Celebrate Spring this weekend at Somerset Ridge. Their wine cellar is fully stocked (Chardonnay is back!) and they have great live music in the vineyard Saturday and Sunday.
Spanish/Flamenco guitarist Jarrod Stephensonreturns this Saturday to entertain you on the veranda. The talented Jayson Kayne, a newcomer at the winery, will be singing and playing for us on Sunday.
Its a great time to stroll through the vineyard to see the young green shoots emerging from the vines. Tasting Room is open Wed.-Sat. 11 to 5 & Sunday 12 to 5.
April 29 — Wine & Tapas event this Friday at Hereford House in Independence! For $30 per person, you’ll enjoy a Night of Local Fare, including tastings from both Somerset Ridge and Amigoni Urban Winery. The chefs at Hereford House have designed a special menu of Spanish, Asian and American tapas for you to enjoy. This will be a great evening to kick off the warm weather season. 7-10pm.
May 5 — From 5-9pm celebrate Cinco de Mayo at ARTichokes in Mission Farms! Come by for a glass of wine and the opportunity to see the works of 27 of Kansas City’s most talented artists before stepping down the sidewalk to enjoy one of Mission Farms many local restaurants. ARTichokes is located in Mission Farms at 10557 Mission Road.
May 7-8Miami County Farm Tour Weekend — Come enjoy a day in the country and taste the freshness! A free, self-guided tour, you can visit as many tour stops as you like while traveling in the comfort of your own car. You and your family will love the emus, alpacas, free range chickens, goats, blackberries, pecans, Herefords and of course, wine! Check the Miami County Farm Tour site for complete tour info! Great live music will be on the veranda both afternoons!
May 14-15 Weekend — You won’t want to miss Saturday, May 14 because Laura Lisbeth will be singing and playing! But it’s actually a very tough call because Jordan and Michael will be playing their dueling guitars on Sunday. Hmmm…what is a wine drinker to do with so many choices?!
June 11 Art in the Vines! — More info soon but this is their annual event designed for maximum fun and enjoyment. 25 of the region’s top painters will display their works among the vines. You’ll be able to enjoy a bottle of wine, take a walk through the vineyard, all while enjoying the beautiful art from the Kansas City area’s most talented artists.
Join the award-winning restaurants at Mission Farms the 2nd Tuesday of every month for the traditional Progressive Dinner. This is your chance to try them all!
1)Make a reservation by calling ARTichokes at (913)322-9481 by Thursday, May 5 at 4pm.
2)Cost is $45 per person + gratuity and tax, paid in advance.Menu is fixed (includes 4 courses, plus coffee and tea).
3)Arrive at Blanc Burgers at 6pm and progress from there.
Menu
Blanc Burgers – Grilled Chili Garlic Shrimp with a
Mango preserved arugula salad tossed in herbs, lime and ginger
Blue Koi – pot roast soup with crispy shrimp rolls
Avenues Bistro – Chicken Roulade stuffed with Prosciutto,Fontina cheese and Fresh sage, served over Garlic Spinach, with Marsala Reduction.Dessert by Natasha’s Mulberry and Mott. Wild strawberry bavarian with stewed rhubarb, Basil ice cream, almond meringue crisp, candied basil and blackberry coulis.
This past weekend I attended the opening day of the Brookside Farmers Market. This market features some great vendors with great local products. Some of the vendors included Wells Family Farms, Nutressent, Bread of Life Bakery and offered locally raised meat and eggs, homemade soaps, homemade breads, all the greens you can imagine and much more including Green Dirt Farms fresh sheep’s milk cheese, which looks to be a favorite of the day.Slow Food Kansas City hosted a tent that shared information on their organization and also had a cooking demonstration from Chef Jasper Mirabile of Jasper’s Restaurant. Chef Jasper grilled a rack of lamb from Homespun Hills farm from Baldwin City, KS. I have a couple of lamb chops in my freezer I have been trying to find a recipe for and this is it! In addition to the lamb, Chef Jasper also made a pasta dish using fresh spring garlic from Blue Door Farms. This pasta dish could not have been any simpler and I cannot wait to make these dishes at home. The lamb recipe is from Jasper’s Kitchen Cookbook.
Nana Jo’s Grilled Lamb Chops 3 (1 pound) racks of lamb 4 to 5 mint sprigs 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup mint jelly 2 to 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Pinch of red pepper flakes 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar brown sugar to taste
Trim any excess fat from racks of lamb and cut away any excess tissue from the long, thin bones. Cut each rack of lamb along each bone into individual chops. Each 1-pound rack should yield about 8 chops.
