October 2021: Best BBQ

ARE WE FACING A SHORTAGE OF

STREET COPS?

OUR FOOD CRITIC HAS A NEW

FAVORITE PHO

AN UPDATED GUIDE TO

LIVE JAZZ IN ‘KAYCEE’

BBQ

N E X T I N ’C U E THE 10 BEST BBQ SPOTS RIGHT NOW

You haven’t tried all our to p 10 spots…

OR

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Chef J BBQ

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OCTOBER 2021

50 BBQ

42

72

94

Artful Oasis

Jazz Tour

Pho Fun

A gutted Spanish revival is remade into a calm, minimalistic home with fresh art.

10

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

A fresh guide to experiencing live jazz in Kaycee

Exploring Vietnam’s national dish

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAWN BRACKBILL

Top BBQ joints in KC right now

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In This Issue OCTOBER 2021

S WAY

37

T H E LO O P

19

Kick It

TA S T E

93

Hot Cream

Zap it Up

94

Pho-nomenon

Cowtoons

98

Three Faces

Fresh Take

100

Tini Time

Meet Shacket Fall’s most versatile outerwear: a shirtjacket hybrid

Sporting KC is one of the favorites to win the 2021 Major League Soccer Cup.

38 40 42

Welded bracelets make the statement of a lifetime.

Get to know the artist bringing back Nickelodeon classics.

New art and minimalist decor create tranquility.

22

24

E V E RY I S S U E

Police Shortage

Rising Waters

14 Editor’s Letter

Could the city face an undersupply of officers?

How climate change might affect the Midwest

27 Calendar 34 Backbeat 104 Backstory

ARE WE FACING A SHORTAGE OF

STREET COPS?

OUR FOOD CRITIC HAS A NEW

FAVORITE PHO

AN UPDATED GUIDE TO

LIVE JAZZ IN ‘KAYCEE’

10.2021 BEST BBQ

BBQ

NEXT IN ’CUE

| LIVE JAZZ NOW

THE 10 BEST BBQ SPOTS RIGHT NOW You haven’t tried all our top 10 spots…

OR YOUR MONEY BACK!

kansascitymag.com

12

Ice cream sandwich meets panini press.

O N TH E C OVE R

Chef J BBQ platter, shot on film by Shawn Brackbill

Chef J BBQ

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

SPECIAL SECTION

83 Ask the Expert

101 102

A deep dive into beloved Vietnamese cuisine

Triple threat Paul Nyakatura shares his KC favorites.

Dessert martinis are back. Here’s where to sip them.

Newsfeed

The latest in KC food news

’Cue Card

Fox & Fire finds a new home in Kearney.

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KANSASCITYMAG.COM OCTOBER 2021

13

FROM THE EDITOR

C O N T R I B U TO R S

Nina Cherry WRITER

This month’s guide to seeing live jazz right now was written by Nina Cherry, a local jazz historian, journalist and vibraphonist. Her specific interest is in swing-era women in jazz and the Kansas City jazz scene’s rich history.

Cherry resides in a former speakeasy from the Pendergast neighborhood with her dog, Daisy.

Ardie A. Davis WRITER

Our barbecue package includes contributions from Ardie A. Davis— better known as Remus Powers, PhB. Davis is a Barbecue Hall of Famer and is active in the local and national barbecue scene as an eater, judge, cook and writer.

Kaili JiMei

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN

The illustration on this month’s news story about how climate change may impact KC was drawn by design intern Kaili JiMei, a senior at Drake University.

14

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

MARTIN CIZMAR ILLUSTRATION BY DAVID BABCOCK CONTRIBUTOR ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOANNA GORHAM

A

s far as I know, I am the current record holder for waiting the longest in line at Harp Barbecue.

On Father’s Day weekend, I figured I’d show up just a little before noon, as the first wave was walking away with their half-pounds of thick-cut, black-barked brisket. By about 2 pm, things were looking dicey. Three groups right in front of me gave up and left. I stuck it out and ended up with a chopped brisket sandwich made from the last bits of the trimmings. When someone waits in line for three hours for lunch, I’ve learned to be a little skeptical of their assessment–including my own. But that sandwich was truly sublime.

You can read more about Harp in our biennial best barbecue list on page 52, but I share this story to give you a little insight into the process. I’ve gotten to know Tyler Harp by covering him over the past two years, but when judgment day comes, my colleagues and I wait in line and pay for our food, just like anyone else.

When I started editing this magazine in early 2019, I knew barbecue coverage was something that we were going to take seriously. Far too often, I see lists that are published by people who clearly haven’t done the work of tracking new spots, revisiting old ones and chatting up the pitmasters. We do that every month, with a page dedicated to barbecue in our food section.

Every two years, we go a little crazy for a couple of months. I also work hard to keep on top of the national standards. Over the summer, I drove from Houston to Fort Worth over the summer, stopping by spots like Snow’s and Goldee’s. So I can tell you Harp’s Texas-style brisket isn’t just good for Kansas City; it’s better than Snow’s, the reigning champ of the Texas Monthly list.

This issue also features another project I’ve been meaning to tackle for a couple of years, and that’s an updated guide on where to see live jazz in Kansas City. Just like every issue has barbecue coverage from our ’Cue Card, every issue now has a jazz story on the Backbeat page of our events section.

This month, jazz writer Nina Cherry went big with a list I hope to see us update every couple of years.

Going big on our coverage of barbecue and jazz is, as I see it, one of those things we have to do if we want to fulfill the mission of this magazine, which is to celebrate the things that make this city special.

It’s my sincere hope that this issue will be Martin Cizmar useful to you this month and not win a spot EDITOR IN CHIEF on the nightstand in your guest room.

MARTIN@KANSASCITYMAG.COM

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COURTIER

S H O U T- O U T

NUMBERS FROM THIS ISSUE

01

Overland Park has one fewer police officer than it did five years ago.

PA GE 2 2

05

The hottest new jewelry trend is zapping, where a bracelet is fused onto the wearer. Bookings often sell out in just five minutes.

PA GE 3 8

04

Different spellings of ‘bär-bi-,kyü in our list of the best barbecue spots in town.

PA GE 50

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KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

B E T W E E N ’ H AW K A N D B U Z Z A R D

Our guide to fall fun included a few sports takes that drew considerable interest from readers. Browns fan/Editor Martin Cizmar’s prediction that the Browns would beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead GEHA sparked quite a few emails and tweets, while writer (and degreed Jayhawk) Hampton Stevens’ essay on the moral virtues of being bad at college football received responses from fans of KU’s football program, plus hearty guffaws from Mizzou fans. Below, we printed just one letter from a loyal Jayhawk football supporter who also attached many photos of happy fans in the stands at KU football games.

“What a terrible take on KU football. To write on a subject you’re not close to or familiar with is negligence and poor journalism. You open the article with the take that losing to Coastal Carolina is some sort of embarrassment. They are a top twenty-five team in the country. KU plays them this year and they’re currently ranked twenty-second.

KU has a rich football history and to ignore that and put out a smear article on the efforts being made to rebuild the program is a hack job. For the last decade they absolutely have been the worst power five program. Do you know why that is? Did you make the effort to really unravel the situation? Starting from Charlie Weis’ quick fix effort that left us unable to actually fill out a full roster? KU football, all things considered, has tremendous support. I’d love to see any support similar to that for a team that has gone through what we’ve gone through for

“

10 plus years. Do the Royals pack Kauffman Stadium when they’re at the bottom of the conference? No, but would you discredit the fan base for this? Or would you say that we actually have a great fanbase in Kansas City for baseball all things considered? Does Mizzou or K-State fill out their arenas for basketball teams that don’t even qualify for the NIT tournament? No. So do you then go and blast the entire fanbase?

