extra virgin for happy hour

extra virgin is described online as “… innovative, yet simple Mediterranean tapas…” and I would agree. The selection of small plates available was quite impressive, and there were a lot of selections that one would not find on a typical menu. And with ½ price tapas during happy hour, it’s worth a visit.

My girlfriends and I ventured to ev for happy hour and while we left feeling satisfied, we also found that some of the dishes did not live up to our expectations. However, the good stuff was good enough to lure me back.

First, the good stuff:

Cabrito empanadas - yes, I ate baby goat. And it was delicious. The filling was meaty and flavorful, and the empanada was perfectly crisp and pillowy. The 4 empanadas are served on a bed of green olive salsa, and my friend who was with me doesn’t even eat olives, yet she loved it.


Confit duck leg – The duck was perfectly roasted, and it’s served on a bed of lentils and roasted grapes. Absolute perfection – the flavor was amazing in all aspects of this dish. Don’t be scared to try duck… it’s really light and sort of tastes like chicken (yep, I said it).


Formaggi assortment – Italian Robiola is like brie, which I despise, so I have to admit I didn’t try it. The white cheddar was hard and flaky like a good cheddar should be. The goat has an interesting rind on it, and was very tangy and flavorful. And how do you describe manchego? The texture is slightly more smooth than the cheddar, with a mild yet interesting flavor. The cheese plate comes with a cherry and Dijon tapenade and some pita wedges. Tasty.

And the plates I would not recommend:


Chorizo and fig filled chicken thighs – these sounded so wonderful… chorizo AND figs? It was really difficult to tell exactly what the chicken was stuffed with, as it tasted of neither chorizo nor figs. It just tasted like chicken.



Prosciutto Ravioli – The ravioli is topped with chimichurri, which was very tasty. But like the chicken thighs, the flavor of the filling just wasn’t really there. And as a lover of prosciutto, I was quite disappointed.



Beer Battered Tiger Shrimp – The smoked paprika aioli was delightful, but without it, this tasted like beer battered shrimp. Pretty boring.




Dessert? Yes please. We tried the Zeppole, which are basically Italian beignets served on chocolate sauce. They were fresh out of the fryer, dusted with powdered sugar. I can always eat fried dough. We also sampled the apple crostada, served with what I think was brown sugar ice cream. You will notice there’s no photo… that’s because we scarfed down this deliciousness before I had the camera ready.

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blue bird bistro

I ate at blue bird bistro for the first time last week, and all I can say is “YUM!” They use fresh, local ingredients, most of it organic, and while the menu is small, there’s definitely something for every palate.

We started with the hummus, which I thought was just ok… sort of bland, actually. The grilled polenta though – wow! It’s served with goat cheese, tomato relish, olive tapenade and pesto – so you can mix and match your favorite flavors – and it was fantastic. (For more on my love of polenta, read my review of NoRTH).

For my entrée I had the cheese ravioli – very interesting cheese blend, and the sauce is chunky and is served in the middle of a ring of ravioli. The ravioli was very al dente, but still good. And the sauce was very flavorful.

I sampled my co-diner's pork chop, and if you're a meat eater, you should definitely get it. I'm not usually a pork chop fan, but this was thick, moist, and tasted like perfectly smoked ham. The crispy edge beared a resemblance to really good bacon (and who doesn't love bacon?)

For dessert, I recommend the organic chocolate port cake with cream cheese filling. It’s topped with chocolate ganache, and while I’m not usually a chocolate eater, this cake was divine. The piece is definitely big enough to share… particularly when you’ve already had as much food as we had.

I’m definitely going back… need to try their breakfast or brunch menu next!

NoRTH - great for lunch or dinner

If perchance you find yourself hungry while in Leawood, eat at NoRTH. Or just go to Leawood and eat there. I’m not a big fan of chains, but this is just a tiny little chain, and there’s only one in KC, so that makes it ok.

NoRTH can best be described as “Italian fusion”… the roots of the dishes are definitely Italian, but the chef has modernized each one into something a little more cutting edge and a little less heavy than traditional Italian fare.
I’ve eaten there for lunch and dinner, and in doing so have had some delicious food, as well having the good fortune of sampling my dining companions' dishes. So, here is the rundown on what I’ve had – all of which has been wonderful.

Each meal starts with Italian bread with sun dried tomato butter. I’m not usually keen on sundried tomatoes… but in this case, my only issue is that they do not give you enough. It is simply scrumptious.

And now, a brief overview of my faves:

Zucca chips - it’s fried, super thin zucchini. Like potato chips, but without the carbs. I could plow through an entire bowl by myself.

For lunch: I loved their take on the traditional cheeseburger and fries - an angus burger with smoked mozzarella and crispy pancetta, with a house made “ketchup”. It comes a la carte, so get the crispy potato wedges. The angel hair pasta is also quite tasty, topped with a dollop of ricotta cheese.

For dinner: The halibut, by far, best fish selection on the menu. Served on a bed of creamy polenta, with a tomato fennel “relish” on top… the mix of flavors was sensational. Lapping up remaining polenta is optional and not recommended.
Also sampled the ahi tuna and the salmon – both perfectly prepared and delightful. But they don’t come with polenta.

If you happen to have room for dessert (and I do not recommend tackling one all by yourself) the butterscotch sweet cream is heavenly, and the sour cherry bread pudding is fantastic.

And now I'm hungry.

Brunch at the Farmhouse

If there's one thing I can eat any day, any time, it's breakfast food. I love it. So I was so excited to discover that The Farmhouse is now open for breakfast/brunch on Saturdays.

If you haven't been to The Farmhouse, it's one of KC's newest places to dine. It's at 3rd and Delaware, which makes it the perfect stop after you've finished your weekly trip to City Market. It's a small place, with a few tables inside and a nice shaded patio. The food is really fresh, and much of it is locally produced. The menu changes often based on what ingredients are currently available.

I had the eggs benedict, one of my all time favorite breakfast items, and I was not disappointed in my choice. A big piece of brioche is topped with a thick slice of ham (really good ham), then the eggs, and of course the best part - hollandaise. The hollandaise was creamy and lemony - so good i wanted to lick the plate when I was finished (but I didn't - but if I'd been eating at home alone it would have been a completely different story).

They serve french press coffee, and as I'm a bit of a coffee snob, I couldn't have been happier. The small carafe runs $3 and gives you 2 cups. The food itself was very reasonably priced, with breakfast dishes in the $7-9 range. Other breakfast selections included an omelet with gruyere and roasted tomatoes, french toast, and a fried green tomato sandwich. Salads are also available on the brunch menu (but when you can get yummy breakfast food, why would you want a salad??)

Farmhouse is open for lunch on the weekdays, and now brunch on Saturdays. Can't wait to go back and see what's on the menu next time.