Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant now open

The new Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant opened on the Country Club Plaza on December 10th and is a one of kind venue here in Kansas City.

On the main level you will find a tasting room and a gift shop that includes wine related gifts and accessories, teas, chocolates and more. The upstairs features a full scale restaurant that has perfected a menu that pairs perfectly with all of the wines.

I had a chance to attend a preview event and the wines are spectacular.  I also love that they are what I would call “semi-local” as all Cooper’s Hawks wines are made from grapes grown in the USA, with 80% coming from California and the rest from Washington and Oregon. Cooper’s Hawk Winter Red is my new favorite.  This spiced red wine has hints of mulling spices and citrus and is served warm. It is perfect to sip on a chilly evening by the fire. The Barrel Reserve is another delightful wine that is never bottled and served directly out of the barrel.

In addition to all of the wines, Cooper’s Hawk has some great cocktails as well, including the best Bloody Mary ever!  Brunch service starts in January and I would highly recommend accompanying their Bloody Mary with it. Dinner was served buffet style and had a variety of menu items. Everything was delicious and my favorite was the Gnocchi Carbonara. I also really enjoyed the maple crusted tenderloin and mashed potatoes and the pesto Caesar salad and…well I guess I like everything. I promise you can’t go wrong with any dish you choose.

Cooper’s Hawk is a great new addition to the KC food scene so be sure to check it out soon!

More detailed information is below from the official media release.

Kansas City, Mo. – Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant will open to the public on Monday, December 10 and introduce wine lovers and diners to its only location west of the Mississippi River and first winery and restaurant under one roof in Kansas City. Opening on Kansas City’s famed Country Club Plaza, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant will provide guests the opportunity to experience the concept’s award-winning wines in a traditional winery setting alongside its full-service, contemporary-American restaurant. The Kansas City location will seat approximately 300 diners in a 13,397-square-foot space and offer private dining options and amenities. Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant has employed more than 150 part- and full-time team members for its Kansas City location.

It will also house a Napa-style tasting room in which guests will be able to sample a rotating selection of Cooper’s Hawk wines. Cooper’s Hawk will also feature one of the country’s largest wine of the month clubs, offering subscribers monthly wines, special discounts, invitations to exclusive events, rewards, and annual domestic and international wine trips. Since opening its first concept in late 2005, Cooper’s Hawk has received more than 200 wine awards from various local, national and international wine competitions, including two Double Gold recognitions for its Barbera, a Gold Sweeps for the Pinot Noir, the Grand Star Award for the Gewurztraminer, and title of “Best U.S. Fruit Wine” at the 2007 Indy International Wine Competition for its Rhubarb fruit wine. More recently, Cooper’s Hawk’s Ice Wine received Double Gold at the 2010 Indy International Wine Competition and the Gold “Best Dessert Wine in Show” at the 2011 Mid-American Wine Competition. In January 2009, Cooper’s Hawk poured its wines at the Illinois Inaugural Gala in Washington D.C. and its Blanc de Blanc was exclusively selected for First Lady Michelle Obama’s toast.

The Cooper’s Hawk menu features unique contemporary-American dishes with bin numbers listed next to each item on the menu, guiding guests to their selection’s perfect wine match. Known for their rich, distinctive sauces, items such as the Pistachio Crusted Grouper, Red Wine and Mustard Short Ribs, and Mexican Drunken Shrimp have quickly found popularity as the restaurant’s signature dishes. In addition to lunch and dinner service, Cooper’s Hawk offers a Sunday brunch, which will start in January, full-service bar, gluten-free menu, and a Life Balance menu with options all under 600 calories.

COOPER’S HAWK MENU:
Full menus including lunch, dinner, gluten-free, Life Balance, and brunch available upon request
Lunch, dinner, gluten-free, Life Balance menus offered daily. Brunch menu offered Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Distinctive items include:

Starters
Thai Lettuce Wraps, Asian BBQ Pork Belly Nachos, Blackened Ahi Tuna, Chicken Al Pastor Stuffed Mushrooms, Over the Border Egg Rolls, Sweet Chili Calamari, Chicken Potstickers, Mexican Drunken Shrimp

Soups & Salads
Caesar Pesto Chopped Salad, Chopped Blackened Cobb Salad, Napa Chopped Chicken Salad, BBQ Ranch Chopped Chicken Salad, Crab & Lobster Bisque, Tortilla Soup

Entrees
Chicken Giardiniera, Gnocchi Carbonara, Roasted Eggplant Ravioli, Soy Ginger Salmon, Seafood Cannelloni, Pistachio Crusted Grouper, Trio of Medallions, Red Wine Mustard Short Ribs, Flatiron Steak Frites

Burgers &Sandwiches
Zin Burger, Pepperjack Cheese with Jalapeno Bacon Burger, Black Bean Burger, Caprese Panini, Honey Smoked Turkey & Brie, Asian BBQ Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Desserts
Key Lime Pie, Banoffee Pie, Banana Caramel Ice Cream Sandwich, Truffles and Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Gluten-Free Menu
Mexican Drunken Shrimp, Caesar Pesto Chopped Salad, Sea Scallops, Short Rib Risotto, Anne’s Chicken Saltimbocca, Southwest Chicken Sandwich, Napa Chopped Chicken Salad, Zin Burger

Life Balance Menu
Life Balance Chicken Potstickers, Life Balance BBQ Ranch Chopped Chicken Salad, Life Balance Ahi Tuna Tacos, Life Balance Zesty Giardiniera Burger, Life Balance Chocolate-Covered Strawberry

*Sunday Brunch (Includes a complimentary mimosa, Bellini or glass of sparkling wine)
Napa-Style Brunch, Baked French Toast with Apples and Dried Cherries, Three Little Pigs, Greek Yogurt with Fresh Fruit & Granola, Cooper’s Hawk Eggs Benedict, Huevos Rancheros

*Sunday Brunch will begin in January.

Kansas City’s Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant will be overseen by General Manager Chris Massengill, who fills the position with an education background in the hospitality industry paired with more than 10 years experience working in Chicago at Giordano’s Pizza, Beyond Events Catering and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro. Massengill started downtown Chicago’s P.F. Chang’s China Bistro as the front of house manager and ended his tenure there as operating partner.

Massengill will be joined on the management team by another Chicago transplant, Executive Kitchen Manager Nico Garay. Garay has worked at a variety of restaurant establishments throughout Chicago, including Outback Steakhouse, Macaroni Grill, Wild Fire, and Weber Grill.

Leading Cooper’s Hawk’s events and private dining will be Megan Rohde, who transferred to Kansas City from the Cooper’s Hawk in Brookfield, Wis. Rohde graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater in Whitewater, Wis.  with a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and went on to receive her Meeting & Event Planning certificate from Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee, Wis.

Rounding out the Cooper’s Hawk management staff is a face familiar to the Kansas City restaurant scene. John Hildebrand will act as the Kansas City location’s assistant general manager, continuing his more than 20 years in the Kansas City restaurant industry. Hildebrand’s tenure includes positions with Uno Chicago Grill, Trezo Vino, Trezo Mare, NoRTH, and most recently, Zócalo Mexican Cuisine & Tequileria.

Service Hours
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant offers lunch and dinner seven days a week: Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sunday. Sunday brunch is from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The tasting room opens at 11:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. on Sunday and shares the same closing hours as the restaurant. Bar hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:00 a.m. through 12:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Sunday.