Kansas City - A Quick Weekend Visit

Last weekend, Mrs. JiLS and I made a brief jaunt to Kansas City, primarily to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at Union Station (more on that below), but we also ate a little bit while we were there, as follows.

We arrived too late Friday night to do anything other than enjoy a midnight cocktail in the revolving lounge atop our hotel. The next day started with a solid breakfast at the "new" Harvey House in Union Station (it is not anything like the storied Harvey House of yore, but a solid breakfast, with biscuits and gravy that earn a solid "B" and demonstrate that even in a so-so, touristy outlet, the folks in KC seem to get it about the value of a good, fresh biscuit). No BBQ tour this visit, but late in the day Saturday, we enjoyed a visit to Arthur Bryant's -- each had a beef sandwich, which were excellent -- moist and tender, just enough smoke, truly worth the hype, I thought. The lard fried fries, unfortunately, had sat out a bit too long, but you could tell that, underneath, they were exceptional. Because we spent an inordinate amount of time at the new WWI museum, we didn't get to "lunch" at Bryant's until 3:30 p.m., so there was no opportunity for a barbecue tour (and Lil Jake's was closed for the weekend, too). Had a lovely dinner at the bar of Lidia's (after the late-afternoon lunch at Bryant's, we just had room for the three-pasta "all you can eat" meal -- but very, very good pasta, the only fettuccine Alfredo I've ever actually liked, among other good choices that included a gnocchi in beef gravy that was outstanding). Lidia's is also one of the best-looking restaurants I've ever dined in. Breakfast again Sunday morning at Harvey House in Union Station before going to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, then back to the airport and home.

P.S. It looks like the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit will NOT be coming to Chicago, any time soon, but don't be too upset. Overall, I was not very impressed by it. Simply put, not enough scrolls -- good choices, "top 10" picks, but only a total of maybe 12 major fragments. The majority of the show (I'll call it a "show," because there was a certain whiff of PT Barnum about the whole thing) was the background -- stuff about how much salt is in the Dead Sea, how they washed their clothes at Qumran, the scroll jars, the political/social/religious setting, etc. All interesting stuff, but you can get it all from a book. Except for the scrolls themselves, and, as noted above, they were disappointingly sparse.

Arthur Bryant's
1727 Brooklyn Avenue
Kansas City, MO
816-231-1123

Lidia's Kansas City
101 W. 22nd Street
Kansas City, MO
816-221-3722

Harvey House
Union Station
30 West Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO
816-460-1182

Lidia's sits in the Warehouse District of KC. The restaurant itsself occupies an old freight depot used by railroads decades ago.

Another KC restaurant legend occupies the same building to the west...Fiorella's Jack Stack BBQ.

Now that you've tried AB's, I encourage you to try Jack Stack. You won't be disappointed.

I like Lidia's. I ate there last summer. I'm going this weekend for a quick trip. I hope to hit Stroud's, Arthur Bryant's, and Jack Stack in Martin City in this order of preference. Although its a crap shoot on the order. I like them all.

JiLS, thanks so much for this post. It's perfectly timed for me! We have a big family gathering in KC the second weekend in June and will actually have some time for ourselves between the nephew's baptism and brother-in-law's Iraq deployment send-off party.

We used to live there, before Liberty Memorial had undergone actual renovations. So, hubby was planning a trip to to this amazing WW1 monument, since it's now finished. I would love to have breakfast at Union Station before-hand, and therefore appreciated your recommendation. If you ate there twice in one visit, it must rate at least a B+...

The good news for me is that one of the parties is being catered by Jack Stack (b-i-l's favorite food of all time), so I'm covered for (with?) BBQ this trip. I was, however, debating whether I can convince my siblings and their s.o.'s to go with us for a meal at Lidia's, while our parents watch all the kids. I may actually propose that!

Thanks again, Jim.

Susan wrote:I would love to have breakfast at Union Station before-hand, and therefore appreciated your recommendation. If you ate there twice in one visit, it must rate at least a B+...

