I wish Anna was my Grandma!

So another month, another restaurant, another blog! This month was Richards pick and he decided to go with his all time favorite I-Talian!

 I get to this place in old westport and I must say I was impressed right away with the location it was cute and quaint. I walk inside and has a very family feel to it. Erin and I sit down as we are for the first time ever the first ones there. As I wait for a menu that I will never get, i get offered a glass of wine and I say "Hell why not!" and order the Chardonnay and to my surprise it was fantastic for the price kudos Anne Kudos! As the group arrives we decide that everyone is going to get their own meal and we would share. 

I now realize that I will not be getting a menu but that I would have to look at the wall and decide what I want. I thought it was cute that they did it this way and I would keep it this way, but I feel like they should have one to hand you so you can look close to you as well. As I started going over the menu I notice one thing very quickly, no spaghetti. What kind of I-talian place doesnt have the most infamous pasta dish? Next I notice that the choices are very limited, if you take out the 3 different lasagna choices and 3 different mac and cheese choices you are left with 3 other options. I start thinking there is no way I will be impressed with this place. I was wrong, but I digress. As everyone has ordered their meal I decided on a more American meal of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Man was I in for a treat! This meatloaf is more than generous in size, but it was one of the tastiest meatloafs you could ask for and the mashed potatoes you ask, how are they? They were great and when I found out that my mother did not like them I considered that either she had lost her mind and needs to be institutionalized or she had lost her sense of taste. I pray it is the first one because this food is good! (just kidding mom love you) Anyways I than try everyone's food and let me tell you the chicken was amazing tender and juicy I wanted to dump Erin right there and start dating this chicken meat. What was my favorite dish you might ask. as you know me I am a meat kind of guy I love red meat and I love when I eat so much meat that I get the meat sweats, so a meat dish is the winner right? Not so fast! Sara had the vegetarian lasagna and after one bite I considered giving up meat and eating this for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of my life! That is how much I enjoyed it!

After finishing and going and getting a vegan chocolate chip cookie for dessert, I must say this very reasonably price food is now solidly my second favorite place that we have dined at. It is a must go to if you have never been and a must go back if you have been there. Oh and to give them more props half of the profits goes to charity! Check Anna's oven out I know Im going back! 4.5/5

Home Is Wherever Anna Is Cooking

So once again I was fortunate enough to join the members of the GAS club and embark in once again another wonderful meal and experience.  For the month of June Richard chose to go eat at Anna's Oven and let me tell you, he got some bonus points in my books for picking such a wonderful place.


Josh and I journeyed down to Westport to meet the family for dinner and let me first start by saying I loved the area.  I have been to Westport before, however not that area and I really enjoyed sight seeing while driving and walking to the restaurant.  Josh and I were the first to arrive to the restaurant and as soon as we walked in we were greeted by a very friendly waitress.  As we sat down I quickly began to notice all the cute decor.  The first thing I noticed, which I loved was the menu on the wall.  I know some didn't like it because it had limited options, however I felt it was a great way to advertise the items which they did have.  It was colorful and immediately caught your eye when you walked in. We first got started with a delicious glass of the house white wine.  Unfortunately, I can not remember what it was called, however it was the perfect white wine for my taste, a pinch of sweetness followed by a crisp taste. As the others arrived I was quickly reminded that Justin would be purchasing an appetizer for us!  Although he was just trying to "teach a lesson", I would be ok with him setting an example each month.  As we pondered the menu to choose which appetizers to get, we chose the spinach artichoke dip as well as the bruschettta. The bruschetta was AMAZING.  I thought it was the perfect appetizer for a warm day. It was very light and refreshing.


As we finished up our appetizers and chose our main course, I contemplated what to order and went back and forth between the veggie lasagna and the rotisserie chicken.  Once hearing what everyone else was ordering, I decided to get something different so chose the Southwest All American Mac & Cheese with chicken.  Before getting my Mac & Cheese I enjoyed a side salad.  The salad was simple, consisting of the basics with a very good homemade vinaigrette dressing.  I also enjoyed tasting Josh's soup, which was a seafood Bisque.  Seafood bisque is one of my favorite soups and I have to say, this one was up there in the rankings.  When my food arrived, I was a little surprised about how the macaroni looked (they used spiral noodles instead of elbow).  As I took my first bite, I immediately knew i had found something I really enjoyed.  The Mac & Cheese had a great mix of cheeses, while it was cheesy it wasn't too cheesy.  It had peppers in it which gave it a little spice.  While I was thoroughly enjoying my meal, it wasn't until I tasted Sara's veggie lasagna that I fell in LOVE!  It was possibly one of the best lasagnas I have ever tasted.  The noodles were so thin and it just seemed to kind of melt in your mouth.  I also enjoyed trying everyone else's meal and Becky's rotisserie chicken was one of the bests I've ever had as well.  The chicken was so moist and just fell off the bone. 


