Coal Vines

Now as others have said there is something magical about the Plaza during christmas time. I just love it the lights, decorations, stores, people its just a wonderful place. But we dont really care about that right now we want to hear about Coal Vines.

I walked in and loved the persona of this place, it looked hip it looked styling, it looked like a classy wine bar. I sat down as I was the first one there again... adn this time I was alone Erin was in St louis for a confrence. I looked over the menu, short and too the point, but I have learned from other places that, just because there isnt much on the menu doesnt mean that what it has wont rock your socks off.

I looked carefully over the wine list... Whats this? where is the rest of the menu? There is 6 things to choose for in wine and the price... $14 a glass on the cheap end.... No Thanks, I'll have a beer. Now dont get me wrong we are on the plaza and it usually is a bit more to endulge here, but give us poor people a boxers chance. Plus can you really call yourself a wine bar with that few of wine choices? It was a little disappointing.

I ordered a pizza and it was ok... as everyone said crust was quite tasty but everything else, kind of plain, I am not one to brag, but if you want some tasty pizza come ask anyone of my family members as I have attended 3 pizza cookoffs the worst of the worst of our pizza's would knock the pants off of any of those. As usual Sara's Pizza was the best.

Now for my final thoughts. The place was lovely and would make for a great date night. However it didnt "WOW" me and as far as dates on the plazza, there are quite a few I would pick over this place. So if you dont mind expensive wine and mediocre pizza than try this place out. 3.0 out of 5 from me.

A Classy Joint for the Swanky Set

For her December pick, Becky selected Coal Vines Pizza & Wine Bar on the Plaza. This is a nice choice for a quiet dinner for two or four people, although for bigger groups I would recommend elsewhere.

Justin and I walked in, one of us holding Luke and the other his diaper bag, and I thought we would be very out of place. The restaurant is dark and upscale, with bottles and bottles of wine lining the walls (did I mention I was carrying a huge diaper bag?). If Luke cried, where would we take him? How many angry wine drinkers would glare at me? Just what on earth were we thinking bringing a baby to a wine bar?

Not so. The service was excellent and the vibe easygoing. I felt like this baby-toting family was just as welcome as the attractive couple at the next table.

Coal Vines offers 8-10 or so wines available by the glass or bottle. It seemed a good variety to me, although for a wine bar could probably have offered more. Maybe they make it simple and offer the best of the best. Unfortunately I didn’t have wine so I can’t review this aspect.

Their menu is simple: a few appetizer options, a few entrée options and pizza. Don’t expect BBQ Chicken or anything fusion—this pizza is basic with the option to add toppings. I added anchovies, that being the wildest item on the menu.

My pizza was delicious. Great crust and perfectly salty thanks to my little fishy friends (how I loved eating them).

My rating: 3.25 (up from my initial 3) out of 5. I’d probably rank it higher if I could go back, enjoy some wine and an unhurried, baby-free meal. That's Amore!

A Cozy Little Pizza Place

Mr. Ref Here.  We went to Coal Vines this past week for our December outing and it was really nice.  Anytime you go to the Plaza during the Christmas months the Plaza lights are awesome.  It is one of the great Kansas City traditions, that most of us have enjoyed for years and years.  At Coal Vines I enjoyed Rigatoni and it was very good, it had Rapini with Italian sausage and parmesan, it also had broccoli, and every bite was excellent.  It was the perfect amount of spice for me and was the perfect amount of food.

The decor was very cool and unique, I really like all of the wine bottles being displayed on the walls and enjoyed all of the pictures and wood trim filling the atmosphere.  There were lots of other customers enjoying the same things we were enjoying and that is always a good sign.  I did try some of the pizza that the rest of the group ordered and I would have to say it was just fair, however the crust was very good.  I gave Coal Vine a 3.25 out of 5, but would highly recommend you try it and if you enjoy pasta with Italian sausage the Rigatoni is very good!!!

Perfect December Evening at Coal Vines

Ahhh--December!  Chill in the air, bustle of Christmas shoppers, the magical beauty of the Plaza lights, pizza roasting over an open...oh wait that's supposed to be chestnuts isn't it?  Mrs. Ref here to report on our December GAS Club meeting.  The festive evening began as we viewed the Plaza lights (driving round and round and round to find parking!) and a short walk later, entered the corner space previously occupied by ReVerse.  Greeted by a larger than life-sized print of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra on the back wall, Coal Vines rocks a cool vibe with the bar wall lined with wine bottles, a wall of windows facing Brush Creek and dark tables in a dark space occupied by a crowd filled with Christmas Sprint--or wine--or something...  But there really does seem to be a fun, festive, warm feeling in this space.  I do have fond memories of the place when it was Reverse as I spent a few evenings with my work buds over happy hour there. 

