New eateries move into old Johnson County movie theater. Here’s what they’re serving

The former Standees movie theater complex in Prairie Village, dark since the pandemic, has been replaced by two new eateries.

Shinju Sushi & Hibachi, a Japanese restaurant at 3935 W. 69th Terrace, took the former C. Frogs BBQ Steak Whiskey spot.

And Scratch Gourmet Express & Catering, at 3939 W. 69th Terrace, is three operations in one: private dining event space, gourmet catering operation and gourmet express to-go.

Shinju Sushi’s 6,000-square-foot space features a centerpiece 70-foot horseshoe-shaped bar, six hibachi grills on the east side, booths on the west, and a sushi bar in back.

It offers a variety of sushi and sashimi, teriyaki, orange chicken, fried rice, stir fried noodles, hot appetizers (including jalapeno poppers and baked green mussels), and cold appetizers (including a spicy tuna tower and yellowtail carpaccio).

It has traditional rolls, as well as its own specialties including the Rock Chalk (with tuna, salmon, crabmeat and avocado in the roll and deep fried tuna, salmon, crabmeat, avocado and masago on top).

For lunch specials, it has $10.95 (two rolls) and $13.95 (three rolls) with miso soup or house salad.

Hibachi dinners come with two pieces of shrimp, soup, salad, vegetables and fried rice, and a choice of lobster, squid, scallop, steak, chicken and salmon.

“Everything is top quality,” said Jennifer Zhang, partner with brothers, Enson Shi and Edwin Shi.

They also are partners in other area restaurants.

The owner of Scratch, Tyler Morrison, said that in hindsight, he probably would not have started a new business during a pandemic.

“I think it has been a growing opportunity. Adjusting to delays in supplies of food, to-go packaging, dining room chairs,” he said. “But it also shows a different style of restaurant can be successful in today’s world. People are still very much looking for restaurant quality food but in an environment that can protect them.”

Morrison holds six-course wine pairing dinners once a month for $180 a person, for up to 22 people. The menu is “chef’s choice,” and the six wines could be from one wine maker or six wineries selected by Morrison.

The space also can be booked for other private events and catered by Scratch.

The catering operation offers such entrees as roasted beef tenderloin with red wine sauce, chicken spiedini with pasta pomodoro, and hickory smoked brisket with Scratch’s barbecue sauce; hot appetizers (such as bourbon bacon shrimp, chicken and waffle skewers, and brisket bites), salads, sides and desserts.

Morrison also is doing backyard parties, baby showers, corporate lunches, in-home dinners and weddings.

The catering events have been his “bread and butter.”

Customers also can pick up grab-and-go items from an ever-changing menu. Recently Morrison offered char grilled salmon with a sweet mustard glaze ($18), barbecue pulled pork on a brioche bun ($14), beef manicotti with vodka sauce (three servings for $16), buffalo cauliflower and bleu cheese salad ($9), crab Rangoon dip ($16) and a slice of pecan pie ($5).

A favorite has been an enchilada dish using a recipe from his mother, Debbie.

Coming up in November, look for puff pastry chicken pot pies, lobster rolls, fall salads and pumpkin pie cheesecake.

Its carryout coolers are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. But the busiest carryout times are from 4 to 7 p.m., when customers can preorder hot items. It has some outdoor seating.

Scratch also will offer Thanksgiving dinner to-go. A cold dinner with cooking instructions will serve 14 to 16 people for $450, while a hot, ready-to-serve dinner will be $500. Menu items will include smoked turkey, green bean casserole, cornbread stuffing, candied yams with marshmallows, dinner rolls and cornbread, dessert and cranberry relish, using Debbie Morrison’s recipe.

Morrison, who grew up in Texas, also has a 16-month-old son, Tex, with his wife and co-owner, Monica, who grew up in Lenexa. The couple hope to have several Scratch locations throughout the metro in the next five years.

The spaces by the clock tower once held Macy’s home store and Einstein Bros. Bagels.

Then in May 2013, former top AMC executives opened Standees The Entertaining Eatery in the 14,000-square-foot space. It included the 211-seat restaurant and three 80-seat auditoriums.

They hoped to expand to other markets. But two years later they were tweaking the concept. In 2020 it quietly closed.

The former Macy’s department store in Prairie Village also is being redeveloped for a grocery store, offices and a fitness center.

This story was originally published October 21, 2021 at 12:22 PM.