Overall, I give Anna's a 4.5.  At the restaurant I gave it a 4.3, however on the drive home as I thought about it, I realized I underscored!  


I am sad I will be missing the month of July, but look forward to hearing all about it and then planning for August! 

Comfort food, it means different things to different people.   It may be Grandma's chicken and dumplings, Mom's tacos on your 12th birthday, a toasted marshmallow from a Colorado campfire or the full sized Hershey bar you got on Halloween.   It all brings back wonderful memories of the cherished moments of our lives. Having dinner with people I love, seeing new neighborhoods in a city I love, adds to those cherished moments. Anna's Oven, in another quaint Kansas City neighborhood, is a place that works to bring all of this together.  The menu is short, but well done and is a delightful mixture of American comfort food and lasagne.  The recipes come from Grandma Anna and part of the profits are donated.   I ordered the rotisserie chicken, it was incredibly moist and flavorful.  The salad, only $2 with your meal, was excellent.  The meals come with 2 sides and bread.   I tasted each of the meals and they were all very good, but one of the best was the Beef Stroganoff.  What makes this dish and the lasagne so exceptional, the paper thin, house made, noodles.   I didn't know it was possible to make noodles so thin.   Eating here reminded me of dinners with my grandma, an excellent cook in her own right.  I can imagine grandma in Anna's kitchen, apron covered in flour, rolling out noodles.  I think those who make Anna's Oven what it is, believes every customer is family and family needs a comforting meal, at an affordable price.  I am ready to go back, and try more of Anna's delights.  I give Anna's Oven a 4.3.

At Home in Anna's Kitchen

I love this simple little restaurant on 39th Street!  I felt like I'd stepped back a generation when ordinary Moms knew how to cook an outstanding meal and were happy to take the time to do it.
Thursday night we were the recipients of nearly all the kitchen's attention.  When our group arrived at 6:30--the place was empty!  We eschewed the parking lot in the back for street parking about 3 blocks away.  A gorgeous stroll on a pleasant evening revealed a well kept neighborhood and  a charming apartment building with a sign out front giving Harry Truman credit as a previous owner!  I love getting to know my city better as we visit these restaurants every month!
Anna's is the real charmer, though.  I've never felt more comfortable in a restaurant.  Mismatched tables, art-work for sale on the walls, good wine in my price range, perfectly paced service with the right note of friendliness, along with the ability to hear the conversation at the other end of our dining table gave Anna's an edge I haven't found at any other restaurant.
While my spicy lasagna was just a notch above ordinary in flavor, the vegetable lasagna was extraordinary!  Such a deep, delicious flavor unmatched anywhere!  The artistry of the lasagna--all of them--with the melt in your mouth paper-thin noodles and scrumptious ricotta with layer after layer after layer of yummy goodness seemed unreal.  So unreal, in fact, that Mr. Ref and I must return ASAP to check it out again!  This time, we'll try the beef stroganoff.  We have it on good authority (Grandpa) that it is the best dish at the restaurant.  Final Score 4.0

Anna's Oven - Delight

Mr. Ref here, this was my month to pick, and I think I did a really good job, even if I do say so myself.  Just read the reviews as they come in and see what you think.

When I first picked Anna's Oven I thought I wanted to try a good Italian place that served all of the traditional Italian cuisine.  Spaghetti, lasagna, veal parmesan, eggplant parmesan, pizza, etc.  And I quickly looked at the online menu and saw lasagna and thought, great.  After I told my fellow GAS clubbers where we were going I checked the online menu again and realized that the menu was limited and had just a few traditional Italian dishes.  I thought about changing restaurants, but then I read several reviews and thought this could be the perfect place.  Boy am I glad I did not change restaurants!!!!

Anna's Oven was EXCELLENT, the atmosphere and ambiance could not have been better!!!!  I felt like I was in Italy at a little mom & pop place and they had pulled together tables and chairs from where they could and put up some nice pictures.  Anna's was small, about 9 or 10 tables I think, but the service was flawless.  The waitress was there when we needed her, and off serving other customers when we wanted time to ourselves.  There was a credenza against the wall that held the wine and other necessities.  The menu was written on a chalk board on the wall above the credenza.  I couldn't have painted this picture better if I tried.

But the best part of all was the food.  I had the traditional lasagna with Italian sausage and pork and it was the best lasagna I have had in a long time and possibly ever.  The noodles were home made and were so thin there must have been 25 or 30 layers.  The sauce and meats were exceptional, and the cheese was plentiful.  It was a good sized portion, more than I could eat, probably because I was also trying everyone elses dishes too.  We had Southwest All-American mac and cheese, vegetarian lasagna, spicy lasagna, roasted chicken and meatloaf.   I tried all of them and they were all very good, and I was full.

I gave Anna's a 4.5 out of 5. This is the second time I have given this high of a score, and the only reason I did not give it a 5 is because I want to leave room just in case there is something out there that might be better.  Although right now I am not sure I will find it.  But that is another day and another blog and another GAS club excursion.

Eggplant Lasagna Reigns Supreme!

Last night was, in this diner's opinion, the best club outing to date. We ate at Anna's Oven, an adorable little restaurant in the vibrant 39th Street area. The concept is cute: the proprietress uses the recipes of her grandma (Anna!) and provides cozy, tasty and affordable meals.

The decor was fun: mix-matched tables, works by a local artist on the wall, Grandma-approved china and even an old radio. I like the window joining the kitchen to the dinning room. Service was excellent. The menu offered a small selection of comfort food: meatloaf, roast chicken, mac 'n' cheese and lasagna.

I started with a glass of Sangiovese, which was delicious. We shared appetizers of bruschetta and spinach artichoke dip: very tasty. The dinner salad (only $2 with an entree) was perfectly simple. I ordered the Vegetarian Lasagna, and it was the best lasagna I've ever eaten. They make their own pasta, and my dish must have had 11 layers of lasagna noodles. The tomato sauce was bright and the ricotta was the creamiest. At $9 it included some bread and some lightly sauteed zucchini (I'm imagining Anna insisting that I eat vegetables with every meal!), and was enough for two meals.

In keeping with our dinner club tradition, I tried my fellow diners' meals. I enjoyed it all, most notably, Becky's roast chicken. I'm generally not a chicken fan but this was out of this world.

As if Anna's Oven wasn't awesome enough, get this: the owners donate 50% of profits to support "education where it would otherwise not thrive." There's more about this on their website.

I can't wait to head back to Anna's. Only next time I'll leave room for a piece of blueberry-pineapple cobbler or bread pudding. My ranking: a full 5/5 stars. Perfection.

Check out the layers! Count them if you can.

So I am super excited for tonight! What will I have? AS of now I am not sure! What I do know is that I will be carb loading tonight! Oh and thank you Justin for providing the appetizer for tonight!

New Feature: Get to Know the Gassies

Dear blog readers, you're in for a treat. Each month we will profile a different GAS dinner club member so you can get to know us a bit better. Starting us off is Richard, who selected the restaurant for this month. Be sure to check back after tomorrow for our Italian reviews. Now, on to the interview.

What is your favorite Kansas City restaurant?
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Arthur Bryant’s BBQ

Of all the restaurants the dinner club has tried, which one would you like to eat again at most?
Well I have already been back to a few, but Grunauer has been my favorite.

What’s the most delicious dish you tried at a dinner club outing?
Several have been good, to my surprise, but I would have to say the roast I had at Marakech, Moroccan food.

What’s the most unique food you’ve ever eaten? 
Escargot, cooked snails.

Is there a particular ingredient that, if you saw it in a menu item, would make you choose that item right away? 
Beef, its what's for dinner.

If you could banish any one ingredient or dish from the earth, what would it be? 
Most people I know would tell you peas, peas and I have a history.  But I actually do not hate peas, although I prefer them fresh and not cooked.  I would have to say green olives, I have never liked them!!!!

Is there a food that you enjoyed as a child that now you don't like? 
Not that I can think of.

Is there a food that you didn't like as a child that you now enjoy? 
Spinach, as a child the only way it was server was cooked and I hated it, but I love it fresh (not cooked).

If you could travel to any country for the sole purpose of eating, where would you go? 
Italy, pasta is my favorite meal and always has been.

If you could eat dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would they be? 
Besides the people I love and enjoy eating dinner with today and any day, my entire family, extended and otherwise. Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Jefferson (our 3rd president) and Marilyn Monroe. For different reasons, Martin Luther King Jr. because I would like to talk about his dream and see if it has progressed as he thought and what we could do different to still make it better. Thomas Jefferson because he is one of the main people that helped setup and build this great nation and see if it has turned out the way he hoped it would and the way our fore fathers intended. Last but not least, Marilyn Monroe because she is Marilyn Monroe.

Not Yo' Mama's Spaghetti!

Greetings, blog visitors. This month the GAS Club will enjoy an outing at an Italian restaurant. Which one? Stay tuned for our ratings and reviews.

Buon Appetito!

Just where have we eaten in KC, anyway?

Wondering how you will ever keep up with GAS Club outings? Or maybe you're eager to try the restaurants we've tried.

Worry no longer, dear readers.

There's now a super-cool custom map showing the GAS Club restaurant picks to date. I'll try to keep it updated as we add new restaurants.