The Webster House! (Make your own history)

I recently had the privilege of dining at an exquisite house(!) that I had been hearing about since it opened as a restaurant and antique shop in 2002. Nestled in the heart of the  Crossroads District of Kansas City, this house was formerly a schoolhouse, built back in 1885, and continues to hold the hearts of the community (and now it firmly holds mine).

I was salivating at the description of the menu before I even arrived, as I have this giddy habit of 'checking out' the menu online beforehand.  It's like watching an exciting preview for a movie; my eyes and stomach get very hungry.  Colorful descriptions of the food always tempt my taste buds, and my stomach growls in curiosity...  fueling the perfect anticipation. I always want EXACTLY what they are describing!  I feel like my ears spike up, and my head cocks to the side... much like my dog's do when you say the word, "play."

  I knew the food had a great reputation but I didn't realize, until I arrived, that the house also carries beautiful antiques that spill out of the rooms on the lower level.  I highly recommend arriving a bit early and perusing the rooms to see what random items call to you.  I personally found it interesting that there was an old wooden bird cage that came with a rusted key that must have been centuries old.   I'm not entirely sure the old cage could house a bird these days, but the look and history of the cage certainly caught my eye and made me curious about how much these antiques reflect the history that this "Webster House" also carries in it's creaky floors--or the walls with it's schoolhouse gossip.

  OH! It might be important to note that the gift/antique shops close earlier than the restaurant (8 pm... if I remember right), so if you find that you are floating down the stairs from a divine meal and a perfect bottle of wine after 8 pm; don't be alarmed that the security guards gives you a sideways glare when you decide to smell every candle they have for sale.  It would seem that this is less than welcomed after the shops close, as is playing their antique Steinway piano (Gasp!). Not that I would know anything about that. ;)

I'm not entirely sure how I got pulled from diving into the food scene, but I will delay no further! Okay, let's see. The food is exactly as you picture it when the passionate server is describing the dishes and taking you through the journey of what's special. Our server, Kirby, was amazingly charismatic and so eager to give us her take on what dishes were "over the top" (with eyes rolling back in her head when something really pulled at her heart strings). We had the opportunity to sit at the Chef's Table, which you can request when calling for a reservation.  If you are even slightly interested in cooking; I would certainly recommend this!  You get to sit up-close-and-personal with the chefs as they prepare your and others' delectable dishes.  In fact, you are pretty much overlooking the kitchen and feel like you are in the kitchen at times.  However, the seating is done so beautifully that you can feel as though you're having your own personal experience while also being drawn into the kitchen scene--whenever you choose.  The chefs are very friendly and are eager to show you their work.  I couldn't get enough of watching them make our dishes!! The passion exudes from their faces when they see you take the first bite of their perfectly cooked dishes.

Speaking of first bites, I melted completely when I tasted their appetizer: Herbed Gnocchi!   This has been, by far, one of the best gnocchi dishes I've ever tasted!  Their gnocchi is different than most in that it's prepared with ricotta versus the usual potato, making it more delicate and tasting like little clouds of heaven.  The ricotta cheese makes the dumpling-like pasta melt instantly when it touches your tongue.   It's pan sauteed with pancetta, butternut squash, and a delicious sage brown butter.  A taste of each of these together composed the perfect bite.  You almost think it needs more flavor to accent the beautiful texture until you taste the symphony together.  The saltiness of the pancetta with the subtle sweetness of the squash and the nutty flavor of the herbed butter marry so beautifully with the delicate gnocchi.  It is sweet synchronicity and a true celebration in your mouth.  I had a hand-on-heart, deep-sigh moment when we finished this first dish. Sigh***. Don't be drawn just to this starter, however because the other ones sound just as good... and are certainly calling me back for another visit (right now in fact).

The main courses we chose were: "Pan-Seared Sea bass" and the "Mediterranean Braised Lamb." Let me start by saying that the Sea bass, prepared the way it was, hands down won the award for the best fish I have tasted... and this is a bold statement coming from someone who just came from California and has had some great fish.  It was seasoned perfectly and was simply prepared by just searing it on both sides and finishing it in the oven.  The fish was beautifully crisp on the outside and light and moist on the inside, and I could easily cut it with the slightest touch of my fork.  It was extremely flavorful and had no "fishy" flavor... just the taste of the sea.   To accent its delicate flavor, it came with a light romesco sauce, just splashed on the plate with a bed of escarole and a delectable white bean puree.  I don't mind saying that I ate every bite, and used the fish to soak up all the flavors on the plate.  Shameless, but so needed!

