Depending on your mood, lively and fun or romantic and moody, KC houses a diverse range of cuisines from James Beard winning chefs to longstanding institutions with romantic ambience and airy, hip spots with tables for two.
Bluestem
From James Beard Award winning chef Colby Garrelts, this newly renovated “prairie chic” space allows diners to choose either three, five or ten courses including such dishes like spring pea soup and a grilled lamb T-bone with fava bean, white asparagus, radish, potato and veal jus. Chef Megan Garrelts whips up the desserts –save room for the carrot cake.
Michael Smith
This open, industrial space from James Beard Award winning chef Michael Smith serves a bevy of fresh pastas like the braised rabbit gnocchi with shitake mushrooms and parmesan and mains like an eight-hour pork roasted with scallion risotto, jaliscan pico and pan sauce. End your meal with some artisanal cheese and a glass of port.
Port Fonda
If you’re looking for a more casual date, look no further than chef Patrick Ryan’s Mexican shrine (where the music’s always blaring). Cans of Tecate and fresh margaritas accompany cararones (prawns) and grits and chile con carne tacos. From the wood-burning oven the chorizo fundido is a must.
Novel
Situated in an old house, this meat and game haven offers New American cuisine with a twist including, to start, a duck neck dumpling and pork toast and heartier dishes like ricotta gnocchi with eggplant, tomato butter and basil or farm chicken with lemongrass, green papaya and coconut rice.
Extra Virgin
Also from chef Michael Smith, this casual, boisterous and festive tapas spot in the Crossroads District leans heavily on Mediterranean cuisine with delights like Lebanese hummus, Spanish meatballs, and spicy halibut cheeks paired with sangria best sipped on the streetside patio.
The Rieger
History reigns at this Crossroads District spot where a stylish crowd converges for food and conversation. Start your meal with a French 75 and move onto the Bison stroganoff with egg noodles and braised kale or stay Midwest-true with a smoked KC strip with roasted potatoes, broccoli rabe and shallot-brandy butter.
The American
Since 1974, this longstanding restaurant sits in a grand, dramatic room with high ceilings, spectacular lighting and stellar downtown views. In the kitchen, chef Michael Corvino offers a 3-course dinner or tasting menu with a blend of the seasons including dishes like caviar and buckwheat gnocchi and bavette with fried broccolini and smoke béarnaise.
Le Fou Frog
Situated in a nondescript building, this old school spot serves classic French food like seared Hudson valley foie gras, a lovely sole limande with smoked salmon, leeks, risotto and sorrel beurre blanc or escargot with roasted tomatoes, mushroom and spinach tossed with penne in a basil cream. They take both French martinis and their wine very seriously here, so don’t miss out.
