The anniversary dinner save…

After our somewhat disappointing experience at Room 39, we headed over to  Ruth’s Chris, which is where we should have started our evening.  I have been to several Ruth’s Chris Steakhouses in many different cities and the consistency of this restaurant is remarkable.  We went to the Plaza location, http://www.ruthschris.com/Steak-House/3827/Kansas-City, and once again we were not disappointed.

We were seated promptly (without being asked if we had reservations) at an intimate table by the window where if we hadn’t been so consumed with each other, we could have enjoyed some very entertain people watching.  Our waiter’s name was Craig and after hearing our plight he bent over backwards to provide a delightful dining experience from start to finish.  This is a restaurant that can afford to be pretentious.  The combination of  the best quality of meat and seafood, the standard of service, and the atmosphere comes with a hefty tab.  But never once have I ever felt the least bit intimidated (not that I would anyway but some people feel uncomfortable).  Often, when Scott begins the process of selecting a wine, food servers feel the need to flex their wine “muscles.”  Craig, after discussing a few different wines with Scott  and then recognizing his (Scott’s) experience, suggested a lesser known vineyard that proved to be wonderful.  It was not a wine that we would have normally ordered so the new experience was a bonus.  Scott will have to pontificate on that particular selection at another time.

Being creatures of habit we began our meal with lobster bisque and a Ruth’s Chopped Salad.

 

This is my all time favorite salad (anywhere) and some of the finest bisque that we have found.  And trust me, Scott tries soup wherever we go.

We then ordered a live, freshly steamed lobster  and the veal chop.

 

We also had the most amazing onion rings.

They really did look like this!

 

We finished our meal with a complimentary crème brule and cappuccino. 

The service was amazing, the atmosphere was elegant yet intimate, and the food, well, a picture speaks a thousand words.  What began as a mediocre night, ended in a wonderful gastronomic experience.

Our anniversary…

April 14, 2009 was our fourteenth wedding anniversary.  It was also the day that we met seventeen years ago.  Incredible.  We had a quiet evening planned since we had seen The Phantom of the Opera, which is standard anniversary fare for us, the previous week.  We had hopes of a quiet, intimate dinner for just the two of us.  The evening, however, did begin with some unexpected bling….Scott can still surprise me!

 

 

This truly falls into the category of finer things!

Since Scott had heard wonderful things about Room 39, we decided to give it a try.  Room 39 has two locations, one in Leawood and one in Kansas City near KU Hospital.  We chose that location.  It is a small, intimate restaurant with approximately twelve tables set up in various configurations, predominately seating two.  There is a bar on one side that seats around eight.  It was a surprisingly formal atmosphere replete with white table cloths and the predictable wait staff dressed in black. 

Upon our arrival, the waitress asked if we had reservations.  Given the fact that it was a Tuesday evening and this is Kansas City; we did not.  There were three other parties of two in various stages of dining.  Apparently, they were also expecting a birthday party of six, as well.  We were seated in the middle of the room at a less than desirable table. 

I mention this only because just one other party came in during our time there in addition to the reservation.  We could have been easily seated at a better table without creating any inconveniences to reservations had they had some.  I get so frustrated with the elitist attitudes that some establishments adopt.  We were there to enjoy dinner; not to be punished for not making a reservation.

Once seated, the waitress offered beverages but no dinner menu.  As we contemplated our libations options, we kept waiting for the menu.  I found this odd although from what I understand this is not unusual.  After receiving our cocktail (about twenty minutes after we had been seated) we finally got menus.  We ordered an appetizer… escargot with crispy chickpea cake, hazelnut butter and preserved lemon gremolata.  About twenty minutes after ordering this appetizer; it still had not arrived.  We asked the waitress to check on it…I had visions of it sitting on the line congealing in garlic butter and mind you, we had already been there at least 45 minutes.  She promptly checked on it and informed us that it was almost ready.  Understand that escargot is a cooked product…it only needs to be heated in whatever sauce the chef is using.  It was at this time she offered us bread and butter.  Ten minutes later the escargot came out.  Very impressive and refreshing presentation, not the standard escargot floating in garlic butter.  Not that there is anything wrong with that!  Much to our dismay, the escargot was overcooked, tough, and extremely unpleasant to eat.  The chickpea cake was interesting but did not add to the dish.  The lemon gremolata was a very nice addition…now if I can just figure out where to get some!  When asked, we informed the waitress that it wasn’t what we had expected and by this time we had decided to go elsewhere so we asked for our check.  She apologized and consulted the manager who proceeded to remove the charge from our check.  Very nice effort until he presented the check saying, “I am sorry if you didn’t think that the escargot was prepared correctly.”

