Paul Rudd’s KC fave + Top-tier chicken & beer
Happy Friday, and welcome back to Let’s Dish — your one-stop shop for all things eats in Kansas City.
This week, my colleague Jenna tastes Paul Rudd’s favorite hometown dish, and Blair raves about the chicken & biscuit from a Crossroads bar.
Plus, stick around for a mouthwatering suggestion from one of our readers.
Pollo Parmigiano at Jasper’s
When reporter Jenna Thompson heard Paul Rudd’s favorite dish in KC was the chicken Parmesan from Jasper’s Italian Restaurant, she was intrigued. If their food is good enough for People’s 2021 “sexiest man alive,” surely it is for her, too, she thought.
Jenna was eager to taste the Pollo Parmigiano ($24), which her server paired with a sweet red wine.
The famous chicken is dipped in egg wash and coated in bread crumbs before it sizzles and then bathes in tomato sauce and cheese. A side of steamy, fresh penne finishes off the plate.
Each bite of the rich sauce and tender chicken was better than the last, she said. The breading has just the right amount of crispness, and the chicken and tomato flavors mingled lovingly. She finished her plate craving more.
The dish certainly lived up to its fame — a meal fit for movie stars and regular Kansas Citians alike.
Chicken & Biscuit at The Belfry
Sports reporter Blair Kerkhoff first found The Belfry by driving past it on his way to work, past the Kauffman Center and over the streetcar tracks on 16th Street.
There it was on the left, with a sign on the side saying “Beer,” and an arrow pointing to the front door. That was enough to get him through the front door.
Blair was immediately taken by the bar’s cozy atmosphere and menu featuring comfort food from the kitchen of a James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef.
He gets the fried chicken and biscuit with honey sriracha and an egg for $16. The chicken is coated and seasoned to perfection, and the honey sriracha adds just the right amount of sweet and heat.
And it should be paired with a nice craft beer, Blair says, from the restaurant’s rotating selection.
Read more about The Belfry here.
My standout dish of the week
This week, I finally made my way over to Mildred’s, a homey breakfast and lunch spot nestled in the Crossroads (there’s one downtown, too).
Brunch is my favorite meal to eat out, and Mildred’s fulfilled all the best parts of a great midmorning feast: My iced coffee (cold brew with vanilla and oat milk) was perfectly sweet, the biscuits and gravy, served with bacon, was delightfully savory, and my company was lovely.
But what really stuck out were the steamed eggs I added on to my biscuits and gravy. I was skeptical — why the heck would you steam eggs? — but my date insisted, and I was pleasantly surprised. They’re fluffier than regular scrambled eggs, and their silky softness makes for an odd experience, but a delightful one, for sure.
Your top eats
Reader Kristen Anderson recently raved to us about the Panang Chicken Curry, a signature dish at Thailand Restaurant in Blue Springs.
The panang peanut paste is mixed with creamy coconut milk, adding a “fantastic mix of sweet and spicy,” Anderson says. A “tenderized chicken breast” lies sliced atop strips of bell peppers and a healthy bed of rice.
Do you have a favorite dish you think I should include in this newsletter? Email me, abooth@kcstar.com, or fill out this form to let us know.
À la carte
✴️ A New York City food cart-turned-cult favorite chain has opened its first brick-and-mortar spot in KC — and has plans for at least four more locations around the metro.
✴️ A Bohemian brewery, a cozy coffee shop, an authentic Mexican place and a Jumbrotron to catch a Chiefs game: This 337-acre development off I-435 just keeps growing. Here’s what’s in store next.
✴️ This longtime Westport joint that has drawn consistent crowds for its live jazz and comedy shows since opening 27 years ago is now for sale. Its owners and founders say they plan to retire.
✴️ After transforming a vintage two-horse trailer into a mobile bar, a local couple have hit the road running with their bartending business on wheels. Here’s what they offer.
✴️ A Midwestern sushi chain just opened its second location in KC, replacing the former Bar Louie space in the Power & Light District.
Hungry for more?
We want your opinion: Do you have a favorite dish at a KC restaurant you think we should try? Let us know here, or email Sharon Hoffmann, our editor coordinating this series: shoffmann@kcstar.com.
Check out all the restaurants we’ve covered in this series here.
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Happy eating! We’ll see you next week.
This story was originally published February 10, 2023 at 10:28 AM with the headline "Paul Rudd’s KC fave + Top-tier chicken & beer."