Article Susan Fotovich McCabe | Photography Brian Turner
Next month, my husband and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and we already have our favorite restaurant in mind for a cozy celebration – JJ’s, nestled just west of the Country Club Plaza.
JJ’s recently celebrated its 25th anniversary too, making it one of Kansas City’s oldest, independent restaurants. Located at 910 W. 49th Street, JJ’s is tucked away along a quiet street off the Plaza, but recognizable by its inviting entry, sidewalk patio dining and over-sized, colorful paintings by a local artist that adorn the interior. Thanks to JJ’s Restaurateur Jimmy Frantze, it consistently serves up out-of-this-world favorites and award-winning wine selections.
Given its reputation for great wines, we’ll probably start our evening off with a sampling of its wide array of selections. In fact, JJ’s is the recipient of Wine Spectator Magazine’s Grand Award. We’ll sit at a small table, topped with a crisp, white linen tablecloth, a simple vase of fresh flowers and watch the Plaza patrons stroll by. We’ll also take the opportunity to enjoy a long stretch of murals across the street from JJ’s that makes up a street barrier. The murals were painted by local artist Mike Savage, who’s been filling JJ’s with colorful paintings for 25 years. The murals sequence a trip from California’s Napa Valley wine country to JJ’s front door. Eventually, Frantze and Savage will auction the panels to benefit two charities, the local Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Sav-Art Fine Art scholarship program within the University of Kansas art department.
Because we want to savor the evening, we’ll start with an appetizer – perhaps JJ’s signature appetizer, Paco Shrimp ($14), which is one of the images on the long mural. Not everyone knows that this yummy dish was on the menu when Frantze bought JJ’s 25 years ago. Of course, the original appetizer changed to reflect JJ’s style and taste. Frantze says he added a side sauce and stuffed the shrimp with a high-end horseradish to make the dish sizzle with its bacon wrap. Other appetizers would include my favorites, Lobster, Shrimp and Goat Cheese Purses, made with fresh Maine lobster meat, gulf shrimp, goat cheese and leeks, baked in phyllo purses with parsnip puree and sweet English pea buerre blanc ($14), Wild Mushroom Toast, made with seasonal foraged mushrooms sautéed with fresh herbs and garlic butter, served on brioche toast and topped with mascarpone ($12), or the Artisan Cheese Plate, which includes a selection of hand crafted cheeses from all over the world, and served with dried fruits, honey and assorted breads ($12). Then we’ll move on to a soup or salad. I love the Pears and Stilton salad, made with roasted d’anjou pears, English stilton cheese, toasted walnuts, baby greens, and dijon vinaigrette ($9).
Next up is the much anticipated entrée. There are a number of choices, including selections from JJ’s signatures steaks, pastas and seafood entrees. Nothing separates my husband from JJ’s Kansas City Strip ($36). I have
a hard time choosing between Medallions Au Poivre, grilled filet medallions with a mushroom and black peppercorn cream sauce ($27), Wild Boar Ragu, a Texas wild boar braised in burgundy wine with pancetta and mire poix ($24) or Osso Bucco, veal shank braised in Chianti with Sicilian green olives, lemon zest, and baby carrots ($32). JJ’s Chef Josh Hewins whips up a limited selection of desserts each day.
One reason everything on the menu tastes so good is because JJ’s takes pride in supporting local suppliers of produce and regional foods, including mushrooms from Beau Soleil and Carol Reeves, produce from Crum’s
Heirlooms, Simply Foods, Thane Palmberg’s Farm and Organic Way, bread from Farm to Market, herbs and spices from Gourmet Spice, goat cheese from Le Ferme du Bonheur, coffee from the Roasterie, honey from Bee Butt Honey and Santa Fe Trail Honey Farms and Jude’s Rum Cake. The entire menu is exquisite. No wonder Zagats Survey calls JJ’s one of the best restaurants in the Midwest. The only thing that makes the evening better is when Frantze stops by to say hello.
JJ’s is open for lunch Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; dinner hours are Sunday through Thursday from 5-10 p.m. and 5-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For parties or receptions, JJ’s has its Saber Room, with its own separate entrance, and the restaurant offers valet parking. For more information about JJ’s, visit jjs-restaurant.com. JCL
910 West 49th Street, Kansas City ~ 816.561.7136
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