by Sharm | Apr 20, 2012 | Articles
Below is information from the official press release regarding the new menu at Chaz on the Plaza.
The Chaz on the Plaza culinary team led by Executive Chef Charles d’Ablaing presented a seven-course Chef’s Tasting Menu dinner April 17 at a limited seating event promoted on a first reserve basis through consumer engagement channels.
The dinner featured selected new menu items from Chaz’s spring dinner menu:
First course offerings of She-Crab Soup, a creamy bisque with female crab harvested off the Georgia coast flavored with a smoky tomato whip and sherry minionette; and Rabbit and Goat Cheese Ravioli with honey-thyme glazed carrot foam, pancetta and asparagus.
New main courses are: Deconstructed Beef Tamales, a generous portion of tender braised beef short rib atop a pablano polenta with blistered tomatoes and salsa verde; Rock Shrimp Campanelle, a pasta dish with arugula pesto, caramelized cherry tomatoes, summer squash, goat cheese and balsamic reduction; and Seared Quail with cherry compote, quinoa, morel duxelles and truffled frissee.
The new menu also features Chaz signature items tweaked for the new local harvest season, including two served at the tasting dinner: Chaz Salad with cinnamon toast, sweet tea poached blackberries, Gorgonzola and strawberry vinaigrette; and Diver Caught Scallops with corn and parsnips, cilantro-lime butter and toasted carrot sprigs.
Dishes drawing special praise from first-tasters were the She-Crab Soup, Deconstructed Beef Tamales and Chocolate Orange Torte with Grand Mariner ganache, dehydrated orange slice, candy hazelnuts, honey ginger ice cream and fresh raspberries.
Information, menus and reservations are available online or by calling 816.802.2152.
About Chaz on the Plaza: Chaz on the Plaza is the signature restaurant of the historic Raphael Hotel located at 325 Ward Parkway in Kansas City, MO. It is a
destination restaurant that embodies its city’s unique culture, history and spirit. Chaz receives favorable reviews for its service and modern, regional American cuisine by media critics, guest comments and
TripAdvisor reviewers who rank the restaurant among the city’s top five dining establishments. Signature items include a hand-cut, wet-aged prime beef tenderloin with brie stuffed potato croquette and grilled asparagus, locally sourced lamb chops and fried green tomatoes. Chaz Lounge presents live music Tuesdays – Sundays and features half-price appetizers at Happy Hour from 4 – 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
by Sharm | Apr 20, 2012 | Articles
Below is information from the official press release regarding the new menu at Chaz on the Plaza.
The Chaz on the Plaza culinary team led by Executive Chef Charles d’Ablaing presented a seven-course Chef’s Tasting Menu dinner April 17 at a limited seating event promoted on a first reserve basis through consumer engagement channels.
The dinner featured selected new menu items from Chaz’s spring dinner menu:
First course offerings of She-Crab Soup, a creamy bisque with female crab harvested off the Georgia coast flavored with a smoky tomato whip and sherry minionette; and Rabbit and Goat Cheese Ravioli with honey-thyme glazed carrot foam, pancetta and asparagus.
New main courses are: Deconstructed Beef Tamales, a generous portion of tender braised beef short rib atop a pablano polenta with blistered tomatoes and salsa verde; Rock Shrimp Campanelle, a pasta dish with arugula pesto, caramelized cherry tomatoes, summer squash, goat cheese and balsamic reduction; and Seared Quail with cherry compote, quinoa, morel duxelles and truffled frissee.
The new menu also features Chaz signature items tweaked for the new local harvest season, including two served at the tasting dinner: Chaz Salad with cinnamon toast, sweet tea poached blackberries, Gorgonzola and strawberry vinaigrette; and Diver Caught Scallops with corn and parsnips, cilantro-lime butter and toasted carrot sprigs.
Dishes drawing special praise from first-tasters were the She-Crab Soup, Deconstructed Beef Tamales and Chocolate Orange Torte with Grand Mariner ganache, dehydrated orange slice, candy hazelnuts, honey ginger ice cream and fresh raspberries.
Information, menus and reservations are available online or by calling 816.802.2152.
