Chuck Eats KC - New Year, New Changes, Big Plans

Happy New Year! Yes, we are well into January, but this is my first newsletter of 2024. I hope all of you are ready for some nicer weather and opportunities to visit and patronize local restaurants.

This newsletter may look a little different to you and that is an important change I need to talk about. I'm migrating the newsletter and back issues from Substack to Ghost. I've been wanting to do this for months, for various reasons, but my goal is to have more control over my newsletter. Paid subscription options for some of you may be updated, although I'm hoping to keep the payment processor the same.

In 2023, I published 22 installments of this newsletter. I established a regular posting schedule of shorts to TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube. I didn't post as many longer Youtube videos as I had hoped, but a lot of prep has been done for upcoming videos.

In 2024, I'm planning to publish newsletters more often and produce more short and long form videos. One of my main goals is to review more restaurants and feature them in videos. Look for the following series and specials:

• Day Trip series including Weston, Missouri, Lindsborg, Kansas, and other regional towns and cities
• Reviews of restaurants in Lawrence, Kansas.
• Special explainers of cuisines like Ethiopian, Dutch, Nepali and others
• Ethnic grocery store coverage
• Special tier challenges: Who has the best doughnuts? Best barbecue? Best Thai?
• Kansas City's special cuisines: KCK taco trail, cinnamon rolls, Strawberry Hill povitica.
• Kansas City restaurant history
• Neighborhood overviews: West 39th, Armour Boulevard, City Market, West Bottoms

Thanks for your support in 2023. Looking forward to a delicious 2024!

James Beard Nominees

The James Beard Foundation has announced their semi-finalists for their 2024 awards which will announced in June. Local and regional chefs and restaurants include:

Emerging Chef: Jeff Workman, The Campground - A cocktail bar and restaurant located in the historic West Bottoms. Cocktails include BRING BACK THE COWS (Beef Fat-Washed West Bottoms Whiskey Maple Cask Rye,
Moscatel Sherry, Fernet-Vallet, Guajillo) and the LONESOME VALLEY (Reposado Tequila, Celery Root, Galangal, Bay Leaf, Eucalyptus, Absinthe). Entrees include the Red Trout (with Black Eyed Pea, Kale, Sweet Potato) and the Shiitake (with White Corn, Pecorino, Pine Nut, Egg Yolk).

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: Affäre - German inspired menus at this long running restaurant in the Crossroads District.

Outstanding Bar: Drastic Measures - A cocktail bar on Nieman Road in Shawnee, Kansas.

Best Chefs, Midwest

Johnny Leach, The Town Company - Located in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, menu items typically include options like Lobster Toast (shokupan, tasty crunch, chili oil), Octopus Crispy Rice (preserved tomatoes, turnips, scallions, saffron), Hamachi Crudo (gooseberries, lemon balm, rosehip vinegar), and Winter Greens (citrus, fennel, rosemary, ricotta salata).

Katie Liu-Sung, Chewology - Taiwanese street food in Westport. Vegans might be interested in Taro & Shiitake (taro, shiitake mushroom, bok choy, carrot, bean curd, ginger). A more Kansas City "fusion entree" is their Brisket Chow Mein (smoked brisket, napa, onion, bean sprouts, pickled mushroom, tallow, cured yolk).

Romain Monnoyeur, Westport Cafe - Of the restaurants and bars in this list of 2024 nominees, Westport Cafe is the only one I've patronized and I've dined here several times. I remember the food and the service being excellent. Chef-driven, affordable French cuisine. A place which you enjoy with a date.

Rozz Petrozz, Saltwell Farm Kitchen - Located on the "1856 McKinzie Farmstead" between Lawrence and Topeka, Saltwell Farm Kitchen offers a "curated" three to four hour, five course dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. The menu features local, farm to table ingredients and...foraged foods.

Openings, Closings and Restaurant News

• Whole Harvest Kitchen is a plant-based restaurant opening this week in Leawood Town Center. I'm looking forward to trying their KC BBQ Plate, their Pulled BBQ Jackfruit Tacos, the Shirataki Noodle Laksa, and all of the plant-based appetizers, salads, pizzas and desserts.

• Wyandot #2 BBQ in Overland Park has closed. The original locations is still open.
• Banksia, An Australian Bakehouse & Café is moving their downtown KCMO location to a bigger space, in the former Plowboys Barbeque location at 1111 Main Street.
• The Big Biscuit is re-opening its Blue Springs and Independence locations.
• Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar has closed. The restaurant has operated for around 10 years on the west side of the Country Club Plaza.
• Cookies & Creamery has closed their operation at Red Bridge Shopping Center. They are planning to focus on catering.
• Q39 is working on plans to open a new location in Lawrence, Kansas.
• Red Bridge is getting a new grocery store, Farm Fresh Market, which will open early this summer.
• Palacio Maya is opening at 9720 Quivira Road in the former Black Agave Tequila space.
• VIVA Tacos & Tequila in Leawood plans to open a new restaurant in Olathe (11935 S Black Bob Rd).

• Entity Lounge is new coffee shop in Overland Park (11216 Switzer Rd) that turns into a cocktail lounge at night.

Calendar

The events calendar on the website has been greatly expanded. You can find it here.

Youtube

I’m working on new videos for my Youtube channel. Have you subscribed? Subscriptions are free and really help me out.

TikTok and Instagram

I’m also posting short videos to TikTok and Instagram. You can follow me on TikTok at @chuckeatskc. Instagram: @chuckeatskc

Support Us Via Ko-Fi

You can support this project on Ko-Fi. This is an independent project about Kansas City area restaurants and food. We take nothing in exchange from local restaurants, so everything comes out of our own pockets.

Mastodon and Fediverse

You can find regular posts from Chuck and Chuck Eats KC on Mastodon at @chuckmunson@kibitz.cloud.

Chuck Eats KC Blog and Website

This newsletter is part of my blog and website. Please bookmark and share it.

Chuck Eats KC is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

###