Kansas City Here I Come

Last week, I was in Kansas City, Mo on business.  I have stayed in Kansas City before, mostly in the area that they call the Power and Light District.  This area has funky shops, bars and restaurants, including one place that has various burgers made from different types of game.

This time, however, my group decided to stay downtown.  Downtown was actually very nice; as a matter of fact, downtown Kansas City was named one of the top downtown areas by Forbes Magazine.  Lots of shopping, clubs, bars, and restaurants all within walking distance.

Usually, we try to get to Jack Stack, as their BBQ sauce is all gluten free.  Much to my dismay, some other companies had booked both of the restaurants for the evenings we would be there!  Bummer! 

Our group administrator had heard some good things about the restaurant Plaza III.  A colleague of mine who has Celiac disease usually calls ahead for us, and made sure they could accommodate the two of us.  Sure enough, they could.

The décor was elegant.  Definitely, not some place you go in jeans...but I felt comfortable dressed in business casual clothes.  The waiter brought two baskets of crudités for the table, which was cool so my colleague and I had something to munch on while others ate the bread that came out.

I decided I wanted to have the filet mignon.  The waiter (whose name, believe it or not, was Angus…no really…) was quick to warn me that the seasoning they use on the filet has flour in it, but they could still give me the steak seasoned with salt and pepper.  That sounded fine to me!  As a group, we ordered sides to share.  Garlic mashed potatoes, lyonnaise potatoes, marinated mushrooms, and grilled asparagus, all gluten free.

The meat was cooked to a perfect medium rare on the inside, juicy, and not the least bit tough, with a very nice sear on the outside, which gave a slight crunch for texture.  The vegetables used for the sides and the crudité were extremely fresh.  The garlic mashed potatoes tasted just right to me, with a slight garlic taste, but not so much that your breath would knock over the person sitting next to you.  The skins were still on the potatoes for texture.  The lyonnaise potatoes were equally good with a nice flavor from the caramelized onions.

So, while I would still get BBQ if I could, I would also highly recommend Plaza III.

And now, for a musical interlude.