About Chaz on the Plaza: Chaz on the Plaza is the signature restaurant of the historic Raphael Hotel located at 325 Ward Parkway in Kansas City, MO. It is a destination restaurant that embodies its city’s unique culture, history and spirit. Chaz receives favorable reviews for its service and modern, regional American cuisine by media critics, guest comments and TripAdvisor reviewers who rank the restaurant among the city’s top five dining establishments. Signature items include a hand-cut, wet-aged prime beef tenderloin with brie stuffed potato croquette and grilled asparagus, locally sourced lamb chops and fried green tomatoes. Chaz Lounge presents live music Tuesdays – Sundays and features half-price appetizers at Happy Hour from 4 – 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
by Sharm | Apr 13, 2012 | Articles
Save the Date:
2012 Ooh! Food, Drink & Music Extravaganza: May 4, 2012, 7:00p.m.
Great events all week long including the area’s first Dine Out for Hunger Project … and all of the fun culminates with the ever-popular 2012 Ooh! Outpouring of Hope at the Independence Events Center on May 4, 2012
IMAGINE your delight as you arrive at the Independence Events Center and witness street performers, musicians and more!
ENJOY the indoor and outdoor environment where you and 750 of your closest friends can visit and sample some of the areas best treats!
EXPERIENCE Kansas City’s biggest indoor/outdoor block party featuring “streets” inside the Independence Events Center filled with vendors, musicians, tables, chairs, food, drinks and more … all in an effort to support Community Services League!
Your tax-deductible tickets to the event will assist us to:
– Provide more than 600,000 meals to 20,000 families
– Provide more than 40,000 pieces of clothing for children
– Help keep a roof over the heads of more than 300 of your neighbors
– Help more than 400 individuals find meaningful employment!
Tickets
Tickets for the 2012 Ooh! are on sale now and start at $75/each with private VIP, business, and event sponsorships available too!
Click here to purchase tickets.
Click here for more information on 2012 Ooh! Sponsorships!
Can’t make it that night (or any time that week)? Please consider a contribution to support the annual efforts at Community Services League!
by Sharm | Apr 13, 2012 | Articles
Love food? Well there is an App for that.
Whether you are into cooking, dining out, calorie conscious or have special diet needs there is an app for that and more!
Trozzolo Communications recently contacted me to see if I would be interested in testing out some foodie apps and if so the great folks over at Verizon would loan me out an ipad2 and a Motorola Xoom to try them out on.
I have to tell you I am having a blast with these gizmos and am super bummed I have to send them back. The Xoom is in android format and some of the apps are available for android-based gadgets as well as ipad and iphone.
As I searched the app store, I found more than I could ever use. There is truly something for everyone whether you need gluten free recipes or want to make your own dog treats; you can find it all with a touch of the finger.
All the apps I tried were free and listed below is my take on them. This is just the tip of the iceberg so if you have an ipad, iphone, or android device and love food, go ahead and explore for yourself. It is quite entertaining, educational and informational.
The first app I tried is called Grocery IQ. This app is available for both ipad and android and once I played with it on the ipad, I immediately installed it onto my android phone. This app is handy especially for the phone. The ipad itself is equipped with a scanner but I found the ipad might be a bit big for carrying around the grocery store. My phone is the perfect size so I downloaded a scanner app from the market. This app allows you to make a grocery list by either typing in products, scanning them, or both. Finished off the last of the ketchup? Scan the bottle before putting it in the recycling bin and it will be added to your list so you are sure to never forget anything again!
The next app was called Fooducate and I love it. It is not available for android. It uses the same scanner method as Grocery IQ, but instead of adding it to a shopping list, it gives you a nutritional score of the food. It gives the product a grade from A – F and the reasoning for it. It pulls up all the nutrition facts about the product and even gives suggestions as to what would be a healthier choice. This app is great for those that are health conscious or just trying to eat a little better.
For dining out, I tried Urbanspoon, Local Eats and Yelp. All of these are available for both the ipad and android and can give you information about all the different restaurants around. When traveling this app will allow you to find out what is close and read reviews to find out what is good so making the decision on where to eat becomes a snap! Other apps that involve dining out are Foodspotting, Eat Street, Snapfinger and many others.
At Foodspotting you can see pictures of what other people are eating. Like what you see? Information includes where to find it so you can try it for yourself. Foodspotting is member based so you too can join in on the fun and share your favorite dish with the world. Snapfinger is an online take out ordering service and Eat Street is an app that will find all the local food trucks in your area. There are tons of options regarding restaurants. I even found an app for the newly opened Story Restaurant in Prairie Village.
One fun app for dining out especially when traveling is called Show Foodie, this app list places that have been featured on different TV shows like Food Wars, Diners Drive Ins and Dives and Man VS Food.
For cooking and recipes there are about a zillion, and you can find them both for ipad and android gadgets such as the Xoom. There are apps on how to cook every kind of cuisine imaginable as well as special diet needs such as diabetes and gluten free. The cooking and recipe apps I tried where epi from Epicurious, Reipe Grazer, Eating Well and Lite 42. Epicuirous features recipes from various magazines such as Gourmet and Bon Appétit. With a touch of the screen, the recipe ingredients are added to a shopping list and you are good to go. Recipe Grazer is a feast for the eyes with tons of photos and recipes from some of the best blogs around. Eating Well features healthy recipes from the magazine and Lite 42 features recipes and information from some of the hottest restaurants across the country.
