of locally owned business and truly do try to avoid chains whether it is a store or a restaurant.    I am in awe of all the talented Chef’s we are so fortunate to have here in this city.  In Kansas City we have James Beard award winners, finalists and semifinalist, an Iron Chef competitor and a renowned Chocolatier not to mention the artisan craft cocktail movement that is springing out of our own backyard.   Some people save up their money for a great concert…I save my money for an exquisite dinner and I research and read menus until I decide where I will land.     I should also mention I LOVE a deal so when you can source out really good food and save a buck well that is a fine thing indeed.  That is easily done by eating lunch and wow do we have some great lunch spots.   I also love a great dive or a food truck so when it comes down to it I just love it all!   Over the years I tend to also go on what I call “quests” to find who makes the best of one particular thing but we can talk more about that later.