The new space seems to maintain a sophisticated aura even if the menu is bit "dumbed down" for this suburban crowd. The menu is brief, but that's a blessing when you're with a group and easily distracted.  I shared the White Pizza with tomotoes, mushroom, and spinach with Grandpa and I loved the crispy, flavorful crust, but I can't say I was really impressed with the pizza---with just five(?) basic offerings I would expect something closer to perfection.  Still,  I enjoyed it, and pehaps the abudant Ricotta and lack of salt would be perfect for someone like Mr. Ref who thought it was quite wonderful.
I like to think of myself as someone who knows a thing or two about wine (maybe not more than 3 things), but I found the wine list thin, moreover, our server seemed to know less than I.  She was friendly and trying--even bringing a sample of a wine that she personally liked, but "unable to find" the one Grandpa wanted.  Not sure if there was much more than 20 bottles offered--but guess that bottle got lost in the "crowd".
Yes, I've eaten better pizza, seen more interesting, extensive wine lists, but I can't say I've had a better time that I did on that perfect December evening when the GAS Club convened at the Pizza and Wine bar called Coal Vines.  Final Score 4 of 5 (extra points for ambiance)

Guadalajara Cafe. Its pretty OK.

Sorry, no poem this month.

Guadalajara Cafe is just on the Missouri side of State Line, near I-435.  The restaurant interior was a typical restaurant, nothing special, no remarkable charm or grit or even roll-your-eyes kitsch - just, you know, the inside of a restaurant.  The interior was pretty OK. 

But margaritas were ordered, and the meal was looking up.  The margaritas were pretty good.

The menu was extensive and promising.  Several delicious sounding dishes (How does a dish sound delicous, you ask? Use your imagination and quit worrying about my contradictory senses).  The menu was pretty good.

We had some non-bloggers last month; their names rhyme with Lerin and Leth (I didn't say I was a good poet).  Asides aside, Lerin and Leth ordered some quesadillas for appetizers, one with squash blossoms, one with mushrooms, I think, and one with something else.  I liked the squash blossom and mushroom quesadillas.  The appetizers-of-shame were pretty good.  The appetizer-of-shame rule is pretty great.

And there were margaritas.  The margaritas were pretty good.

I ordered the Steak Mariposa.  It was cheesy and came with beans (yeah, Sara got to deal with that all night), but it was pretty tough.  The Steak Mariposa was pretty tough and pretty OK.  Sara's night was pretty tough.

I had a bite of Sara's mole.  It tasted more like chocolate, and less like a freckle, than I expected.  But seriously, she should have a doctor look at that before I eat it all.  Sara's mole was pretty good. 

And we had margaritas.  The margaritas were pretty good.

Then I was out of margaritas. and we waited for the bill for a long time, and they couldn't split the bill, and I was out of margaritas.  Their ability to not-split-the-bill when I was out of margaritas, and all my margaritas were gone, was pretty great. I know it is a small thing, but really? Really?! You can't split the bill?! And me with an empty margarita glass! And there were none more margaritas in mine glasses. That stuff was all gone, the stuff with the, with the, you know, with the lime and the salt, you knooooow, with the... and ices inside the saltiness of the... you knooooooow, the.. the... yesssh, yesssh, the margrarinas, yeah, with mine margrarinas all bye-bye and no split was bill. I'm just a bill, up on a capital hill... IF YOU CAN'T SPLIT THE BILL, THEN MAYBE I WILL CAN'T SPLIT MY RANKING, I MEAN RATING, RANKING AND YOU CAN K- WHAT?! Wazz that, shweetie?  There's more what? Do I want some more what?  Oooh, more margaritas! I give this place a 10!  10,0000!!!

And scene.  

So overall Guadalaraja gets a 2.7 and that is pretty OK.  The end.

Margarita Buena, Comida Ok

I was so excited that the GAS club was going to Guadalajara Cafe for a couple reasons.  First, I LOVE Mexican food, it is one of my favorites! Second, I frequently go to the Panera Bread located right beside it with co-workers and we always comment on it and have been wanting to try it, however never had enough time.  

So to start off the night, since I am such a terrible blogger and forgot to blog, I went straight to the appetizers on the menu, since I would be buying one for everyone to share.  There were so many interesting things to choose from.  I am used to most Mexican restaurants having queso, nachos, and small dishes, however Guadalajara had a variety of nice things to choose from. Many had mushrooms, which Becky and I don't like so after looking through the menu I decided on the Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza, a quessadilla with squash.  Beth also owed an appetizer so got 2 other quessadillas.  As we waited for our appetizers we snacked chips (which were unfortunately stale) and enjoyed 2 different types of Margaritas, thanks to grandpa, which were AMAZING! I enjoyed the more traditional quessadilla that Beth ordered.  The squash quesadilla was okay, I felt it was a little bland with not much flavor/  

For my main course, I wanted to try something I had never had before, but I decided to go with my favorite Mexican dish, enchiladas.  I got three chicken enchiladas served with rice and re fried beans.  To be completely honest, I was very disappointed   They definitely weren't the worst enchiladas I have had, but I expected better since Guadalajara was ranked the best restaurant in Kansas City.  I am not sure if some of my disappointment in the food was due to my disappointment in the service and if I went back another time and the service wasn't so poor, I may have enjoyed them more.  The next day when I had my leftovers for lunch, I enjoyed them more, so maybe it was the poor service as to why they didn't taste as well or maybe I was just really hungry the next day at work?!?  I was very dissatisfied with the service.  I waited tables for 3 years, so I often can relate and feel for wait staff.  However, in this situation I felt the restaurant was not overly crowded for it to take as long as it did.

My overall rating is 2.8 out 5.  As always, I enjoyed being with everyone and the margaritas were delicious!