Glad to be of assistance, although I wouldn't want to oversell breakfast at the (new) Harvey House. It's really nothing more than a good, basic diner in a very beautiful and historic setting. My praise for the biscuits and gravy at Harvey House may be a bit effusive relative to the actual merits of the dish served, a product of my own pent-up frustration in trying to find an acceptable version of the stuff in my city of residence (a frustration that may have been cured by Depot American Diner, as is well documented elsewhere). The reason we ate at Harvey House twice was primarily because of the convenience, both to our hotel and activities we had planned (including Sunday, the second visit, when we saw the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit that was right there in Union Station). I have to imagine there are better alternatives in KC if quality of food is the main criterion for the meal. On the other hand, Harvey House is pretty handy to the Liberty Memorial/WWI Museum, so it may be a good choice for you, as it was for us, based on that convenience.

Jim, I heard you loud and clear on the biscuits and gravy front! (And thus my assumption that they made the place a B+ and worth a visit...) I have eagerly read about your struggles to find great b&g in Chicagoland, since I like them and my husband LOVES them. I keep tabs on those conversations and am eager to try the Depot in the next few weeks.

Incidentally, I am writing this from Atlanta, where I plan to seek out some good biscuits and gravy, cheese grits and country ham before my flight home tomorrow morning...

Susan wrote:Incidentally, I am writing this from Atlanta, where I plan to seek out some good biscuits and gravy, cheese grits and country ham before my flight home tomorrow morning...

Susan, I hope you will accept this in the spirit intended ... I hate you.

( )

JimInLoganSquare wrote:Glad to be of assistance, although I wouldn't want to oversell breakfast at the (new) Harvey House. It's really nothing more than a good, basic diner in a very beautiful and historic setting.

I'd like to put in a more than subtle suggeston to try bearkfast at Town Topic at least once during your visit. I'ts a divey diner that more than merits a visit.

Susan, you might be interested in Breakfast at "You say Tomato" at 28th and Holmes. Not far from Liberty Memorial & Union Station.. Check this thread out:
http://forum.kcrag.com/index.php/topic,9620.0.html
Steve is right about Town Topic. A cheeseburgerW/egg and grilled onions. Perfection.

Steve, a stop at Town Topic was always part of weekend carousing before I was married and ridiculously responsible. Mmmm, those greasy burgers and omelets were awesome at 3AM! I just can't imagine taking my pre-schoolers there with all my memories of drunk dining...or maybe I should, so I can close the loop, so to speak.

Thanks for making me smile. I may just have to try Town Topic again, if not on this next trip, then later in the year. Going back to favorite dives is always fun.

For biscuits and gravy, while I haven't yet tried Harvey House or Town Topic's breakfast, I would suggest Bluestem's Sunday brunch (fancy pants, but excellent and not too expensive) in Westport or RJ's in Mission for their weekend country breakfast.

Both are excellent breakfast options.

Guess I don't have an RJ's post up yet. I've linked to a bunch of other KC posts in my sig, though looks like I'm probably too late.

Hope your trip was good!

Aaron

BBQBoy, I love the idea you suggested. Something "new" (to us, anyway) in our "old" neighborhood. Husband and I met when working in Crown Center and thus we spent a lot of time in midtown; many of our friends rented huge homes in somewhat questionable neighborhoods off Holmes. I need to drive by, even if we can't eat at You Say Tomato.

And Aaron, you're not too late for us! The long weekend is the second weekend in June. Our old favorite standby for brunch in Westport was The Classic Cup (the one the wife got in the divorce, much better than the one the husband kept, on the Plaza, IMHO). Is that even there now? I'll investigate the two options you mention...if not for this trip, then for the next.

Thanks!

Oh I dunno Susan. Sitting out on the deck of the Plaza Classic Cup on a warm Summer evening, with some Boulevard Pale Ale draft, and a small plate or two, well then. One of the nicer experiences in ¡Food Kansas City!

IMHO, of course. :^)

Geo

Geo, of course I was ONLY referring to weekend brunch... You are right on about the patio and a lovely day (or evening!) at the Classic Cup on the Plaza. But I still vote for the Westport location for brunch. A pint of Boulevard unfiltered wheat tastes good almost anywhere in KC, IMHO.

I am sure there are far more interesting brunch places now, anyway. The further removed I get from my tenure in KC the more I realize it changes fairly quickly! It's kind of sad to realize I haven't lived there for 10 years now... Thank goodness I have all of you as a resource for what's still there and what's new and worthy of limited time during visits.