I will be honest and say that the lamb was not as stupendous as the other two dishes, but it's worth mentioning that it has a "stew-like" feeling while eating it.  It certainly is in the category of "hearty" but not as tasty as it sounded. If we're being frank; I would order something else before I order the lamb... but it certainly wasn't terrible.  My last sip of wine made the lamb come to life a bit more, but that could have been just the magic of wine. ;)

Dessert!  (a slight diatribe regarding my thoughts about dessert):

Anyone who knows me, knows my sweet tooth, or maybe more accurately, my sweet 'teeth.'  So, yes, moderation is truly the key... that being said,  I have seen the difference in my body when ingesting foods and sweets that are devoid of love, and devouring foods and sweets full of homemade love. I think dessert should be homemade whenever possible, as this can only infuse it with more love--we all take pride in the desserts we make, or in watching another's face light up when we taste their homemade food.   I know that it IS possible for food to assimilate better in your system when it is homemade and accented with some personal love.   I believe that homemade food and desserts can speak straight to your soul, and yes, actually love you back. I also believe that this speaks louder than calorie counting, and we all know that calorie counting can work only for a period of time. Most of that time we aren't even passionate about the food we are eating... we are just eating to stay in our allotted calorie bracket. Where is the love in that?  You would be hard-pressed to feel the love exuding from a boxed cake, for example. Love in a box has an expiration date.

I say all of this because the Webster House takes pride in their homemade desserts!  We had the pleasure of hearing them described in detail, and I'm positive Kirby was drooling as much as I as she talked about them.  We went for the Featured Dessert that evening which was a layered chocolate mousse cake.  As you can see from the picture, it was just awful! ;)  We made ourselves eat every morsel, and even lick our spoons.  The pastry chef twisted our arms into sampling it again and again, and even devouring the delicious,  homemade whipped cream and berries on the side.  It was love on a plate!!

There was a very wise man who once said to me: "We must LIVE until we die."

It sounds so simple, but it hit me profoundly! Yes! We truly must live every moment until we cannot anymore. My life has not been the same since I heard his words.  They are just words, but words lived and cherished can forever shift the way we see and experience the world.

I find pleasure in the simplest things and casual moments. A gesture, a smile, a passionate expression, food, divine desserts and the magic that arises from sharing it with people you treasure.  Suddenly the simple is profound, and each moment truly lived awakens the soul to reach for more of those precious moments.  It's as if you emit something that attracts more of it.

Food is simple, and a necessity... but let's make it drip with passion.  Let see past the small picture and stretch forward to a greater view of what we can do to inspire our lives and our community further.  Nothing is mundane lest we make it so.  We make our own history and memories with every sacred moment, and each positive thought held around a memory makes something once black and white, something profoundly colorful.

 The Webster house has been part of the Kansas City community for many, many years... now it reaches to us with food and history.  I hope you find the time to visit this beautiful house, to taste it's magic, and to also feel a part of the community by doing so.  Whether that is to smell the candles, touch the antiques, be scolded for playing the piano, slide down the staircase, or soak up the flavors... I hope you live it fully!  Make your food and life more colorful; love it!

http://www.websterhousekc.com/dining.asp

Stay inspired and always hungry for more...

~Christy~

* A special thank you goes out to Jeff Nissen for introducing this gem of a restaurant to me.  I am forever thankful for you!!