Did you know that KU had a top recruiting class last year within the Big 12? Do you know that Leipold’s track record as a program builder has landed him the recognition as a top 50 coach of all time according to ESPN? What about the top ten current coach in the country recognition that was just released by CBS Sports?

Probably not because you didn’t put the work in to realize there is cause for excitement and reason for optimism.”

—Jordan Chapman

We sometimes grow weary of explaining the charms of Gates to skeptics, so we tapped James Beard Awardwinning food writer Jordan Michelman to do the honors this round. He done good.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Art Director Katie Henrichs waves cellophane behind model Courtney Halford, who can be seen in episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

CORRECTION

Our September issue incorrectly stated the year that Jason Sudekis graduated from Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, which was 1994.

CONTACT US

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P.O. Box 26823 Overland Park, KS 66225-6823 (913) 469-6700 EMAIL: editor@kansascitymag.com

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TRUE BLUE How to pass as a diehard Sporting KC fan this postseason

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMEY THERON KIRBY

BY E VA N M U S I L

KANSASCITYMAG.COM OCTOBER 2021

19

THE LOOP TRUE BLUE

makes for exciting games, but it can be stressful as a fan,” Smith says.

T

H E P L AYO F F S aren’t anything new to Sporting Kansas City—the club is poised for its ninth appearance in ten years.

This year’s club is tenacious, frequently winning from behind.

Sporting KC is one of the favorites to win the 2021 Major League Soccer Cup, but the club has changed since its 2013 victory. If you haven’t been paying attention, it’s not too late to slip in before the excitement builds.

Kansas City spoke with Chad Smith, an editor for the blog The Blue Testament, about what newcomers should know to blend in at the Blue Hell as we begin the run-up to the playoffs on November 19.

The key players Striker Alan Pulido is the club’s top weapon. The former Guadalajara starter is the most expensive transfer in the club’s history, and for good reason.

He’s a reliable player, and he recently landed a spot on Mexico’s national squad.

Forward Dániel Sallói continues to find the back of the net, leading the club in goals scored as of August.

Since old favorite Matt Besler left for Austin FC, forward Johnny Russell has taken the helm of team captain.

Goalkeeper Tim Melia is a mainstay for Sporting. “He’s good for one or two really exceptional saves a game,” Smith says.

Phenom Gianluca Busio is already gone

20

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

from the midfield. The nineteen-year-old homegrown star was transferred in August to Italian top-tier club Venezia FC. Sporting signed José Mauri as backup. Other young players, such as Cameron Duke and Felipe Hernandez, might step up as well. Smith says it’ll take a group effort to fill the hole left by Busio.

The coach In terms of team influence and presence, head coach Peter Vermes is Sporting’s Andy Reid. “No man has more of a stamp on a team in Major League Soccer than Peter Vermes,” Smith says. “He has everyone playing the same style.

He has so much control over the team, and he seems so intense and fierce on the sideline.”

Holding the top job since 2009, Vermes is the longest-tenured head coach in MLS. He’s won four trophies with the club and keeps Sporting KC consistently competing. “Kansas City should be grateful they have him on the team,” Smith says.

The style Since 2013, Sporting KC’s style of play has been overhauled. Gone are the days of running hard and “fouling like crazy,” Smith says. Instead, he describes their strategy as “pretty soccer,” in which they aim to keep possession of the ball to create defensive gaps in the opposing team. The team pushes forward instead of playing behind the band. “It

The rivals Sporting’s still on the hunt for the Supporter’s Shield, which is awarded to top MLS team at the end of the regular season. But to win it, they’ll have to edge out the Seattle Sounders, who they defeated on the road in July.

In the past, Sporting’s played intense, important matches against Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo. The club doesn’t have any geographic rivals, but that might change when St. Louis City SC enters the league in 2023. “Fans will be making trips to each other’s stadiums, so it should make for a fun matchup,” Smith says.

The stadium The best way to buy the hype is simply going to a match. The club’s supporter’s groups—the spirited Cauldron in the north stands and the family-friendly South Stand SC—lead the stadium in chants and sprawl out banners before matches called tifos. “The hardcore fans are just on another level,” Smith says. “Chanting for the entire ninety minutes of the game, and the drums and the swinging, it’s not something you see in other sports.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMEY THERON KIRBY

A postseason primer on a great Sporting KC squad

The league Unlike other leagues in the United States, MLS is not the top level of its sport in the world.

However, the quality of play is rising. Clubs are spending more on talented players. Every team now has its own youth academy, which means more great players being found at younger ages.

“Sporting KC had a down year in 2019, but I would still pick that team over the 2013 MLS cup team any day,” Smith says.

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TH E LO O P COP TA LK

NO BADGES Kansas City has the ‘ingredients’ for a police shortage, expert says.

BY L AU R E N F OX

police departments are struggling to retain and hire officers. Kansas City is no stranger to the struggle. Of almost two hundred police departments surveyed nationwide by the Police Executive Research Forum in May of 2021, there was a forty-five percent increase in the retirement rate, an eighteen percent increase in the resignation rate and a five percent decrease in the hiring rate. And according to the police chief of Kansas City, Missouri, numbers here are also on the decline.

A C R O S S T H E C O U N T R Y,

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KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

Chief Richard Smith wrote a blog post about his declining workforce and lack of new officers in May: “We have not had an Academy class since February 2020 due to funding, so we have continued to fall farther and farther behind on staffing. We are down one hundred and sixteen officers and do not have the budget to replace them.” Reduced staffing could lead to the reduction of community outreach programs and increased response times, Smith warned.

Brandon Davis, a professor at the University of Kansas who studies community contact with the justice system says, Kansas City has three factors that could create a shortage: increases in homicides, scrutiny and a decrease in funding.

“All these things have come together and it’s like a perfect storm,” Davis says. “You’re having police departments that are taxed with more murders and facing a lot of backlash from the protesters and also facing the wrath of city councils and states trying to be more progressive on policing, so they are cutting budgets.”

The budget The number of officers who retired from the KCMO police department was higher in 2020 than it was in any of the past five years, with sixty-two officers leaving. But it’s too soon to tell what that number means, since the department is under a hiring freeze.

The money may not return, even if the city’s financial situation improves. In May, the KCMO city council approved two new ordinances that reallocate over forty million dollars of the police department’s budget to a separate fund for crime prevention, a move that has led to lawsuits with the state, which controls the department.

The murder rate At the same time, the homicide rate in Kansas City is on the rise. In 2020, Kansas City saw a record of one hundred and eighty-two homicides. At the end of August 2021, there were already more than one hundred homicides in the city.

For this reason, Davis, who is Black, says Black communities tend to take a dimmer view of the “defund the police” than the far left.

“They didn’t want no police in their neighborhood because they knew they had a crime problem,” Davis says. “What they wanted was better policing.”

The scrutiny Davis says the response to the death of George Floyd has had an impact on street cops.

“You don’t see the same fervor about the homicide rate in Kansas City,” Davis says. “There are other people talking about how you’re up in arms—rightly so—when police kill innocent Black men or innocent women. However, we don’t have the same fervor about the murder rate in Chicago. And those are Black and Brown people being murdered, and their lives have to also matter.”

Davis says this can be a point of frustration for police officers, who, based on the public response, might believe that “lives only matter if we kill them.”

The ‘baby boom’ of cops The rate of serious crime exploded nationally in the 1980s, spurring the hiring of more police officers. Those officers are now nearing or eligible for retirement.

“There was almost like a baby boom of cops,” Davis says. “Now they’re all at the point where they can retire, and most of them I don’t believe would have retired if it wasn’t for the pandemic and all this other stuff.”

