Kansas City Restaurant Week 2020

Kansas City Restaurant week is nearly here, and that means I’m already making good on resolutions to eat more sushi and sample menus at the best new and new-to-me restaurants that are a part of our amazing food scene. 

KCRW makes adventurous eating affordable, and it’s all for a good cause. Participating restaurants pledge to donate 10 percent of sales from each meal to benefit an annual charity partner and two founding beneficiaries. This year, dining out will benefit The Don Bosco Centers.

With 218 participating restaurants across the KC metro area offering $15 multi-course lunches and $35 dinners from Jan 10 to the 19th, 10 days seems too short.  This is the largest KCRW ever!

Here are some tips to snag that reservation you want:

  • Book as early as possible! (Download the app and make reservations directly in-app through Open Table.)

  • Dine during off-peak hours.

  • Make reservations during the second weekend, which tends to see slightly smaller crowds.

  • Try new restaurants and restaurants that you’ve never visited before.

Six Quick KCRW Picks:

  • Blue Sushi Sake Grill — I had the opportunity to preview the KCRW menu at Blue Sushi and Sake Grill, and I may have never been happier than when Blue general manager Phil Belk approached our table with a sushi boat puffing smoke from a tiki man. Blue is known for its great happy hour and menu featuring responsibly-caught seafood as well as several vegan roll options. This Westwood restaurant's lunch menu is an amazing value! For $15, you get miso soup, teriyaki chicken, your choice of any two sushi rolls and your choice of mochi ice cream for dessert. On the dinner menu, the itchy salmon, baked salmon topped with serrano, cilantro and ponzu is a phenomenal starter. Be sure to head on over and enter my Instagram giveaway for a chance to win a $50 gift card to Blue Sushi!

  • Third Street Social ­­­I have to keep it local with my second recommendation. Third Street is a Lee’s Summit local gem. I always order the slightly spicy, perfectly creamy combo of shrimp and grits for my dinner entrée because it’s perfection and I don't ever need to stray. And I’ll brake anytime for their homemade oatmeal cream pie. Make reservations at Third Street for dinner and hit up Hand In Glove or The W for an after-dinner cocktail. (Make W reservations early by texting the number listed here.)

  • Plate — This modern, upscale Italian restaurant offers fresh fish, game and pastas made in-house. They had me at their lunch entrée of winter squash farrotto with brussels sprouts, shallows, Bartlett pear gremolata and shaved walnut parmesan. Fingers crossed I get reservations! 

  • Affäre — Up for dinner featuring adventures in seasonal dining, with a German twist? The creamy brussels soup appetizer with chorizo and hazelnuts followed by almond-crusted ruby trout would be my pick! Feeling fancy? I love that a wine pairing is available with each of the three courses for an additional $17.

  • Parker at the Fontaine — I’m a sucker for a classy dining experience serving up an intentionally cozy menu. Yes, please to a main course of fried chicken and the dessert course of cane sugar donuts. A first course of blackened hummus gets things started off to keep it interesting. 

  • Jarocho South — highly recommended by consummate KC foodie Benjamin Fuentes of Kansas City Foodie Finds, Jarocho South offers Veracruz style Mexican seafood that makes my mouth water just looking at the menu!

sushi boat with mist at Blue Sake

I hope you enjoy KCRW2020 to its fullest! I'd love it if you'd share your favorite dining experiences with me as well!

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