If you are trying to watch your waistline there are plenty of diet and food logging apps including Spark People, Diets 2 Go, Best Diet Foods, My Food and Calorie Track.
For pure entertainment, there are plenty of foodie games.
I loved ,loved, loved playing with the iPad2 and the Xoom and they are now on their way back and I am on my way to convincing my hubby I need one of these! If we do decide to purchase one of these devices, I would have to go with the iPad2. In my opinion, I found it a bit lighter and a little easier to search with. Both were great and super cool. Remember if you love food; there is an app for that.
by Sharm | Apr 3, 2012 | Articles
The Capital Grille has added three new additions to their lunch plates to welcome in spring. These dishes are a perfect reflection of the season’s flavors and include Asparagus Soup, Shrimp and Piquillo Peppers with Crisp Bomba Rice and Grilled Spring Vegetables. As always, guests of The Capital Grille can customize their lunch, choosing from nine “plates” offerings – soup or salad, sandwich and a side – all for $18.
I was graciously invited by Capital Grille to try the new “plates” lunch menu and this invite could not have come at a better time. My dear friend Melissa was in town visiting from Maine. I only get to see her once or twice a year and this was a lovely way to spend our time catching up.
For the soup or salad choice, we both got the asparagus soup and it is delicious. Although it looks creamy, it is really very light made with roasted asparagus, caramelized onions and chicken stock. It is thickened with sushi grade rice and only has a touch of cream added at the end. I am going to attempt to recreate this soup at home.
One selection under the main choices is a Lobster Roll. Being from Maine, Melissa was intrigued to try it and compare the difference. She can pretty much walk down the street from her house, pluck a fresh lobster out of the water, take it home, and cook it up. She was also eying the Mini Tenderloin Sandwiches. I have always wanted to try the lobster roll, but am hooked on the Tenderloin Sandwiches so it worked out perfect for us to get one of each and the kitchen split for us.
Both the lobster roll and tenderloin buns are a brioche type bread and made in house. They are soft and just a little bit sweet. This was my first lobster roll and I have to say it was tasty. Melissa agreed as well and was impressed the lobster was as good as what she can get at home. She noted that in Maine the filling is usually just lobster, a little mayo and some lemon. The lobster filling at the Capital Grille includes lobster, celery, onion, sour cream, mayo and a hint of lime. The tenderloin sandwiches are melt in your mouth delicious.
For the sides, it was the new grilled spring vegetables and truffle fries. The melody of squash, zucchini, peppers and mushrooms are grilled with a touch of herb olive oil and the truffles fries are crisp and sinful.
Dessert is not included in the “plates” price but I could not pass up the opportunity to share a Crème Brule with one of my dearest friends.
In addition to the “New Spring Plates”, the Capital Grille is also featuring the Artist Series Wine Event. This annual event gives guests at The Capital Grille a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience an exclusive, limited allocation wine adorned with a unique piece of original artwork as its label, while supporting Share Our Strength and their mission to end childhood hunger in America. For every bottle sold the Capital Grille will donate $25.00 to the Share Our Strength foundation.
This year’s Artist Series wine is an exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon hand-selected by The Capital Grille’s own Master Sommelier, George Miliotes. The Cabernet was hand-crafted at Napa Valley’s Freemark Abbey Winery by Ted Edwards, in collaboration with George Miliotes, one of only 186 Master Sommeliers in the world. Fewer than 1,000 cases of this unique wine, blended solely for The Capital Grille, will be produced. The wine’s grapes were harvested from carefully selected vineyards in Napa Valley, where differing elevations and a unique terrain result in the perfect conditions for creamy, roundly textured flavors.
The Capital Grille invited artists and wine lovers to submit original art for the bottle’s label, during a competition held last fall. The winning painting, Complexity, by Missouri-based artist Julie Agee, was chosen for the way the vibrant colors and abstract lines perfectly complement the robust flavors and subtle undertones of the wine. The artwork will appear on every individually numbered bottle of The Capital Grille Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon.
If you enjoy having a bottle with dinner, this would be wonderful selection for you to enjoy while helping the Share our Strength foundation at the same time. I could not think of a more delightful way to help.
Once again, the Capital Grille graciously invited me in. This time it was to try the wine and have dinner. I was thrilled for this opportunity and had a wonderful dinner with my husband. The Capital Grille Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon is delicious and was the perfect accompaniment to our meal.
Appetizer – Prosciutto wrapped house made mozzarella.
