Kansas City Restaurant Week is almost here: Seven things you need to know now
KC Restaurant Week 2022 starts Friday with dozens of restaurants participating in the 10-day event for dine-in, carryout and delivery.
Since its start in 2010, it has expanded to 10 days and is designed to boost sales at a traditionally slow time for restaurants. Several operations are participating for the first time.
“We’re hoping it will drive more business and more awareness. We’re trying to get the word out,” said Kim Cole, chef and co-owner of Foodlove Cafe, which opened in 2021 in the Crossroads “We’re offering some of our most popular items. And it is raising money for the Guadalupe Centers, which is in our community.”
Bamboo Penny’s, in Leawood’s Park Place, will offer a variety of options in its 3-course lunch and dinner specials, including mango duck and drunken noodles. It opened June 10, the birthday of co-owner and namesake Penny Mufuka.
“Bamboo Penny’s is a different concept than our to-go restaurant and we really have an elevated menu so I wanted to show it off,” said Doug Mufuka, Penny’s husband and co-owner.
What to know about before you dive in:
When is KC Restaurant Week?
The 13th annual event starts with breakfast, lunch and dinner service on Friday, Jan. 14, and ends with dinner Sunday, Jan. 23.
What’s new?
As of Tuesday, 196 area restaurants plan to participate. First-timers include Bamboo Penny’s in Leawood, Blu Hwy south of the Country Club Plaza, Chewology in Westport, The Chive Cafe and Market in Grandview, Deep Roots Restaurant and Bar in Kansas City, Kansas, and Taste Island Grill in midtown.
How to find a restaurant?
Menus and locations are posted at kcrestaurantweek.com. Customers can search by name, cuisine, location, specialty diet, service options (carryout, delivery) and breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner menus.
How much does it cost?
There will be $15, $35 and $45 multicourse meals.
Do you need reservations?
Reservations are strongly recommended. Go to KCRestaurantWeek.com.
Is this a fundraiser?
Ten percent of proceeds benefit three local charities: Guadalupe Centers, the Visit KC Foundation and the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association Education Foundation. The event has raised more than $3 million in 12 years.
What are some menu examples?
▪ Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue, with six area locations, has a two-course $15 lunch menu with such choices as burnt end stew and pork spare ribs, and a $35 dinner menu with a choice of beef and pork burnt ends, a full slab of pork spare ribs or a “roundup” of pork spare ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork and turkey for the first course, carrot cake or triple chocolate brownie for the second course.
▪ Fannie’s African & Tropical Cuisine at 4105 Troost Ave. will have a two-course $15 lunch with such items as a meat pie, gizzards, fried rice and collard greens, and a two-course $35 dinner with wings or beef/shrimp kebabs, and peanut butter soup, egusi soup or sweet potato greens.
▪ Foodlove Cafe in the Crossroads has a two-course lunch menu with a cup of corn chowder and two cheeseburger sliders for $15, and a two-course dinner with sticky meatballs with spicy Thai sauce and two Big Mama’s entrees: Southern-style fried chicken, French pan gravy (made with butter, meat drippings and herbs), mashed potatoes and green beans for $45). It also will have wine pairings for an additional charge.
Visit KC partnered with the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association to create Kansas City Restaurant Week in 2010. Sysco is the presenting sponsor this year. KC Restaurant Week’s official hashtag is #KCRW2022.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 3:11 PM.