In medium mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the olive oil, mint jelly, garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and brown sugar to taste. Reserve some of the mint sauce in a separate bowl for dipping the cooked chops.
Heat the grill. Place the chops on the grill and cook to your desired doneness, periodically brushing the chops with the mint mixture. Serve the chops hot off the grill with reserved mint sauce. For the pasta, cook according to package direction and set aside. Heat some olive oil in a pan, slice fresh spring garlic and saute. Toss pasta in olive oil until heated and serve. If you have a great food find in KC you think I am missing, email me.
The 10th Annual Village Crawfish Festival takes place on May 7 and it’s a party to celebrate the coming warm weather. Hosted by the Secret Order of the Crawdaddies, a group from Prairie Village, the Festival features 700 lbs. of crawfish, a pig roast, red beans and rice, beer and wine, and dancing to party music of local favorite Ernest James Zydeco.
Village Crawfish Festival benefits two important charities: Head Start of Shawnee Mission and Kansas City Young Audiences. Last year, more than 600 people attended the Festival, which raised $18,500 for Head Start. This year, the SOC added Young Audiences to ease the sting of Kansas’ budget cuts for the arts.
If you read my post a few months ago on Manifesto, you can now see those drinks come to life. Enjoy this video as I chat with Owner Ryan Maybee and indulge in some serious cocktails.
I want to thank Darron Story from Straight Out of KC and his camera man Carlos Lopez for helping me put it together.
Straight Out of KC is going feature philanthropic information as well as Kansas City’s best restaurants, diners and entertainment!
I had a fun day hanging out with Ryan and getting the scoop on all the great cocktails. I have included some behind the scenes pictures from the day.
If you have not had the chance to check out Manifesto or The Rieger Hotel Grill and Exchange, you are really missing out, the cocktails are amazing and the food is incredible. Make plans to visit soon.
Tavern in the Village opened its doors on February 28, 2011, and just recently had a special media event to showcase some of their dishes and cocktails. I was thrilled to attend this event, what a great opportunity for me to be able to let you know what you are missing!
The expansive menu features classic American-Style cuisine. There was a beautiful table display of some of Tavern in the Village’s dishes that had my mouth watering. The menu is split into categories: Starters, Soups and Salads, Mains, Hand Helds, and Homemade Desserts. Below are a few of the offerings featured for each category. (Warning, this will make you very hungry!) Starters Chili Seared Jumbo Shrimp Soups and Salads Santa Fe Chicken Salad Asian Tuna Salad Mains Grilled Pork Porterhouse ½ Rotisserie Chicken Kansas City Strip Penne Pasta Fresh Grilled Salmon Hand Helds Grilled Beef Tenderloin Chicken Tacos Homemade Desserts Butterfinger Cheesecake Cinnamon and Sugar Coated Donuts In addition to all of the wonderful dishes, Tavern in the Village offers an extensive hand crafted cocktail list created by David Smuckler, 2007 Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition Champion. Smuckler’s mission is to showcase unique and delicious cocktail combinations that you will not find anywhere else. With the use of fresh fruits, a variety of herbs and quality spirits, these drinks are delicious and absolutely gorgeous. The cocktail display was simply beautiful. Below is a sneak peek at some of the offerings.
Blueberry Cilantro Margarita Rosemary Monk Mandarin Dream Rosewater Citrus Rickey Lavender Lemongrass Drop Peach New Fashion Thai Tavern Julep I had the chance to have a tiny taste of each one of these and was in cocktail heaven. All of them were unique, fresh and beautiful. The Lavender Lemongrass Drop and Rosemary Monk were my favorites with the Blueberry Cilantro Margarita coming in a close third. I cannot wait to take my sister there for a Mandarin Dream. The flavors in that were reminiscent of the classic orange push up pop we all ate as kids. Those were her favorite and I am sure she will be thrilled to have an adult version of it.
In addition to a sampling of cocktails the Tavern in the Village graciously provided samplings of their Hummus, Spicy Ahi Tacos and Butterfinger Cheesecake. From the offerings that I tried, Tavern in the Village has me hooked! They use the freshest ingredients and source local when possible. I cannot wait to go back! Below is some information from Tavern in the Village’s press release that gives more information about them. Tavern in the Village 3901 Prairie Lane Prairie Village, KS 66208 913-529-2229
If you have a great food find in Kansas City, email me.