Westside Local! (Kansas City's very own)

"Local is the new Organic!"(it really is)

My dear friend, Jeff Carroll, introduced me to this stellar, new-ish restaurant that opened in 2009, near Westport, Kansas City. "Westside Local" is the name, and it firmly stands up to its reputation for delicious food and local surprises--like, Mussels with chorizo, jalapeno, and lime--and one of the best burgers I've tasted!  I thought I'd just take a bite of Jeff's burger to try it, and then I couldn't stop eating it! (Sorry, Jeff... I know it's your favorite.) I'm smiling just thinking about it.  To boot, I thought about it for 2 full days after, and this quickly places it in the "priceless food" category for me. Okay, I know I'm just talking about a burger here, but it's not just your ordinary burger.  The local ground rib eye is dripping with juice when you bite into it; top that with arugula and an addictive Dijon vinaigrette, all divinely sandwiched between a "farm to market" brioche bun.  I could speak for a few more hours about that brioche bun, but I won't hold you hostage with the extra details of this perfectly sweet bun that offset the salty goodness of the meat.  It's true that I love sweets, so that could be it, but I think it's more the ingenious thoughts that went into the whole ensemble--that did it for me.

Along with the Burger and Mussels, we also devoured the not-so-common Deviled Eggs with an orange vinaigrette, and for dessert: a homemade Pomegranate Panna Cotta, topped with a cardamom anglaise sauce, and candied orange peel (I only wish the picture could do it justice!).  Each dessert is made in house and when possible, all of the ingredients are sourced locally.      
                                                                                   
                                                                                                              
I am excited to go back to try all of their local cheeses and fruits, as well as their infamous Quinoa dish, and their exquisite Mac n Cheese--also made with local cheeses--and highly recommended by our server. 

The memories of that dinner make me feel as though I'm wrapped in a warm blanket of local love! I was eating food that was sourced pretty darn close to where I live.  Everyone that works at "Westside Local" clearly stands out, as their pride and affection pour out of their mouths when describing the dishes. It mirrors what you would imagine the farmers would say about their own food.  The restaurant takes it over-the-top by adding their magical flare and culinary expertise, but the quality of food speaks for itself. Simple is more. This, alone, makes you want to return.  The ambiance is warm, and although I don't recall the lighting exactly, it seemed candles were the only things lighting up the quaint place while illuminating the already glowing food.
(or maybe I'm just still dreaming about that amazing burger!) ... wink!

"Local is so hot right now!  Should we even care?
As a Clinical Nutritionist and Holistic Health Practitioner, I recognize the importance of eating high quality food and how that food converts to "good things" in our bodies.  We all hear these things like: "buy organic"... "eat locally"... "fast food is bad!" ...
But(!) why should we eat local or organic foods?  Do we really know and should we care? Is it just because local is "in" right now, or it's the" word on the street" so we'd better get on the trend? Is it really better for us?

Here's the simple answer as I know it:
Local foods just mean that the foods you are eating are sourced locally, in or close to YOUR area.  This means that the time it takes for the food to get from the farm or bakery to your plate is much less than what you would normally get in a commercial grocery store or in restaurants where all of their food is shipped from miles away.  So this means that your food is FRESH! (what a concept!) Fresh equals more delicious--and also means that the nutrients are more intact. Local usually means that fewer preservatives and stabilizers are used to preserve your food in the shipping process.  We all taste a huge difference between an apple that you just picked from a tree versus one that traveled from New Zealand and tastes like meally cardboard. Fresh flavor usually indicates greater nutritional value.

Eating locally also means that you are holding pride and passion for the food that farmers are growing or providing for the community.  This is priceless!! Money spent with local farmers, growers, artisans, and locally-owned purveyors and these local restaurants all stays close to home, working to build your local economy.  We need this!  We've all seen the movies like "Food Inc"  where we hear how farmers are getting controlled by companies like "Monsanto."  If our food and health are in the hands of Monsanto, we are in grave danger.

 Local Foods also usually have less environmental impact. The thousands of miles it takes to ship food and herbs leads to a big carbon footprint. Please look for farmers who follow organic and sustainable growing practices for the best results.

Bottom Line:
Organic is tasty but Organic AND Local is even tastier! (Makes you feel better inside and out).

Run, and love some local fare at "Westside Local"... you won't regret it.
www.thewestsidelocal.com
1663 Summit Street  Kansas City, MO 64108
*A huge thank you goes out to Jeff Carroll for introducing this incredible place, and for also showing me how many other local spots there are here in Kansas City.  I'm fully excited to embark on more local adventures and to stand up for the farm to table movement. 

      

LOVE YOUR LOCAL FOOD; IT WILL LOVE YOU BACK...

~Christy~