Salad – Field greens with roasted beets, grapes, almonds and goat cheese and balsamic.
Main – Lamb Chops with cherry chutney and Ten ounce Filet
Side – Au gratin Potatoes
As always, the service is impeccable, the food is top notch and the wine delicious. If you have never been, The Capital Grille needs to be added to your list. I would like to thank the Capital Grille for their generous hospitality in allowing me to try all of their offerings and for supporting the Share Our Strength foundation.
The Capital Grille
4740 Jefferson Street
Kansas City, MO 64112
816-531-8345
In Good Taste,
Sharm
by Sharm | Mar 29, 2012 | Articles
If you are an avid reader of this blog, you know that Mexican fare is just about my favorite cuisine out there, but you may also notice there are only a handful of Mexican restaurants posts. While most places are similar with your average combos with rice and beans, I find them all the about the same and a dime a dozen, so I truly only write about ones that I have really enjoyed and will make a point to go back to.
Zocalo Mexican Cuisine & Tequileria has been on my list to try since they opened last fall so I was thrilled when I received an invitation to try it. Located on the Country Club Plaza, Zocalo has a few things going for them in my opinion. For one they are locally owned, second, the location is great and third and most important to everyone, the food is tasty!
The service was exceptional as well. Our waiter, Christian was amazing and knew the menu like the back of his hand. I do want to point out that all though he knew I was there to “check it out”, he treated all the tables in his section just as special as ours and was simply charming. He also suggested since I was there to taste to let him take over.
After getting an idea of what we liked, he promised I would not be disappointed. I felt a little bit like a judge on the Iron Chef not exactly knowing what to expect and could feel the anticipation and excitement as I waited for each dish to arrive.
First up was guacamole, it is fresh and served with chips and crudités. I think the addition of the vegetables is a nice touch that way I could have a few chips and then switch to the veggies so I could eat more of the Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers.
The Poppers, filled with jack cheese and cilantro and served with a chipotle barbecue sauce are tasty! The bacon is crispy, the cheese melted and gooey and the sauce gives them a nice kick.
I did tell Christian I liked enchiladas and he brought me the Enchilada Sampler. (One cheese, one chicken and one seafood enchilada) I also mentioned that I was not big on seafood and he really was listening as it came out with another cheese enchilada in place of the seafood. I think he must have been a mind reader because when I was looking at the menu before he came to the table that is exactly what I was thinking of getting.
These were yummy. I loved the freshness of them and did not miss that greasy ring that surrounds many enchilada dinners out there. For Steve he brought the Short Rib Tacos, another dish I was eying.
As luck would have it, there were three tacos and three enchiladas, so we made a trade one, of my cheese enchiladas for one of his tacos. Perfect! I love getting a little taste of everything. The tortillas are fresh and soft, the short rib tender and melt in your mouth.
Zocalo boasts two patio areas and the weather was beautiful the evening we visited so we opted to sit outside. The combination of beautiful weather, outdoor dining and Mexican cuisine spells Margarita to me and Zocalo has quite a selection.
I started with the Skinny Margarita and at the suggestion of Christian, tried the Jalapeño Cooler as well. The Skinny Margarita was great and made with real lime, but I have to say the Jalapeño Cooler was exceptional. At first sip, it is slightly sweet and then a little heat hits and it finishes with a refreshing cucumber taste. I have never had anything like it and cannot wait to have it again.
The Tres Leches Cake Christian brought us for dessert was spot on as well. Everything from beginning to end was delicious. Make sure, when you visit to ask for Christian, he certainly knows his stuff and will not lead you wrong.
Since this blog has gotten the best of my waistline (and I enjoy every minute of it), I have really tried to cut back on all my consumption and only go out once a week. So when at home I am pretty strict with my diet. Therefore, after a week of lots of egg whites, oatmeal, veggies, grilled chicken and no alcohol, I had been looking forward to this meal and it did not disappoint.
Writing this post has got me craving some Mexican now but I guess since I am home, I better just put some salsa on some fresh spinach with a chicken breast and call it a taco salad!
I do want to be clear that all though Zocalo treated me, their hospitality has not influenced the writing of this and I truly did enjoy everything about it and am looking forward to going back, even at my own expense!
In addition to the regular menu, Zocalo offers a weekend brunch on both Saturday and Sunday and a 9 for $9 weekday lunch special that features 9 dishes of their exceptional Mexican cuisine for only $9.00.
With all the beautiful weather we are having the patio area fills up fast. I would recommend making a reservation if you plan to go. Hopefully I will see you there!
Zocalo Mexican Cuisine & Tequileria
620 West 48th Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64112
T 816. 756. 5555
If you have a great food find in KC, email me.
In Good Taste,
Sharm