WATC H I N G T H E DETECTIVES

We requested public data documenting the number of police officers serving on the force of the area’s two largest departments, KCMO and Overland Park. The numbers have fluctuated more than you might expect each year since 2016.

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KCMO 2016: 1,296 2017: 1,279 2018: 1,276 2019: 1,296 2020: 1,286 August 2021: 1,221

OVERLAND PARK 2016: 252

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23

HOT/WATER Kansas City may be vulnerable to more extreme weather as the climate changes.

Trees and stormwater gardens could help.

BY E VA N M U S I L

S I T T I N G N E A R T H E E X A C T C E N T E R of the country, Kansas City seems isolated from the extreme weather plaguing the coasts during this time of climate change. There are no shrinking shorelines to worry about nor forest fires due to the area’s humidity.

That doesn’t mean Kansas City is immune.

“Although the extreme isn’t right here in our backyard, is it going to affect us in some other way?” asks Doug Kluck, the Central Region climate service director for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Often the case is yes.”

Some risks are simply side effects from greater outside calamities, such as smoke from the western United States and Canada drifting east and lowering the Midwest’s air quality. But Kansas City’s biggest concern could be from floods.

“The old adage ‘when it rains it pours’ is becoming more common,” Kluck says. “It’s getting worse from the frequency point. It’s happening more often.”

The 2018 National Climate Assessment estimates extreme rain events will be more recurrent in the Midwest and projects the amount of precipitation to surge by thirty percent at the end of the twenty-first century. In Missouri specifically, nearly sixty-two percent of the years between 1981 and 2019 saw above normal precipitation, according to data from the Missouri Climate Center.

As an urban center near the Missouri River, this rise in runoff could damage critical infrastructure in Kansas City such as bridges and buildings. It could also overwhelm the city’s combined sewer

24

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

system, which then could release sewage and pollution overflow into streams and rivers.

In March, KC Water committed to implementing new green infrastructure as a way to curb destructive runoff.

How its form of green infrastructure works seems simple: It guides stormwater into areas with soil and plants, allowing more water to soak into the ground naturally.

One visible benefit is the greenery it grows.

“If you put a pipe in the ground, people don’t see it,” says Srini Vallabhaneni, the smart sewer officer at KC Water. “If we try to keep the flow management near the surface, we can create some natural environments.”

But specific spots have specific needs, Vallabhaneni says. Because of Daniel Morgan Boone Park’s combined sewer pipes and significant overflow to Town Fork Creek, KC Water is thinking of separating stormwater into a separate pipe that will collect water from about two hundred nearby acres. It’s a large project in the conceptualization stage, Vallabhaneni says, and green infrastructure needs to be consistently maintained to properly work.

KC Water’s green infrastructure also mainly focuses on reducing water pollution and improving quality, not flooding. “[For flood management], you need to have a lot of area to turn into green—an area that’s very challenging, almost impossible to do,” Vallabhaneni says.

Green infrastructure is one smaller solution to a wider problem, he says.

More extreme heat is also likely in the cards. The area is expected to have a four-degree-increase in average temperature. It’ll feel even hotter in the city, where materials like concrete and brick absorb heat in what’s called the heat island effect. Add the thick humidity on top and it can be fairly dangerous to be outside.

Low-income areas are often hit hardest, where inefficient air conditioning leads to a higher percentage of income spent on energy. But energy use shoots up everywhere when it’s hot and humid. “Everyone has everything cranked up, and that of course contributes to the problem as long as we’re burning fossil fuels,” Kluck says.

“It’s a vicious cycle.”

Kansas City is currently updating its Climate Protection Plan, first implemented in 2008, to tighten its focus and shift toward resilience. “Nothing’s going to change, and we expect certain things to happen, so let’s now start planning for that,” says Andy Savastino, the city’s chief environmental officer.

The new plan will also address specific needs for highrisk neighborhoods, taking in feedback gathered by the city’s climate justice workers, Savastino says. An August study by UMKC and the Office of Environmental Quality aims to map the neighborhoods most vulnerable to the heat island effect. The resulting data will guide solutions in the plan, he says.

The updated Climate Protection and Resilience Plan is still in the early planning stages, but Savastino thinks planting more trees is one easy remedy. Trees bring shade in extreme heat and can fight the heat island effect. “I know leaves are a pain in the butt in the fall, but it’s a small price to pay for all the benefits you get during the rest of the year,” he says.

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KANSASCITYMAG.COM OCTOBER 2021

25

COURTESY PHOTO

WHERE YOU WANT TO BE IN OCTOBER

October

01

GO: Oktoberfest is October 1-2 at Crown Center. General admission tickets are $10, VIP is $55. Small mugs are $3. All attendees will be required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test.

LET THE GUTEN ZEITEN ROLL

Tradition and authenticity.

For KC Bier Co., these are the central components of their annual Oktoberfest, which, after a brief hiatus last year, is back with all the schnickschnack that we’ve come to expect.

For a native-born Bavarian, many American Oktoberfests may seem a far cry from the traditional revelry that they’re accustomed to— there are no pee troughs, giant wreaths hung from the rafters or rival beer tents. But KC Bier Co. aims to produce a fest that would make any German transplant feel right at home.

It starts with the beer. Everything at the fest is made only with imported malt and hops and brewed using traditional recipes and techniques. It’s paired with bratwursts, pretzels and schnitzel. You’ll see locals in lederhosen and dirndls.

And just in case the drinking isn’t enough, there are of course games and music, too—look for a hammer-strike (hammerschlagen) and stein-hoisting contest (masskrugstemmen).

There’s a long set of bands like Polka on Steroids and the Bavarski band playing traditional, high-energy German music. “They will have you standing on the tables,” says organizer Cathy Holle. “Just like a true Bavarian Oktoberfest.” — E T H A N E VA N S

KANSASCITYMAG.COM OCTOBER 2021

27

T H E B E AT C A L EN DA R

October W H AT YO U WA N T TO D O T H I S M O N T H

Saturday, October 2.

7 pm. Cable Dahmer Arena,19100 E. Valley View Parkway, Independence. $50–$175. kcmavericks.com.

Royals vs. Twins October 3

Deanna Rose Farmstead October 1-31

Deanna Rose Farmstead in south Overland Park has its own annual Pumpkin Hollow event. There’s a lot of hay to be had: a horse-drawn hayride, a hay pyramid and a hay slide. There’s also a spider web maze, lawn games and pumpkins for sale. Friday, October 1–Sunday, October 31. 10 am–3 pm weekdays, 10 am–4 pm weekends. 13800 Switzer Road, Overland Park.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s Ghost Light: A Haunted Night of Songs and Stories from KC’s Cultural Crossroads October 2 After selling out during its debut season last fall, Ghost Light will be back this year with ten outdoor shows on the South Lawn of the Nelson-Atkins. The hybrid concert and ghost-story performances are quickly becoming a Kansas City

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KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

annual tradition. This year, Ghost Light will feature Latinx rock ‘n’ rollers Enrique Chi and Juan-Carlos Chaurand of Making Movies. Plus, KCRep is partnering with Lifted Spirits Distillery to offer signature cocktails for the event. Thursday, September 30-Sunday, October 17. 7pm. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., KCMO. $30. kcrep.org.

Blackhawks vs. Blues at Cable Dahmer October 2 It’s been forty-five years since KC lost its NHL franchise, which moved to Denver and then to New Jersey, where it became the Devils. But we get a little taste at the home of the Mavericks minor league club, as bitter rivals from Chicago and St. Louis face off in an exhibition game on intimate ice in Independence.

Pitbull and Iggy Azalea October 6 For elder millennial clubgoers, this show on the I Feel Good tour is sure to be a therapeutic night. It’s been about a decade since the Miami and Australian pop-rappers were at their peak, but both seem eager to get back on the road.

Wednesday, October 6.

Starlight Theatre, 4600 Starlight Road, KCMO. $40–$150.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY RESPECTIVE VENUES

1

It’s been a season of disappointment for both the Royals and the Twins, who expected to be contending for the division title in this series and instead look extremely likely to play game one hundred and sixty-two for pride. But if you’ve never been to a season-ender, you should. It tends to have a great atmosphere, as the most loyal of fans gather to celebrate the team and the sport before the winter break.

Sunday, October 3.

2:10 pm. Kauffman Stadium.

as a lot of leather and studs).

Tuesday, October 19. 7:30 pm.

Cable Dahmer Arena, 19100 E., Valley View Parkway, Independence. $39–$294. cabledahmerarena.com.

Matt Braunger October 21-23

Renaissance Festival Now-October 17 Doth thee liketh turkey forks and elab’rate costumes? Well, thou art in luck. The Renaissance festival in the springs of Bonn’r hast a few Octob’r weekends with jousts, dirt cakes, coney dogs the length of the king’s foot, and daily maypole dances and parades.

Weekends through Saturday, October 17, plus Monday, October 11. kcrenfest.com.

Legends of Hip Hop

his UGK running mate, the sweetest of Joneses. But did it? Game never die, and this tour takes you straight back to that drank-fueled and all-toobrief micro golden era of Gulf Coast hip-hop. If even half the references above made sense to you, don’t miss the chance to see Mystikal, Juvenile, Scarface and Bun B on one bill, on this tour finally rescheduled from its early pandemic cancelation. One day you’re here, baby, and the next day you’re gone. Legends of Hip Hop. Friday, October 15, 8 pm.

Municipal Auditorium, 301 W. 13th St., KCMO.

Judas Priest

October 15

October 19

There was a time when Bun B had Bobby by the pound, Whitney by the key and DJ Screw by the gallon. It all ended with the passing of

After postponing their fiftieth anniversary tour due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Judas Priest is back, sporting most of their definitive lineup (as well

5

The actor/comedian will be bringing his situational and, at times, self-deprecating humor to the stage at the Comedy Club of KC. Braunger’s comedic legacy stretches all the way back to his days on Mad TV and, more recently, his Netflix special Big Dumb Animal, where he gives everyone a glimpse of what it’s like to be six-foot-four with an anger problem. As a standup, Braunger likes to draw from his own life, so prepare for tales of hilariously bad decisions and strange experiences.

Thursday, October 21–Saturday, October 23. Various times. The Comedy Club of Kansas City, 1130 W. 103rd St., KCMO. $18–$33. thecomedyclubkc.com.

The Music of John Williams, Kansas City Symphony at The Kauffman Center October 22-24 Looking for a classy date-night excursion? The Kansas City Symphony will be playing the

Ben Folds with the Kansas City Symphony October 5 & 6

The standout rock pianoman of his generation will perform both alone and with the Kansas City Symphony on the In Actual Person Live For Real Tour, one of the first large-capacity events at the Kauffman Center since the pandemic began.

Folds has long been a great live act. Tuesday, October 5, and Wednesday, October 6, 7 pm.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway Blvd., KCMO. $70–$160.

film scores of John Williams, one of the greatest film composers of all time. Williams is responsible for some of the most popular film scores in cinematic history.

He wrote music for Jaws, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, to name a few. Kansas City Symphony will honor the American icon in what promises to be a captivating performance. Friday, October 22–Sunday, October 24. Various times. The Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., KCMO. $40–$88. kcsymphony.org.

Walk The Moon October 25 Cincinnati-based indie band Walk The Moon brings their upbeat tunes to the Truman for their Dream Plane tour. Fans of the alternative group’s ever-socatchy hit single “Shut Up and Dance” can look forward to more of the same with new single “Can You Handle My Love??”, which stays true to the band’s signature energy-filled sound with yet another dance-inducing hit.

Monday, October 25. 8 pm.

The Truman, 601 E. Truman Road, KCMO. $38–$70. thetrumankc.com.

Shawnee Town 1929’s Historical Hauntings October 26 Johnson County’s historic village, Shawnee Town, hosts a one-night Halloween party that has many of the same attractions you’ll find at commercial pumpkin patches, but for just one dollar per activity.

Saturday, October 26. From 6 pm to 8:30 pm you can trick or treat, take a hayride or enter the costume contests. 11501 W. 57th St., Shawnee.

KANSASCITYMAG.COM OCTOBER 2021

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T H E B E AT WA L L A R T

GHOSTED The stories behind four Kansas City ghost signs

BY L AU R E N F OX

1

Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company Corner of N. Sixth Street and Sandusky Avenue in KCK

“Why not Takhoma Biscuit?” asks a ghost sign in Kansas City, Kansas.

Why not, indeed. At only five cents a package, it’s a great deal. Large advertisements for the former Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company are painted on the north and south sides of a building in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood now occupied by OG Cutz Barber Shop and Tarahumaras Mexican Restaurant.

Matt Tomasic, owner of the building, says that when he purchased it about

30

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

twenty years ago, he removed the faux stone facade that had covered the building since the late 1940s. Underneath, he discovered faint outlines of advertisements. Tomasic’s brother, an anthropologist, found images of buildings in Chicago and New York with the exact same advertisements. Tomasic hired a local artist to repaint the ghost sign.

“I love history,” he says. “It’s how it looked a hundred and twenty years ago.

It’s supposed to be there.”

According to records from the Kansas City Public Library, Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company was formed in 1902 by John Wiles and John and Jacob Loose, namesakes of Loose Park. The company changed its name to the Sunshine Biscuit Company in 1947. It was later acquired by the Keebler Company.

2

Westhaven Hotel Broadway between W. 75th Street and W. 74th Terrace in KCMO

History has almost faded off the side of a building in Waldo. But in the right light, you can make out the remnants of a sign for Westhaven Hotel, which

once occupied the second floor of the building that now houses Waldo Pizza.

The Westhaven Hotel opened in 1926, according to local writer LaDene Morton.

Morton, author of The Waldo Story: The Home of Friendly Merchants, said the hotel had both permanent and shortterm guests during its existence. It also served as a regular community gathering space. Morton found newspaper notices advertising meetings at the Westhaven Hotel for a local elementary school PTA, a Republican club and a citizens’ group petitioning for the extension of the bus line to 75th and Wornall.

At the end of its run, Westhaven Hotel functioned as long-term, single-occupancy housing. Jim Birt, the former owner of the building, said the space had about two dozen bedrooms and a common space for the residents. The basement was rumored to have been a speakeasy. The Westhaven closed its doors in 1991.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

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T H E B E AT WA L L A R T

turquoise foreground on the left is the skyline of Kansas City, with the dark blue skyline of Mexico City behind it. Similarly, the foreground on the right shows the dark blue skyline of Buenos Aires with the turquoise skyline of Asunción behind it. In the middle, Frida Khalo is surrounded by the respective national flowers of Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay and Mexico.

4 3

Linden Pharmacy Corner of Westport Road and Bell Street in KCMO

The past meets the present in Midtown. Café Corazón, a coffee shop on Westport Road, kept the ghost sign for Linden Pharmacy on the side of their building while adding a mural that celebrates Latin American culture.

The history of Linden Pharmacy is unknown—some ghost signs remain mysterious. Dan Weindling has owned the building since 1978. When he purchased it, it was a bike shop.

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KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

Miel Castagna-Herrera, co-owner of the cafe, said they wanted to add something that would speak to their business: “The idea wasn’t to cover it, but to show new history.”

The ghost sign is white, a stark contrast to the bright colors that represent Latin American culture below it. According to the cafe’s website, artists Rodrigo Alvarez and Isaac Tapia sought to paint a portrait representing the strength of people from different Latin American countries who have found a home in Kansas City. In the new mural, the

Abernathy Furniture Co. Corner of W. Ninth Street and Wyoming Street in KCMO

Kansas City’s West Bottoms is a hot spot for ghost signs. On W. Ninth Street are signs for a company so old it was established while Kansas was still a territory. According to records from the Kansas City Public Library, Abernathy Furniture Company was founded in Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1856 and moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1878. Throughout its existence, the company amassed eight buildings that totaled more than 300,000 square feet. Abernathy Furniture Company came to an end in 1950, when it was acquired by another furniture company. The Kansas Museum of History in Topeka has a few pieces of furniture from Abernathy Furniture Company, including an oak sofa bed, maple crib and office chair. Today, “Abernathy” is the name for a new apartment building in the West Bottoms.

KANSASCITYMAG.COM OCTOBER 2021

33

LIVING THE DREAM While visiting KC on tour, pianist Jackie Myers had an epiphany: “All I wanted to do was play jazz in Kansas City.”

BY N I N A C H E R R Y

I N 2 0 1 6 , Jackie Myers found herself in Kansas City for a night, touring as a pianist with a pop band based out of Nashville. “The music was cool,” Myers says, “but it wasn’t jazz.

I wasn’t fulfilled. I was tired of playing the same thing night after night.”

Myers stepped into the Green Lady Lounge to listen to some jazz before her gig. Danny Embrey’s trio was on the bill for the night. “When I walked in and heard them, I just thought, ‘What am I doing with my life?’” Myers says.

Over the course of the next several months, Myers emailed the Green Lady incessantly. “We don’t have a spot right now, but try back in six months,” they’d say. Myers would write it down on her calendar and do just that, over and over again.

Finally, Myers got an email from club owner John Scott: Can you play this weekend?

Myers dropped everything, cleared her plans for the weekend and made the drive from Austin, her home at the time, to Kansas City.

Scott was thoroughly impressed by Myers’ performance.

He wanted her to record a live jazz album at the Green Lady.

She went back to Austin and wrote an entire album of original music in four months. When she came back to the Green Lady to record, it went well again.

The next day, Scott called Myers and asked to meet for coffee. “Have you ever thought about moving to Kansas City?” he asked.

“All I wanted to do was play jazz in Kansas City,” Myers says, “and I was so tired of being on the road.”

In late 2017, Myers, a multi-talented jazz pianist, vocalist and composer, put down roots in Kansas City for a residency at the Green Lady Lounge and, most importantly, to pursue her true passion: jazz.

Now, four years later, Myers is a part of the Johnson County Community College Jazz Series lineup this month, playing straight-ahead jazz to honor the Kansas City tradition. Now in its thirty-third year, the series features the best jazz musicians of the city, with a long line of legends in its history. In December, Myers will make her debut at The Folly Theater.

This performance will feature the skilled composer’s original music in The Folly’s listening room.

While the repertoire varies between these two performances, both share the same all-star quartet with Ben Tervort on bass, Marty Morrison on drums and Trent Austin, the newest member of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, on trumpet. Myers’ soulful voice, witty lyrics and deft piano playing, especially with this tight combo, are not to be missed.

In addition to these two big performances, Jackie Myers has a full plate of exciting projects. Currently, she is writing a musical, finishing up her master’s degree at the UMKC Conservatory, getting back to gigging consistently (you can catch her regularly at Corvino Supper Club, The Foundation and American Slang Brasserie), film-scoring for her production company, Silent Films Out Loud, which revives silent Buster Keaton films, and building a home studio.

GO: Jackie Myers Quartet, Yardley Hall in the Midwest Trust Center at JCCC, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park. Tuesday, October 26. 7 pm. Free.

Jackie Myers Quartet, The Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St., KCMO. Tuesday, December 7. 7 pm. $22. Seating limited to forty-five.

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KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY JACKIE MYERS QUARTET

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SHAC ATTACK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAMANTHA LEVI, MODEL COURTNEY HALFORD

Does the word “shacket” ring any bells? The shirt-jacket combo has been gaining popularity, and the trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Shackets (or “surf shirts” to some) are prized for their versatility. This season, we’ll see the hybrids in a new range of styles and fabrics. Classic plaid and checkered variations will be cold-weather hits. But we’ll also see the shacket in linen, faux leather, quilted cloth and fringed suede. The French Terry Shacket from Frankie and Jules Boutique (frankieandjules. com) takes a unique and relaxed approach to the trend. This $58 piece is an ultra-soft pop of color that pairs well with an athleisure look or denim.

KANSASCITYMAG.COM OCTOBER 2021

37

S WAY J E W EL RY

FRIENDS FOREVER. FOREVER. The latest jewelry trend?

Bracelets you can’t take off.

a long way since summer camp.

Today’s trend is “zapping,” or getting jewelry permanently welded around your wrists, ankles and necks. (The term zapping comes from the spark that happens when two ends of the jewelry chain are fused together.)

Some are also comparing the trend to tattoos and piercings—a visual, permanent statement, but less painful.

KC-raised Denverite Jordan Louis was so drawn to the idea of permanent jewelry welding—which has been around on the coasts for a few years now—that she found herself clicks away from booking a flight to New York City to get zapped over a year ago.

“I was like, ‘Okay, that’s a very long, expensive trip for a bracelet,’” she says.

F R I E N D S H I P B R AC E L E T S H AV E C O M E

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KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

Louis says that she knew she was on the front end of the trend, so she started her own company, Link x Lou. Link x Lou (@linkxlou.kc) started in Denver as the coronavirus pandemic was on the downturn and people started to feel comfortable gathering at friends’ houses. Louis began hosting what she likes to call private “linking” parties. “The concept of ‘link’ went beyond the bracelet,” she says. “We’re linking people back together.”

Business is heating up: Link x Lou has since expanded to fourteen cities, including right here in Louis’ hometown of KC. Louis says that “typically, our signups fill up within anywhere from five minutes to a half hour” and that the company can post up at events from bachelorette parties to business meetings to baby showers. Link x Lou has even hosted several Welding and Whiskey Nights.

According to Louis, there are several reasons why one might want to get linked: to contribute to sustainability efforts, to have a meaningful symbol with friends or family, or just to wear jewelry without the hassle of putting it on every day—if you’ve ever tried to clasp a bracelet on your own wrist, you know the struggle.

If someone wants to get Linked by Lou, they can either sign up for a pop-up event (typically at local shops, boutique gyms and salons) or host a private party. From there, they pick what chain they want, and the trained “linker” will custom fit the chains and weld the ends together, which creates the distinguishable spark that will likely end up on an Instagram story.

Right now, the jewelry options for Link x Lou are four different styles of fourteen-karat gold chain, two of which are available in either yellow or white gold, but Louis says she’ll have options rotating seasonally. Bracelets range from $75 to $135, anklets are $175, and necklaces start at $175 and go up by the inch.

“It’s not only getting a piece of jewelry,” Louis says. “It’s getting an experience. People who get linked have the thought, ‘This is getting made for me. I got to be a part of this.’”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CALEB CONDIT AND REBECCA NORDEN

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S WAY I N T ERV I E W

everything starts. I did this blind contour drawing of Mona Lisa and started sewing fabric drawings of it onto shirts and tote bags, and they were really selling.

KC

Tell us about your product line. After the Mona Lisa products, I started making cartoon cow and sunny-side egg rings dipped in resin. Then I started making the knotties. I came up with the idea from those pregnancy body pillows. The knotties are tube pillows you can knot FAVO R I T E S or unknot. I like to wear mine like a comforter Shopping Fuel There’s [around my shoulders].

never a morning I wake up where I’m not thinking about Billie’s Grocery treats. I crave the middle piece of their banana bread, always. Also, Crows Coffee does a great matcha green tea latte.

Corntemporary Designs brings levity to the art world.

BY N ATA L I E TO R R E S G A L L AG H E R

Erin McAnany has been living in a cartoon world.

Under her year-old brand Corntemporary Designs (@corntemporarydesigns), McAnany offers a slew of products loosely inspired by 90s Nickelodeon classics (Rugrats, SpongeBob) and Bill Amend’s FoxTrot comics. The influFOR THE LAST YEAR,

40

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

ences come out in chunky resin rings and noodle-y pillows she calls “knotties.” “It’s bringing a little bit of the cartoon world into the boring grown-up world,” McAnany says.

Ahead of her gallery show on Saturday, Oct. 23, we talked with McAnany about how she got started and where you can find some of her favorite Kansas City shops and makers.

How did you start Corntemporary Designs? It started out of my apartment, which is where

What’s your inspiration? My dad was a full-time artist, and he passed away almost six years ago. Neither my brother nor I had seen art as a career, but something clicked when the pandemic hit. We’ve since both left our jobs and have a gallery and studio space together in the Westside. We don’t know if the energy went from our dad to us, but we’re trying to ride the wave.

My style is definitely different from my dad’s, though. I don’t know what hit me over quarantine, but I could not stop designing cow prints. We’re in Cowtown, and people forget cows literally made this town, so it’s a little hometown pride. I want to bring Cowtown back in a cute way.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAMANTHA LEVI

SEW CUTE

What materials do you use and where do you find them? For the knotties, I find all my materials at Scenter of Attention Scraps or thrift stores. It My mom, Nancy McAnany, has owned Perfect Scents started like that because since she was pregnant with me.

I didn’t want to buy new She does custom fragrances and fabric—I was interested in has every brand of perfume you can think of, plus designer dupes. I love vintage fabric, and that’s so adding Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue expensive. So instead, I’d to the Revitalizing Hydrator. find sheets and comforters Trail Time I really love with great prints or colors. the trails in Roanoke All my rings and ceramics Park—those were are made with Sculpey clay. important for my mental health during quarantine. If I’m having That was the first clay I ever a rough day, I’m taking a hot girl used when I was five years walk. I also picked up roller skating during quarantine, and I do that on old. At the start of the panthe Riverfront Trail. demic, I picked up Sculpey clay again. To make rings, I shape and bake the clay in my oven. After that, I resin-dip the rings, which is an insanely messy and frustrating process, but it makes them sturdier.

Hermann is Wine Country ...and so much more!

Enjoy the scenery and arrive by Amtrak at the Visitor Center Savor tasty German food and sip local brews Check out the antiques and boutiques Stroll the downtown district to find historic murals and statues Explore craft distilleries to find a new favorite Missouri spirit Bike or hike the Katy Trail along the Missouri River Tour museums about 19th century life and architecture Taste and tour at Missouri’s most historic wineries

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Historic District • Wineries • Distilleries • Microbreweries • Museums • Hiking & Biking Antiques & Boutiques • Weddings & Events • Amtrak • 140+ Lodging Options KANSASCITYMAG.COM OCTOBER 2021

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CALM COLLAB Artist Kelly Porter and her good friend Lisa Schmitz worked hand in hand to remake a gutted Spanish revival into an oasis.

BY DAW N YA B A R T S C H P H OTO G R A P H Y BY C H R I S M U L L I N S

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H E N A R T I S T Kelly Porter walked into the completely gutted first floor of her future home, she wasn’t overwhelmed. She saw a blank canvas.

“Everything was stripped,” Porter says of the 1969 Spanish revival home in Prairie Village. “Really, there was just a roof and then the existing footprint of the main house left.”

But a “big project” is what she was looking for, says Porter, whose desire to create a family oasis for herself and two daughters has been the driving force behind the design decisions in this seventhousand-square-foot home.

Porter, who is having a solo art exhibition, “Atomic Flowers and Parabolic Meaning,” at the Blue Gallery in the Crossroads now through November 1, was set on making this house a place to work and live.

The property’s location next to Franklin Park and its large lot, also completely devoid of embellishments, gave her the room and freedom to add an artist’s studio with views of the park and access to her own gardens.

“The yard looked like a football field,” says Porter, a Texas native who moved to Missouri after high school to attend the Kansas City Art Institute.

“There was nothing.”

The property’s blank slate both inside and out allowed Porter to create almost exactly what she wanted: not only a safe and comfortable port to call home but a place to explore her creative side and also to just have fun with friends and family.

Architect Bill Poole of Poolehaus Residential Design reconfigured the house, making it livable and removing many of the original “grandiose” ele-

ments of the house, including a circular staircase.

“I was looking for a clean, minimal aesthetic,” Porter says. “Simple, ninety-degree angles, not curves.”

A “calm” space to create and showcase art.

Like a true art collector, Porter has filled her home with an eclectic mix of folk art, traditional art and more modern art, including several of her own pieces. Many of the folk art pieces come from The International Art Market in Santa Fe, a New Mexico nonprofit that Porter’s father has been involved in for years. The market brings in folk artists from across the globe to showcase their wares.

Others Porter has collected over time and found while traveling.

Despite Porter having an impressive design pedigree, growing up in an art-loving family, holding a master’s degree in fine art and co-owning an international handmade wallpaper company, she considers herself “three-dimensionally challenged.”

“I’m much better at creating two-dimensional pieces,” she says with a slight smile. It’s with this self-knowledge that she enlisted the help of good friend and interior designer Lisa Schmitz.

Schmitz, who, with Porter, is part of a support group of female entrepreneurs who manage both careers and families and call themselves the Bizee Mamas, was instrumental. “Her direction in three-dimensionality was so helpful.”

Several areas in the home that Porter considers pivotal in creating a peaceful, calm feel while still being infused with vibrant colors are Schmitz’s doing.

“Every textile, every pattern, every color I see and that exists here in my home is like my permanent canvas and backdrop for anything I create,” Porter says, noting that Schmitz understood this need. “So I keep everything neutral and grounded in creamy whites here, along with a few charcoal grey and ‘elephant-grey’ browns.”

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1 TH E STU DIO The addition of the studio and garage on the western side of the house is exactly what Porter needed. Designed by architect Bill Poole, it is connected to the main house by a breezeway, making it feel simultaneously easily accessible and like a retreat.

“He took great effort in asking all of the right questions about how my studio would function and how I would work in the space,” Porter says of Poole. “I believe he really nailed it, as it has

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everything I need, including storage and natural light in all of the right places.”

On the western side of the studio, the wall holds a large window with views of the park while the side facing the patio has a spacious garage-like glass door.

When it’s open, the space seamlessly melds with the outdoors. “It’s important to me to be connected to the outdoors while creating,” says Porter, whose work centers on the natural world. “It also lets people wander in and look around when I’m having a party.”

2

2 TH E DINING R OOM Off the foyer, one of the first rooms to grab your attention is the dining room. It’s wallpapered in a custom design from Porter Teleo, the wallpaper company Porter co-founded with interior designer Bridgett Cochran. The design is exploding with vibrant organic forms—“created to evoke the feeling of being immersed inside of a large painting.” The pattern itself never repeats, meant to be

a mural-like expression of flowers.

Schmitz’s suggestion to use a round dining table adds to the room’s intimate feel.

“With Porter it was a real collaboration,” says Schmitz.

“She is very creative and has a wonderful eye.”

The mid-century chandelier from West Elm is in contrast to a chinoiserie hutch in the corner and other strategically placed antiques.

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3 THE PATIO Made for outdoor fun, the patio space feels like an interior courtyard, elevated above the yard and buffeted by an artfully planted row of trees. It’s enveloped on three sides by the kitchen, art studio and living room. The space was designed by another of Porter’s cohorts, landscape architect Julia Montroy of

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DTLS Designs in St. Louis. Porter and

Montroy attended art school together.

“We traded a landscape plan for a large painting.”

With the help of Montroy’s plan and landscape company HappyYards KC, Porter has added a meditation garden, flower beds and other outdoor areas to her expansive yard.

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4 THE POWDER ROOM

Wrapped from floor to ceiling in a rich dark green with veins of glimmering gold running through, this bathroom feels more like a fantasy world than a place to powder your nose. The Porter Teleo wallcovering is called Kintsugi after the Japanese process of repairing cherished objects such as heirloom pottery with metal. Mimicking parts of the design almost exactly, the gold sconces flanking the mirror are from Corrigan Studio. This room is one of Porter’s favorites. “I love it because it is glitzy and earthy at the same time,” she says.

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5 TH E KITC H EN After seeing the perfect tiles for her future kitchen in a picture of a London home, Porter had to have them.

It took her a while, but eventually her persistence paid off and she tracked down the manufacturer.

The elongated hexagon tile is made of basalt limestone and is a dark earthy grey, serving as a neutral backdrop behind the stove and floating shelves.

Opposite the stove, a large wall of windows, parts of which are able to be thrown open to the patio, lets the outdoors in.

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EDITED BY Martin Cizmar WORDS BY Ardie Davis, Natalie Torres Gallagher, Mary Henn, Jordan Michelman

20 21 The Top 10

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NO. 1 HARP BARBECUE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Shawn Brackbill

best

B B Q HOW WE MADE THIS LIST

We hit the pits. We’ve been pretty much everywhere. We hit every new barbecue spot that’s opened since the release of our last list. We revisited our top ten from 2019 and made a point to check back with places on the bubble.

We hit the pits again. Anything that’s on our top ten was visited by someone on our team at least twice in the past six months to ensure consistency.

We pay our own way and don’t announce ourselves. Advertisers were not favored.

We judge each place on its own merits. We tend to ask the person at the counter what’s good and get that. We ate a lot of ribs and brisket.

We don’t like it when the meat’s being hidden by the sauce—but we sure do love sauce. This round, we gravitated toward spots that offer a few unexpected twists.

We don’t get hung up on the decor. We embrace both the romance of a gritty greasehouse and the comforts of nice cocktails and linen napkins.

Harp Barbecue NUM

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Harp Barbecue Crane Brewing Co. 6515 Railroad St., Raytown. instagram.com/ harpbarbecue.

Open Friday night and Saturday for lunch.

T STARTED WITH BRISKET.

Well, brisket fat, actually.

Tyler Harp was puzzling over what to do with all the drippings left over from Harp Barbecue, his twice-weekly barbecue pop-up in the back room of a Raytown brewery. What pairs well with beef fat? Harp’s mind went to chocolate chips.

Harp Barbecue’s tallow cookies are dark and squat—nothing you’d find on a Pinterest board—but there is a generous dusting of flake salt on top of each one. I tasted all kinds of things: smoke, gooey chocolate, brown sugar, an undeniable meatiness. I was overcome by a primordial urge to devour what is delicious, closely followed by an instinct to hoard this delicacy for times of scarcity.

If Harp can do that with the drippings, just imagine the brisket itself.

Two years after we anointed it tops in town, Harp is still the best barbecue experience in Kansas City. In the last two years, the city has seen a raft of newcomers who have matched where Harp was two years ago. But Harp keeps setting the pace, getting a little better every time we visit.

Harp is still cooking in a woodfired pit parked in the gravel lot out back of Crane Brewing. He’s still got Texas-style brisket—the crown jewel of his menu—ribs that shine like blue ribbon winners, and the cult-favorite blueberry-cheddar sausage. But he’s also making—well, cookies. And jerk chicken. And tater tot casserole.

Much of what is on Harp’s menu now is driven by the effects of the pandemic, namely, the record price

surge for beef and pork. To give customers a less expensive option, Harp turned to chicken and found inspiration when he attended Chicago’s Windy City Smokeout this summer.

“One of the guys there has a spot called Green Street Smoked Meats, and he had a jerk chicken, and the one he made was the best bite I’ve had all year,” Harp says. “It made me want to give that experience to people, something different than the brisket-ribs-sausage plate.”

Harp’s jerk rub is a blend of the usual suspects (clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, anise seed, allspice) plus fresh thyme for brightness and ground long pepper. The birds are seasoned just before they are placed on the smoker. When they’re ready, Harp spreads the parts atop fluffy jasmine rice and finishes the plate with a citrusy jerk sauce that boasts a playful nip of habanero. One of Harp’s key strengths is balancing bold flavors, and his jerk chicken shows off this skill. Another strength— this one less technical, more elusive— is his ability to broaden the scope of a pitmaster.

“You can learn a lot from different foods that are not traditional to Kansas City or American barbecue,” Harp says. “It’s a byproduct of traveling and being around people who care about food. It’s made us better and more open-minded about how we can blend other cuisines with what we’re trying to achieve.”

That includes tater tot casserole, his take on the Midwest classic.

Harp offers it as a seasonal side and folds his sausage into the mix. Like everything else, it sells out fast.

The excellence of Harp’s basics is undisputed: the brisket, the ribs, the sausages. These are things that many do well and that Harp usually does better. But his brilliance shines brightest in the menu items you aren’t expecting, the ones you aren’t getting in line for. Sides that you’ll end up fighting over. Ambrosial chicken rubbed with an island of spices, cooked with such a focused patience that no drop of precious moisture dares escape the bird.

Chocolate chip cookies that are at once as familiar as a kitchen-counter ceramic jar and as astonishing as it feels to fall in love for the first time.

– Natalie Torres Gallagher

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Sausage Party Four favorite sausages Guajillo Beef Sausage at Fox & Pearl The signature sausage Fox & Pearl chef Vaughn Good makes for his Sunday-only barbecue menu, branded as Night Goat, turns the fat content down just enough to let the bright berryand-smoke flavor of guajillo peppers sing.

Blueberry-Cheddar Sausage at Harp Less of a sausage and more of a bite-sized charcuterie board, this beloved creation explodes with sweet, ripe blueberries, sharp white cheddar, fresh herbs and-of course-gloriously beefy juices.

S

TEPPING INTO CHEF J BBQ in

the West Bottoms is like turning up at your buddy’s house for dinner. Half the customers are sporting Chiefs gear. It’s likely that Zac Brown Band will be playing as Justin Easterwood ushers you in like an old friend whose name he’s temporarily misplaced.

This is no small feat given this particular pit is located in the concession stand of a seasonal haunted house. Wood paneling lines the walls, and iron chandeliers hang where Easterwood cooks. Stained-glass cutouts fill the counters where meat is sliced. It’s low-key, charming and very Kansas City—blending the nostalgia of Sunday cookouts and watching your uncle fix up his Camaro in the garage with the eerie overtones of a 19th-century factory building.

That eccentric down-home vibe is just the crackling of the whole operation.

Near-perfect barbecued meat is at its core. Easterwood makes everything from scratch, from an escabeche of jalepenos and carrots to a yellow-gold Carolinastyle mustard sauce. The house-made sauce is served in tiny containers to keep meat from being drowned by well-intentioned, overzealous patrons. It’s all prepped with care.

“Meat trimming and sausage prep can easily take a whole day,” Easterwood says.

“Barbecue is all about timing, so I make sure to give myself leeway. The meat tells you when it’s done, not the time.”