In Good Taste, Sharm Prairie Village, KS-Prairie Village continues to further position itself as a dining destination with the opening of Tavern in the Village. Tavern in the Village, at 3901 Prairie Lane in the Prairie Village Shops, underwent a complete transformation and is introducing an upscale-casual restaurant geared to the socially active community and their friends. Tavern in the Village is filling a void in the new “Village” for diners in search of specific accommodations to fit their lifestyles. From busy families to casual business lunches, to a casual glass of wine with friends or late night diners, cocktail enthusiasts and wine drinkers, Tavern in the Village is an evolved experience in the “Village.” The restaurant opened to the public on Monday, February 28, serving lunch and dinner from 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Dinner will extend to midnight on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The concept is the vision of owner and Prairie Village native Kelly Manning, an established local restaurateur with over 20 years in the restaurant industry, including time with Kansas City-based PB&J Restaurants Inc., Houston’s Restaurant, and most recently with Morton’s The Steakhouse, as regional director of operations. Manning is a Pembroke Hill graduate. General manager Anthony Zarate works closely with Manning, focusing on staff, training and operations.
Tavern in the Village’s menu is the creation of executive chef Lon Froneberger, formerly with The Oread in Lawrence, Kan., and McCormick & Schmick’s. The menu will feature upscale-casual American style cuisine featuring ingredients fresh every day and dishes prepared per order. To complement the refined menu, a wine list offering 60 bottles is offered. A “5 for $5.00 Kids Menu” will offer five options all priced at $5.00, including a several healthy options.
David Smuckler, the 2007 champion of the Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition, returns to Kansas City after a brief stint away in Atlanta. Smuckler has competed nationally and received notable acclaim for his mixology skills. He will direct Tavern in the Village’s bar operations. The fully-stocked bar will feature a drink list compiled by Smuckler of his freshly inspired, handcrafted cocktail creations. A bar food menu featuring four smaller plates for $5.00 will be available daily early from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. and late from 8:30 p.m. – close.
Menu Lunch and dinner daily. Distinctive items include: • Grilled Baby Brie • Spicy Ahi “Tacos” • ½ Rotisserie Chicken • KC Strip • Fresh Catch Of Day • Creole Chicken & Shrimp Pasta • Santa Fe Chicken Salad • Turkey Croissant With Apples • Portobello Melt • Chicken Tacos • Homemade Peach Cobbler • Cinnamon Sugarcoated Donuts
Bar Menu Options available in the bar. • Hummus with Toasted Pita • Tavern Chicken Nachos • Fajita Steak Sliders • BBQ Chicken Sliders
Drink List Created by David Smuckler, 2007 Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition champion. • Rosemary Monk – Hendricks Gin, Green Chartreuse, Lime, Fresh Strawberries, Simple Syrup, Rosemary • Blueberry Cilantro Marg – Jose Cuervo Silver Tequila, Elderflower, Lime, Simple Syrup, Fresh Blueberries, Cilantro • Mandarin Dream – Stoli Ohranji Vodka, Grand Marnier, Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice, Simple Syrup, Vanilla, Fresh Layered Cream, Lemon Zest • Lavender Lemongrass Drop – Ketel One Citron Vodka, Cointreau, Lemon, Lavender Simple Syrup, Lemongrass • Thai Tavern Julep – Basil Hayden’s Bourbon, Thai Basil, Simple Syrup, English Cucumber, Soda • Peach New Fashion – Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Aperol, Tawny Port, Fresh Orange, Peach Bitters • Rosewater Citrus Rickey – G Vine Gin, Lime, Simple Syrup, Rosewater, Grapefruit Bitters • Tavern Foster – Tavern in the Village Roasterie Blend Coffee, Spiced Vanilla, Tuaca, Banana Liqueur, Fresh Whipped Cream
Distinctive Dining The 4,400-square-foot restaurant, designed and developed by local start-up companies Generator Studio and Centric Designs, will feature 17-foot ceilings, natural stone and a spectacular fire display separating the bar and dining room. Booths will have 42-inch backs, creating an intimate dining experience, perfect for families, dates or business professional holding confidential discussions. The bar will feature a 17-foot floor-to-ceiling retractable, glass door to create an indoor/outdoor environment during warmer weather. In addition, the bar will house two 42-inch high-definition, flat screen televisions. An outdoor patio is planned that will incorporate additional seating for al fresco dining.
Service Hours • Lunch and dinner: Open seven days a week, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Dinner will extend to midnight on Friday and Saturday evenings. • Early and Late Bar Food Menu: Daily, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 – close. For more information visit www.taverninthevillage.com
Celebrate Spring this weekend at Somerset Ridge. Their wine cellar is fully stocked (Chardonnay is back!) and they have great live music in the vineyard Saturday and Sunday.
