March 20
Jon Russell’s contest champs serve up white-coat barbecue
Contests and culinary school join forces at Jon Russell’s BBQ, where fruity sauces complement the smoked meats. And, as is turned out, the fire truck parked nearby was a good omen.
March 19
Bluestem’s Colby Garrelts a Beard finalist for seventh time
For the seventh time, Colby Garrelts, the executive chef of Kansas City’s Bluestem, has been named a finalist for the James Beard Award’s best Midwest chef. Garrelts and his wife, Megan, recently opened Rye in the Mission Farms development in Leawood.
March 13
Anton’s Taproom has a lot on its plate
At Anton’s Taproom the typical farm-to-table system is turned upside down. As the name implies, the bar at 1610 Main St. features 67 beers — and six wines — on tap, but that’s just scratching the surface.
March 20
NCAA dining ideas
Going to the NCAA tournament? Here’s a list of restaurants near the Sprint Center that we’ve recently reviewed.
March 18
WestChase Grille closes in Overland Park
After four years of operations. WestChase Grille has closed in Overland Park. Friends John Westerhaus and Chase Wilcox opened the “fine dining without all the fuss” restaurant in late 2008. They had been in the business for a combined 35 years and both are trained chefs.
March 12
Small fire temporarily closes famed Chez Panisse in California
Chef and food activist Alice Waters’ iconic restaurant, Chez Panisse, remains closed after a fire on Friday damaged the Berkeley, Calif., landmark. No one was injured, but firefighters had no estimate on when the restaurant will be safe to reopen.
March 11
Judge strikes down New York’s ban on big, sugary drinks
A judge struck down New York City's pioneering ban on big, sugary drinks Monday just hours before it was supposed to take effect, handing a defeat to health-minded Mayor Michael Bloomberg and creating confusion for restaurants that had already ordered smaller cups and changed their menus.
March 11
Two KC chefs vie for Food & Wine award
Food & Wine is letting readers pick the best chefs in the country. Ten chefs are in the running for The People’s Best New Chef: Midwest, including two from the Kansas City area: Patrick Ryan from Port Fonda in Westport and Carl Thorne-Thomsen from Story in Prairie Village.
March 14
Local Pig rolls out a food truck
Owner Alex Pope says the truck, called Pigwich, will peddle sandwiches made with Farm to Market bread and all-natural Local Pig meats — which are hormone, steroid and antibiotic free — in the lot behind the butcher shop at 2618 Guinotte Ave. in the East Bottoms.
March 6
Gastropub Pig & Finch adds to Park Place dining mecca
From the Des Moines folks who brought us 801 Chophouse, one of the most expensive steakhouses in town, comes a more casual concept. It’s an attractive bar and grill called Pig & Finch, which opened a couple of months ago in a remade Park Place space that formerly housed Trezo Vino.
March 7
Local Pig rolls out a food truck
Local Pig is expanding its butcher shop business with a permanently parked food truck called Pigwich.
March 7
At Port Fonda, brunch with a slice of the city
Port Fonda is more than a restaurant. It’s a place to introduce newcomers to Kansas City. Whether we’re talking about the KC hats by Baldwin Denim worn by the staff, local food or the mishmash crowd, it’s a mirror of some of our city’s finer qualities.
March 5
Dining out, updated: Restaurant service changes with the times
Information technology is one factor shaping a bold new restaurant world. A more casual culture and a move to less formal dining have also had a dramatic impact on diners’ overall expectations.
March 5
Large crowd honors JJ’s, helps its employees
Two weeks after JJ’s was destroyed in an explosion and fire, more than 1,200 people gathered Tuesday night at the Uptown Theater to pay tribute to the Plaza-area restaurant and raise money for its employees.
March 4
PB&J plans to open three restaurants in Prairiefire development in 2014
The three restaurants — Paradise Diner, Newport Grill and a new private dinner club concept — will open in a 13,000-square-building that will be on the corner of 135th Street and Nall Avenue.
February 20
Overland Park’s Great Day Cafe serves tasty fare with a groovy vibe
The rotation of 10 soups is listed on the Great Day Cafe’s website, with the lovable caveat that the lineup is subject to “occasional, whimsical change.” The menu also features sandwiches on Farm-to-Market bread, with half-sandwich and cup-of-soup combos offered.
February 20
Blast that destroyed JJ’s also leaves a hole in KC’s culture
To some people, JJ’s, the edge-of-the-Plaza restaurant leveled by a gas explosion Tuesday night, had the best and deepest wine list in town. To others, JJ’s was a white-tablecloth dining room for special events, power lunches, tender steaks and sumptuous seafood. JJ’s was a down-to-earth place that felt like a hideaway.
February 19
Zagat puts Lawrence burger joint among the top 25 in the country
Lawrence’s The Burger Stand at the Casbah, 803 Massachusetts St., has made Zagat Survey’s new list of the nation’s top places for burgers.
February 13
Port Fonda is a sizzling success
Patrick Ryan’s restaurant moves from a trailer to a Westport building with its delectable Mexican food and hipster vibe intact. When Ryan debuted his refurbished 36-foot trailer in The Star’s parking lot to inaugurate Food Truck Friday in May 2011, the lines that snaked across the asphalt indicated he had an instant hit on his hands.
February 12
Cafe Provence in Prairie Village makes Zagat’s ‘top service’ list
Zagat Survey has selected its 25 “top service restaurants” in the nation. Prairie Village’s Café Provence, in The Village shopping center at 3936 W. 69th Terrace, made the list, described as adorable, family-owned, and a hidden monument to flavor and hospitality with a crew that “makes you feel at home.”
February 6
Good vibe, good food in President Hotel’s Providence
When the renovated President Hotel reopened under the Hilton flag in 2006, its Drum Room lounge and restaurant looked pretty good, but the restaurant operation never really caught fire. Now, the dining room has been made over once more. Providence, New American Kitchen has a pleasant, all-American vibe, and the results seem much more like a hit.
January 23
Renée Kelly’s serves from farm to table in an appealing little castle
The 105-year-old Caenen Castle in Shawnee screams special occasion/event space, but last summer it opened to the public as Renée Kelly’s Harvest, a farm-to-table restaurant. It will be exciting to see chef Renée Kelly’s style continue to grow and evolve over the coming months and years, but there’s no reason to wait.
February 1
KC Health Department honors safe and clean food establishments
The Kansas City Health Department has recognized 330 food establishments with top grades for inspections in 2012.
January 31
Spin Neapolitan Pizza named a 'breakout brand'
What’s new, hot and next? Spin Neapolitan Pizza for one. Nation’s Restaurant News has selected the Kansas City-based specialty pizza chain as one of its 50 “Breakout Brands.
January 31
Area food establishments are cited for health code violations
The Kansas Department of Agriculture cited these operations for multiple “priority” health code violations:
