MCBC, ya'll.

Meeting near the railroad tracks.
All the gang was there.
Risotto with scallops offered as the special.
The rest of the menu is mostly sandwiches.
I‘d have the special, but first to quench my thirst.
Need a flight of beers with two kinds of pumpkin ale.

Cozy inside.
Indeed, pretty busy for a weeknight.
They call themselves a brewing company.
Yet, no homebrew available.

Beer: good and plentiful.
Risotto: rich and creamy.
Every scallop cooked perfectly.
Would that I could eat it every day.
I learned it is not easy to cook scallops.
No problem here.
Good.

Chug down the rest of the flight.
Oh… my.
Merry little Luke was delightful all night - well until the end.
Pleasant waitress.
And mom even paid – thanks!
Notwithstanding the lack of homebrew: 4.1 out of 5.
Yes, Sara drove home.

Mr. Ref here.  As you can see I have waited until the last minute, just like some others do, and I cannot remember where we went last month or what I had to eat.  I believe I enjoyed it, I usually do, but then again I just can't remember.  It was so long ago.  It seems to me if we would all enter our last encounter, as the GAS club, a little earlier that it would be fresher on our minds, and the rest of us could read and enjoy every ones blog before the next outing.  Anyway, I forgot why I am writing on this blog, oh yeah, I don't want to have to buy the appetizers next time I attend the GAS club outing.

Just remembered I had a pork tenderloin sandwich and I think it was pretty good and I enjoyed it, not really sure though, I can't remember.  And I cannot remember what rating I gave the establishment we eat at, but I think it was a 3.5 out of 5.

Everyone enjoy this month, I will not be in attendance due to some referee duties I must take care of.  See you next month!!!!!

Coming up this week (and a clarification)

The club will meet this week at a Mexican restaurant. Which one, you ask? Wait until later this week to find out. Here's a hint: a Kansas City magazine named this joint The Best Restaurant in the City. Olé!

And a note for you non-blogging members out there: free chips and salsa that we've all come to expect at Mexican restaurants do not count as appetizers of shame! If you choose not to blog, you shall pay (in the form of paid starters).

October was the Martin City Brewery.  Living in Peculiar I often go to World  Market and a few of the other shops in Martin City, it is a great little, know mostly for Jess and Jim's steak house. 

The Martin City Brewery was a great little find, though I don't care that much for beer that had an offering of about 5 5oz beers to try.  Two of these samplers were ordered and I tried a couple of the different beers.  The pumpkin was quite good, but can't hold a candle to the Belgium  beer I had at Green Dirt Farm, Lindemans, Lambic Ale.  That is another blog.   I really loved the building that housed the restaurant.  Wonderful paintings and a tin roof.   

The only food I tried was what I ordered, Peppered Scallops with Bacon Risotto.   Although the Scallops were a tad to peppery for me, after scrapping off some of the pepper, they were some of the best scallops I had ever ate.  There are few things tastier than a perfectly cooked scallop.   This was the first time I had ever ate risotto and I thought it was very good.  It was extremely creamy, almost buttery and it tasted as good as the way too many calories it contained.

I would go back again and give Martin City Brewery a score of 4.0/5

A Martin City State of Mind

The dinner club headed south this month to the Martin City Brewing Company. What a treat. I give my compliments to my husband Justin for choosing such a great place.

How about a bit of background for you city folk who haven't ventured to Martin City. What a place. After you cross the train tracks, you arrive in a quaint little downtown. The restaurant's tiny parking lot was full, so Justin and I had to park down a residential street filled with beautiful old homes proudly displaying "Notable Historic Property" signs. It was just as much River City as Martin City, for the Rodgers and Hammerstein fans out there. I could absolutely live here, which would mean I could walk to the Brewing Co. anytime.

Now on to the restaurant. First, we were greeted by the owner. He worked hard as did the friendly waitstaff. The place has charm: the clapboard and aluminum siding walls are rustic, with funky paintings paying tribute to the likes of Billie Holiday and BB King. There's even a loft space above the main dinning area with (what looked like) an original tin roof ceiling. The bar area is cozy, just watch those steps after you've been sampling their beer.

Now that I mention beer, this place has the best selection I've come across in Kansas City. And the prices are unbelievable. I ordered a Tallgrass Pale Ale, which I tasted and declared to be the perfect beer. Seriously, try one.

The menu was impressive, especially the large selection of different appetizers (like risotto balls. Who wouldn't want to try that?). I ordered the egg and sage sandwich. It was pretty good: toasted sourdough with tomato and aioli. I tried Justin's scallop special, and it was very tasty.

One more thing: the music. This place played great stuff: CCR and Led Zeppelin. Yet even with its bustling, beerhouse feel, the noise was just the right level to make conversation easy. I have a feeling our hosts go through quite a lot of trouble to make diners feel comfortable.

I recommend this place to anyone looking for a relaxing meal, group dinner or beer on the patio while watching a band. My rating at the restaurant was 4/5, but I have such fond feelings for the place, I'm upping it to 4.25/5.

A brewski for me ski!

Martin City Brewhouse what to say what to say... First off I was very excited to get out of the same ol routine of westport/plaza/dt KC and I found out that it is only a short drive from my house so I could come back here more often now that I know its so close. 

Since we live so close Erin and I got there first and asked what this brewhouse what is the best homemade brew that they serve... to find out they dont have their own beer... at least not yet, however they do have a very wide selection of beer at a very reasonable price so we order a few beers. DELICIOUS!

We than ordered wings which i wasnt impressed with, not terrible just not as good as Wingstreet or BWW.

We than ordered a flight of beer which is 5 5 oz drinks for $8 and some change and got to sample a lot of different beers which was fun.

I ordered a tenderloin sandwich for my meal that came with steak fries. I have to admit this was one of the better tenderloins that I have had hand battered and crunchy it was very good. I also really enjoyed the scallops that everyone seemed to get as they are easily some of the plumpest best scallops I have ever seen especially since scallops are easily overcooked.

The atmosphere was fantastic a mix between a bar and a sports bar I could see myself coming here in the spring and listening to a band jam while drinking a beer, hopefully I will get to try their own beer next time.

To sum it up the food wasnt great but good but the atmosphere really made this a place I would frequent reguarly. 3.9/5

Babies take over the Brewing Company!

It's me, Luke. I'm back to tell you about my dinner at Martin City Brewing Company. First, I loved it because so many wonderful people held me and played with me. It's much more fun than sitting in a boring-old high chair during dinner.

Second, this was my first time feeding myself. My mom (she is really great, isn't she?) brought me some Baby Mum Mums which are Japanese rice teething crackers. Now I have a pretty sophisticated palette for a baby, so believe me when I say that these don't have much flavor. Still I enjoyed eating them.

Finally, while I had a great time, I want to explain my meltdown. My parents joked to the waitress that I would be on a separate tab. I didn't think that was funny, and I cried. I'm not ashamed. I just don't want to pay my own way, not yet.

Osteria Il Centro

As I promised last month,
A special post for this time.
A gastronomical review
Written entirely in rhyme.

I hope it doesn’t seem silly,
Impractical or obtuse
If my post pays homage 
To Silverstein, Rakoff, and Suess.

Osteria Il Centro,
A nice Italian joint.
Pretty good food and wine,
To get right to the point.

But some GAS business first:
 As we all signed our name
To petition for Josh
To buy the Appetizer of Shame.

He couldn’t get out
Of the pact, though he tried.
The calamari was good,
But isn’t everything fried?

I got the house spaghetti—
Italian sausage my choice.
I grabbed knife and fork
Like a child grabs toys.

I tucked in my napkin
And plunged right ahead,
Stuffing my gullet with
Pasta, wine and bread.

As I came up for air
From this gluttonous session,
I realized I’d forgotten,
My own Italian eatery lesson.

The lesson is this,
Though I usually forget it,
I always order pasta
And usually regret it.

The pasta was just fine,
The meal wasn’t a loss.
But there’s more to Italian cooking
Than pasta and sauce.

Next time I’ll ask Sara
To help in that dark hour
When visions of noodles,
Creams and cheeses overpower.

With an ambiguous sigh,
I considered my sin,
Unbuckled my belt,
Imagined what could’ve been.

But what’s done is done,
Now it’s too late.
Only one thing to do—
Guess I’ll finish my plate!

As to the décor and the mood,
For the most part it delighted,
But some faux Roman motif 
Was a little short-sighted.

But other than that, and
I don’t think this is contentious,
I thought it was rather distinguished,
Without being pretentious.

With good food and company,
Hours pass without knowing.
With another stop to make,
We had to get going.

Off to have ice cream,
And I knew I was in trouble.
Though stuffed to the brim,
My scoops would be double.

Now in a stupor,
I paused and reflected,
“How was Il Centro?
Was it what I expected?”

In the end, I’d say yes.
The place was quite charming.
A little bit pricey,
But not too alarming.

I’d definitely go there again,
Maybe on a date for some lovin’.
But if I had my druthers,
I’d still head west to Anna’s Oven.

But, the food was real good,
And, it certainly wasn’t dive,
Overall I really liked it—
Three-point-eight out of five.

Now, Gassy gang,
My challenge to you,
Make next month’s post
In the form of haiku.

Yum, another very tasty Italian restaurant. We ventured to the restaurant of Beth's choice down on the plaza.  The location was perfect. Nice scenery and next to the amazing Glacé, so when a restaurant is located near there you know the night will always end well because you will have an awesome desert!  I thought the atmosphere of the place was very nice, dressy casual and I enjoyed people watching.
We started off the night with an appetizer, which josh payed for (thanks Justin for starting the petition  to make what was right happen).  The appetizer was huge and a variety of options: calamari, humus, pita, bruschetta and goat cheese.  I was not the biggest fan of the calamari, but I am a snob when it comes to calamari. I absolutely love goat cheese and the mixture of the goat cheese and bruschetta was awesome. I enjoyed a glass of malbec from Mendoza with my food, which was delicious.  I decided to order the walnut chicken with Gorgonzola cheese sauce.  I am a huge cheese head and Gorgonzola is one of my favorites, therefor when I saw this it was a no brainier! As I expected it was very tasty and did not disappoint.  The sauce was creamy with a great flavor, a nice amount of walnuts to add a crunch ANd the chicken was tender. The portion was HUGE so was able to have leftovers the next day, which is always a plus!
My overall rating: 4.3

Where to Go?

It’s time once again
For the All-Stars to meet.
To have some good company,
And something tasty to eat.

Please bear my exercise
In rhythm and rhyme,
As I reveal the restaurant;
It’s my pick this time.

But picking for the GAS club
Is no easy charge.
This assignment is sacred,
The burden is large.

And just to top it all off,
To increase my stress,
Dinner club falls on a special day—
Sara’s and my anniversary, no less.

Should I pick a place
That could honor my wife?
The woman who brings joy
Everyday to my life.

Such warmth and kindness,
Such unnerving beauty—
A place worthy of her?
What a daunting duty!

Her deep, soulful eyes, 
A smile powerless to resist—
A place worthy of her?
It couldn’t exist!

Her spirit so vibrant,
Her features so striking—
A place worthy of her?
Not a single one to my liking!

Her presence and grace,
How motherly tender—
A place worthy of her?
Impossible to render!

So thoughtful, selfless,
Creative, maternal—
A place worthy of her?
Not if my search were eternal!

How Luke brightens up,
Whenever she’s around—
A place worthy of her?
It couldn’t be found!

How thoughts of her
Constantly consume me—
A place worthy of her?
The prospect does doom me!

The glow that she radiates,
In which we are lucky to bask—
A place worthy of her?
It’s too much to ask!

An angel in the kitchen,
But a siren in the [inappropriate]—
A place worthy of her?
It’s impossible, I said!

Her touch so [inappropriate]
Her figure so [inappropriate]—
A place worthy of her?
The thought truly does vex me!

The curve of her [inappropriate]
And a gaze so [inappropriate]—
A place worthy of her?
A quest wholly unproductive!

Her humor and intellect,
Her infectious wit—
A place worthy of her?
Yeah, right – I quit!

A place worthy of her,
I knew I’d never find.
I needed a new approach
To decide where we’d dine.

I thought long and hard;
Scratched the old head.
Burger joint? Steakhouse?
Maybe vegan, instead?

How about seafood?
Or what about Lebanese?
Perhaps some café that
Serves wine and cheese?

Sushi is good,
But not everyone’s taste.
The deadline was looming,
I must pick with haste.

A chili dive joint,
All raw and gritty?
Or some posh bistro
Up in the city?

Then there’s Cajun and Creole.
Maybe the cuisine of Peru?
Even Pizza or Pakistani.
How about fondue?

Who would have thought?
So many choices, it hurts.
Maybe I could pick a place
That serves just desserts.

Where could we go for our 
Tastebud celebration?
Maybe I could figure it out
By process of elimination.

Thai, Mexican – done that.
Jamaican – been there.
Even had German, Moroccan,
And Ethiopian fare.

Indian’s already been picked,
Ain’t that a pity?
And barbeque two times –
Well, this is Kansas City.

Vietnamese was quite good.
Asian fusion, too, of course.
Italian was liked so much,
We had it twice without remorse.

We’d been so many places;
Most sweet, some sour.
But what would I do with the
Responsibility of my power?

So many great restaurants;
Such hard acts to be followed.
I sat down with a beer
And thought as I swallowed:

“We have eaten all kinds
Of foreign flora and fauna.
What we needed was a bit
Of good ol’ Americana.

“Not only that,
But the places we’ve selected
Have emphasized solids,
While liquids were neglected.”

I knew just the place,
No longer disheartened.
It would be the Brewing Company
In the City of Martin.

We’d seen our friend’s band there,
This Saturday last.
Jervis Jort was their name,
And they totally kicked behind (this is a family blog).

We could have some good food,
And domestic ale treasures.
Plus a couple of imports,
Just for good measure.

So please let me know
Who will attend the occasion.
Then I can take care of
Calling in the reservation.

It’s at five hundred east
One hundred thirty-fifth street.
Right near the train tracks,
That's where we’ll eat!

Now, it’s bit of a drive,
But don’t make a stink.
A good selection of beer
Is what’s important, I think.

Location Location Location

This month we visited an Italian restaurant just off the Plaza.   The restaurant was small and cozy, not many folks had stopped for dinner yet.   We began are meal with Josh providing the appetizer, since he had not followed the rules to the letter, in August, he made up for it in September.  The appetizer a whirling dervish of taste sensations, was a large plate including pesto, calamari, hummus, bruschetta, pitas and bread.  It was a wonderful start to dinner.  I ordered a delightful Moscato to drink with dinner...mmm, mmmm, mmm.  It was delicious.  I ordered the Walnut Chicken with a Gorgonzola sauce.   The sauce was creamy with just the right amount of garlic.  The serving size was so large, I was able to make 3 meals out of my dinner.   The bread that was served with the meal was also very good.   I would highly recommend this restaurant and definitely would go back again.   Now to the title....location, location, location.   We were only 2 blocks from Glace,  which of course increases my rating for any restaurant that close, and were able to finish the night with a triple dip bowl.   My rating is 4.25