Needless to say, the hour plus that we spent there was not a fine dining experience.  I know that our expectations are high.  It grieves me that so many restaurants focus on wine lists, food trends, and atmosphere instead of service.  Quite honestly, service is at the top of my list and great food is just the icing on the cake.    There are so many things that can go wrong in an evening that in all fairness, we shouldn’t judge Room 39 too harshly.  Another day, a different location may make a world of difference.

Did I mention that she never brought the bread?

Trezo Vino revisted

I have been very remiss in fulfilling my part of the blogging so here I am catching up. While Scott is the wine and spirits expert; my claim to fame is service and food. Having been in the food and beverage (in all aspects) for over twenty years, I feel most comfortable addressing these areas.

Let me begin by saying that our waiter, Adam, was attentive without being intrusive and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu. This is extremely important in my book. Although he began the visit crouching at the table in a Friday's fashion, a posture of which I am not overly fond, he served us in a most professional manner such that is very difficult to find these days. He explained the menu as well as how to order. At Trezo Vino, you have a choice of a tapas style dining experience as well as a typical dinner. We chose to order only appetizers, which is my favorite way to dine. After making our selection, Adam tried to order the items in such a way that complimented not only the appetizers but also how we ate them. For example, fried dishes first, sauteed next, etc. However, the ongoing conflicts (for lack of a better word) between the front and the back of the house impeded his efforts but certainly didn't diminish our enjoyment.

We began our meal with Sweet Chile Calamari Fries, Tempura Shrimp, and Truffled Hand Cut Fries. Instead of the normal calamari rings and tentacles, we were served calamari "fries." Serving calamari in this manner poses a particular challenge to the chef. If not cleaned and prepared properly, calamari can be tough and rubbery. Ours was tender and quite delicious. The shrimp had a heavy flavor and definitely wasn't as fresh as it could have been. It was served with an avocado and tomato puree as well as a mache and garlic miso sauce. Both were outstanding but not well matched with the shrimp. As for the truffled fries, well, simply a waste of chewing time as well as money. The homemade ketchup was laughable. This dish was the biggest disappointment of the entire meal but played such a small role in the whole experience that I mention it only as a word of warning.

In the middle of all this fried goodness, the Fois Gras Duet was served. Need I say more? I mean, it was fois gras afterall! I just wish I could learn to cook it properly! Beautiful presentation and as usually, a delicious tease for the palate.

We also ordered bisque (it's been so long now that I can't remember if it was crab or lobster). This, we sent back. What is normally a delicate and at the same time an extremely creamy soup tasted as if it had sat in the pot for too long. There was a bitter, burned taste that was incredibly unpleasant. Upon sending it back, the manager rushed to the table in at first was an attempt to defend his soup. But after seeing what we had already ordered (in his own words but paraphrased; it's been a long time!) decided that our complaint might merit some attention. He then proceded to flex his wine knowledge muscles for Scott. I will say that he replaced the bisque with the soup of the day (which proved to be unremarkable).

We finished the emal with a cheese board. One can order two, three, or four cheeses and it is served with marinated olives, spiced pecans and an assortment of cured meat. We ordered aged Gouda, Maytag Bleu, and some other cheese that I prefer to forget. Scott loved it but I distinctively remember it being very "goaty" although I believe it was a sheep's milk cheese. I am funny about cheese, what can I say? This was an awesome plate and I believe it inspired Scott this past Christmas season to prepare mounds of his own spiced pecans. It would have been a wonderful way to end the meal (had the kitchen cooperated).

Although I may have been a bit harsh in some of my assessments; it was a truly enjoyable and refreshing dining experience. I give much credit to Adam and his willingness to serve. We will (and have) recommend Trezo Vino to our friends.