What’s new in Kansas metropolis meals & drink: Might 2023

Sugarcane and agave spirits, oh yeah!

Bryan Arri has been working in KC’s craft cocktail scene for the previous six years. He has been a fixture at such notable bars as Rieger’s Manifesto, Monarch Cocktail Bar and Lounge, Corvino Supper Membership and others.

Three years in the past he created the cocktail pop-up idea, Fern Bar and now he’s turning it into an official Crossroads consuming institution (2045 Broadway, KCMO).

Fern Bar, anticipated to open in August, will primarily give attention to sugarcane and agave spirit-based cocktails. The small area will likely be decked out in earth tones and pure supplies. Full-grown agave, cacti and sugarcane vegetation will present “bodily examples of the place [the] spirits come from,” he says.

Arri’s give attention to agave and sugarcane spirits is intentional. “With agave spirits, not solely do you get a beautiful, scrumptious spirit, you additionally get a way of terroir, a way of place and time of when a spirit was made. Additionally, you get these great tales of the people who find themselves producing it,” Arri says.

Agave spirits have gotten more and more well-liked and are anticipated to surpass vodka gross sales within the ensuing years. 

Working with small, impartial spirit producers, who “implement finest practices,” is of utmost significance for the bartender turned proprietor. Resulting from rum being traditionally produced by slave labor, Arri is particularly diligent together with his rum producers, he says.

“A part of it’s being comfy speaking about the truth that, yeah, we’re having fun with a few of these great merchandise, however they arrive from second- and third-world-countries the place individuals can get taken benefit of,” Arri says. “In order that’s why we assist the producers that we do.” 

Prospects can count on stellar daiquiris and margaritas together with extra artistic drinks. For instance, The Grass is Greener cocktail is a watermelon basil margarita with salted watermelon basil syrup, tequila and lime tremendous juice which beforehand bought out at each one in all his pop-ups. 

Regardless of the cocktail bar’s fashionable ambiance, Arri says he desires his bar to be inclusive for everybody. “There are quite a lot of cocktail applications throughout the U.S. and in Kansas Metropolis which can be run like a boys membership,” Arri says. “We’re attempting to make Fern Bar an informal cocktail bar. Are available in your road garments and have an important drink.” 

In the course of the week, Fern Bar will likely be a low-key surroundings. On the weekends, Arri plans to have a DJ and a extra energetic ambiance.

Two James Beard Award finalists proper right here in KC

Two Kansas Metropolis meals institutions have jumped forward of the pack within the 2023 James Beard Awards: Drastic Measures for Excellent Bar and Yoli Tortilleria for Excellent Bakery.

Kansas Metropolis began off properly represented. Seven KC eating places and bars have been introduced initially as semifinalists in January: Johnny Leach of The City Firm for Excellent Chef, The Restaurant at 1900 for Excellent Hospitality, and a number of cooks (Nick Goellner from Antler Room, Michael Corvino from Corvino Supper Membership and Tasting Room, and Pam Liberda from Waldo Thai) for Finest Chef Midwest, to call only a few. 

Can’t wait to see if both come out on high—each are greater than deserving.

Shawnee’s Drastic Measures instantly grew to become one in all my favourite cocktail bars in 2021 when it got here on the scene. Its dim lighting, cosy ambiance and strict menu of revolutionary, but fantastically balanced cocktails made it an on the spot hit.

Proprietor Jay Sanders has managed to create a bar that tiptoes alongside the road of sophistication however doesn’t step over into pretentiousness (even with the sunshine system on the entrance—inexperienced gentle means knock, purple gentle means wait because the bar is full).

Sanders additionally pursues philanthropic endeavors, donating the proceeds from the sale of sure cocktails to varied causes, akin to Deliberate Parenthood or academics’ organizations.

Though the nationwide recognition is merited, it’s bittersweet for these of us who loved Drastic Measures in its “hidden gem” days. Nonetheless, I suppose we’ll survive.

From its begin as a vendor within the Overland Park Farmer’s Market to its first retail location within the Westside, Yoli Tortilleria has been redefining the tortilla recreation in KC.

Husband and spouse duo Marissa and Mark Gencarelli specialise in stone-ground, non-GMO corn tortillas and Sonoran-style flour tortillas. Nonetheless, in case you go to their Westside location, you’ll discover all kinds of delights akin to home made tamales, salsa macha negras and big chorizo and potato breakfast burritos. The Gencarelli’s culinary creativity is infinite. The pair consistently whip up new menu objects and search out collaborations with native cooks and companies.

Honest warning, in case you open a bag of Yoli’s tortillas, make sure you use them inside just a few days. The tortillas may be as minimal as three substances—corn, water and lime. The shortage of preservatives means they deteriorate rapidly, so get pleasure from them whereas they’re oh-so contemporary.

James Beard winners will likely be introduced on June 25.

Swanky new bourbon bar

Overland Park’s Marriott lodge underwent a whopping $16 million facelift final 12 months that included a lot of its public areas. The renovations included such areas because the foyer, health middle, concierge lounge and, most significantly for locals, a brand new restaurant and bar, Zephyr Kitchen and Bourbon Bar (10800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS).

Situated on the lodge’s first stage, Zephyr was a completely new addition. The swanky restaurant and bar affords multiple hundred thirty-five bourbons, whiskeys, scotches and ryes. The restaurant’s in-house specialists are tailoring flights of whiskeys and bourbons, however prospects are additionally welcome to customise their very own.

The kitchen is led by KC native chef Nathan Nichols, who has greater than twenty years of expertise in kitchens akin to Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and Steakhouse and a number of eating places at Bread & Butter Ideas, LLC.

Bourbon dinner pairings and craft cocktails are constantly featured in Zephyr’s menu. Hold an eye fixed out for the rotating craft cocktail, Cocktail for a Trigger, during which a portion of the proceeds go to the nonprofit Give Youngsters the World.

Genuine French custard ice cream in Brookside

Husband and spouse duo Jessica and Alex Wooden have been slinging scoops of their handmade small-batch French ice cream across the metro since 2021. You may need additionally noticed it on the menu at Billie’s Grocery served alongside a stack of waffles. Now, their ice cream pop-up idea, French Custard, has discovered a everlasting house in Brookside’s Morningside Retailers (5905 Important St., KCMO). 

French ice cream, or custard, is historically made with a base of milk, cream, eggs and sugar. The result’s an excellent creamy texture that units it aside from conventional American ice cream. Nonetheless, in contrast to fast-food custards the place the ice cream is pulled from a machine and isn’t frozen, the Woods pasteurize their very own ice cream, permitting them to forgo stabilizers and serve it as frozen scoops.

“Our ice cream is greater in fats and there’s positively loads of sugar in there,” Jessica says. “However you get a a lot cleaner tasting product that’s simply very balanced.”

Together with creating their very own ice cream base, French Custard additionally makes their very own sweet for mix-ins, akin to honeycomb and toffee. Artisan ice cream flavors will embody French vanilla (made historically with egg yolks), cereal milk, pistachio and lemon curd with home made lemon bars, amongst others, for a complete of sixteen rotating flavors. Pints may also be out there. The waffle cones will, after all, be comprised of scratch.

The small ice cream store will likely be counter service solely, and whereas it doesn’t have sufficient area for indoor seating, the Woods hope to have just a few out of doors spots. The placement is simply toes away from the Trolley Path.