mizzouatheart "Homegrown Foodie"

The Farmhouse is in the former Delaware Cafe space and is beautifully redecorated to feel rustic yet modern with pale green walls, contemporary sofas but dark wooden tables, a black china cabinet and black painted wood chairs. The food is locally grown and seasonal. On my first visit, I enjoyed a veggie sandwich and side garden salad. While I enjoyed the salad, the sandwich was somewhat lacking in veggies (mostly portobello mushroom and summer squash) and thus a disappointment although the focaccia bread was delicious. However, I sampled my dining partner’s french fries with homemade ketchup. Absolutely outstanding, perfectly crisp on the outside, tender on the inside and salty! On a return visit, I ordered the heirloom tomato salad and enjoyed the accompanying mixed greens, fresh mozzarella (divine!), prosciutto, crispy leeks and black pepper-port vinaigrette. Great combination, especially the leeks! I topped it off with a piece of homemade rhubarb-pear pie that was garnsihed with a single blackberry. I had never had this fruit combination before, but the sweetness of the pear and the tartness of the rhurbarb worked well together and the crust was sugary and chewy, absolutely divine!
Next time I will check out the patio for brunch!

I visited Zest on a whim after picking up fresh produce from the Mission Farms farmer’s market. I had my toddler son with me and was not sure what to expect since it looked like a nice place. However, I had read the KC Star review in which the reviewer’s children enjoyed the food and took a chance. I was not disappointed. We were immediately seated in a quiet area of the restaurant although it was fairly busy. They provided great entertainment (i.e., crayons) for Alex and a clean high chair.

I was very pleased with the offerings but had to go with the meatloaf since it has received the most attention. It was amazing. The meatloaf, a combination of ground sirloin, veal and pork, had a dense but not tough texture with that wonderful chewy crust. Not bland at all and not greasy. Two large slices of it, too! The wild mushroom demi-glace was rich and not too thick. The garlic mashed potatoes were also creamy and rich, but the herb-roasted roma tomatoes were disappointing. They lacked flavor and were mealy, which surprised me given the farmers market tomatoes available outside. I LOVE the options on the kid’s menu and chose mac-n-cheese with fresh green beans for my son. He adored both dishes and I had to sneak a few bites myself! Nice to have healthier side dish options on a kids’ menu.

If you are a fan of the soup/sandwich/salad lunch with a homey atmosphere, this is your place. Located in Columbus Park, Happy Gillis is the kind of neighborhood place that is comfy, casual and creative all at once.

The restaurant got its start with owners who made creative soups but have expanded the menu to include breakfast and lunch offerings. Their cold soups are fantastic. I’ve had the classic gazpacho and a red beet gazpacho that were both excellent. The fresh warm corn soup was brilliant with a potato base and plenty of fresh corn and bacony flavor. The curried chicken salad with cashews is my favorite sandwich although I had a special veggie sandwich that was packed with zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes and cheese on foccacia that was divine. Great to go or for a casual meal with friends, please check this place out.

Two drawbacks: seating is limited and they don’t open for breakfast until 8am which makes it hard for the business breakfast crowd.

This longtime institution on the Country Club Plaza offers the best people-watching if you sit in their streetside cafe dining area. They also have a nice, roomier back patio with umbrellas to shade you from the summer sun.

The drinks at this place are fantastic. I love their margaritas, bloody marys and wine selection. We went there for brunch on Father’s Day and were seated right away in the streetside area. My husband ordered a special, the steak and blue salad, a hearty salad with plenty of crisp greens, nice medium rare steak and generous amounts of blue cheese. He did not care for the dried cranberries but I thought they added the perfect sweetness. I ordered the Turkey Hot Brown, two English muffins topped with smoked turkey, thick-sliced bacon and a sharp cheddar cheese sauce with seasonal vegetables. I chose this dish because I wanted something to share with our toddler son and I thought he would eat it as well, and he did. I was really impressed with the bacon and the sauce tasted great, not like cheese wiz as I feared.

I will forever love this restaurant because years ago when I was there for a networking breakfast, I found out I left my credit/debits cards at home and had no cash. The server let me go home and call them with the card number.