Everything Easterwood makes is exceptional. The bacon burnt ends are melt-in-your-mouth meat candy. The jalapeno-cheddar sausage is exceptionally rich. The rib crust makes for a full sensory experience—I got teary-eyed on the first bite. Don’t snooze on the turkey either; it’s as moist as the brisket.

As for sides, instead of standard cheesy corn, Easterwood makes smoked elotes, sauced and spiced with a wedge of lime pressed into the center. It’s a hybrid of traditional Mexican street corn and cheesy corn bake—the ideal companion for brisket tacos and pulled pork nachos.

Speaking of tacos: Chef J will be serving them all this month until midnight. His location is a haunted house snackbar, after all, and with that comes the responsibility of feeding young, meat-thirsty crowds piling out of The Beast. It’s not a glory gig for an elite pitmaster. But someone has to do it, and Easterwood has arranged for the exit of the attraction to drop you off at the order counter—because he’s a good friend like that. —Mary Henn

Chipotle Ghost Pepper Jack Sausage at Scott’s Kitchen Do you enjoy pain? Does danger turn you on? Do you see a warning label and think it’s a dare?

Haul yourself to Scott’s Kitchen up by the airport and brace yourself for the hotter-than-hell abuse that is their chipotle ghost pepper jack sausage. Milk is not on the menu, so bring your own.

Chipotle Jack Sausage at Jousting Pigs If you’d like a little heat without losing sensation in your tongue, the chipotle pepper jack sausage at Jousting Pigs is a safe bet, with creamy cheese balancing the slow-burning spice.

Chef J BBQ 1401 W. 13th St., Suite G, KCMO. 816.805.8283.

Open 11:30 am-4 pm Friday-Saturday and noon-4 pm Sunday. @chefjbbq. chefjbbq.com.

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WRONG! Stop lyin’ on Kansas City barbecue.

Kansas City invented sweet barbecue. Uh, no. The sauce Henry Perry made at the first commercial establishment in the city was “harsh” with spice and pepper. His disciple, Charlie Bryant, also made extremely spicy sauce. The number of KC establishments that “slather” their meat in “thick, sweet” sauce is tiny.

KC barbecue is a “style.” It’s really more of a philosophy. Many establishments that have been serving “traditional” Kansas City barbecue for decades do things differently. There is no signature cut or sauce. It’s a vibe.

Kansas City is Kansas. Or Missouri.

Kansas City is Kansas City. It transcends the concept of borders.

When someone obsesses over a particular establishment’s placement relative to the border, they’ve missed the point entirely.

Gates and Arthur Bryant’s are the two oldest barbecue spots in the city.

Rosedale Bar-B-Q is older, unless you get weird with the definitions.

Go to Arthur Bryants early if you want burnt ends! Arthur Bryant’s invented the burnt end— the crispy, fatty edge of the brisket point—originally offered as a complimentary amuse bouche to waiting customers.

Burnt ends are by definition in limited supply, so they meet demand by making a totally different thing and calling it “burnt ends.” Real AB burnt ends are available on the 3B sandwich.

Jones Bar-B-Q 6706 Kaw Drive, KCK 913.788.5005 Open 11 am-3 pm Tuesday-Saturday.

A

RE YOU READY for Jones Bar-B-Q… chips?

Yes, they’re what they sound like—potato chips flavored with TV-famous sauce that’s bright and peppery, balanced with a little molasses.

“It’s something we’ve been working on for a minute,” says Deborah “Little” Jones, who runs the restaurant with her sister Mary “Shorty” Jones.

“I sit at home and think about stuff that might interest people. Sometimes it does and sometimes it don’t.”

Deborah Jones’ ideas tend to be a little different. Like a coconut pineapple sauce that’s outbuzzing the original, which was made famous by the sisters’ appearance on Queer Eye. Or the vending machine out front, which dispenses items like rib tips wrapped in cellophane—it’s been a hit with the neighborhood around Jones’ humble cinder block building, which is outfitted with picnic tables and a weathered locker smoker.

“With Amazon and the railroad, there’s lots of late-shift people, and this was for them,” Deborah says.

“We weren’t even thinking about Covid, but it worked out.”

At Kansas City magazine, we’re longtime admirers of the Jones sisters and their no-frills barbecue, the best of a rustic local tradition that

they learned from their father, Leavy B. Jones Sr. My most recent visit to Jones was my best ever—two bones splashed with the house sauce were sticky and smoky in all the right ways, with a contrast in textures and depth of flavor it’s hard to get from polished processes. And the Wednesday wings (page 61) were even better.

Years have passed since their memorable appearance on Queer Eye, but it continues to open doors and bring in new customers from out of town. And it makes things like barbecue chips possible. “We try to keep our stuff in Kansas City, but there was no one here that did chips like that,” Deborah says. “So I emailed a guy out of state and he wrote me back in half a second, ‘Are you the Jones sisters that were on Queer Eye?’” They still take care of the old customers, too. Like Mr. Jones (no relation), who has been eating their food since their dad had a place on 10th Street, where he told people, “taste it—if you like it, buy it, and if you don’t, that’s fine.”

“Mr. Jones is older, and he doesn’t wait in the line,” Deborah says. “He’ll wave, ‘Excuse me, excuse me—I just want two sausages with extra pickles.

I’m a forty-year customer. They know who I am. Can I get my sausages?’”

—Martin Cizmar

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T

HE NEXT GREAT KC ’CUE CHAIN? Jousting Pigs looks to

be making a play.

Just two years after opening at 3Halves Brewing Co. in Liberty, owners John Atwell and Rod Blackburn are taking over the former Arthur Bryant’s near the Sporting stadium in KCK. “It kind of fell into our lap and seemed like too good of a deal to pass up,” Atwell says.

Growing into a small chain while keeping your product consistently excellent is a huge challenge. Many good men have failed at this endeavor. “We’ve been able to attract and train some really good talent,” Atwell says. “We need to be able to trust our pitmaster. We’ve got people who do it how it needs to be done and get it done right every time. That’s where you need to be. Look at a place like Franklin’s in Austin. Aaron Franklin isn’t out there cooking every brisket he does, but he’s trained up people who can do what he wants them to do.”

The mention of Franklin isn’t a tossaway. Jousting Pigs started as a competition team influenced by a memorable trip to Texas, where Atwell ate at Franklin’s, Snow’s and a few other operations famous for serving sauceless brisket, which is crusted with salt and pepper and sliced into thick, fatty slabs. Atwell staged with Tyler Harp, a high school classmate of his wife. “I was blown away by his food, like pretty much everybody else in Kansas

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City that’s had it.”

A recent visit shows Jousting Pigs has planted itself firmly among the city’s elite.

They keep long hours and yet consistently turn out perfect ribs, some of the best beans in town and my personal favorite cheesy corn bake in KC, green chili cheesy corn with a nice pop of heat.

And then there’s the brisket. Jousting Pigs is the rare place in town where you can get perfect thick-sliced brisket on, say, a Wednesday. It’s the product of a hybrid process, which starts low and slow overnight before being finished faster after the pitmaster shows up at 4 am. “It comes off when it’s done—it’s not a time or temperature thing,” Atwell says.

The new location, the former Arthur Bryant’s, came outfitted with the same Old Hickory smokers that the original location uses—they’ve been cleaned and serviced for a second round. The larger new kitchen will allow for more catering gigs and let the company bottle their Korean and spicy sauces for retail sale.

Those sauces are both great. They’re served on the side and, despite the brisket being Texas-style, some customers do still ladle them on.

“As long as you don’t put ranch on it, I don’t really care,” Atwell says. “And, sadly, that has happened. This is the Midwest. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that some people really like ranch.”

—Martin Cizmar

Slicing vs.

Sawing “Hey, Mr. Big Time Chef, that’s a knife, not a saw,” KC Baron of Barbecue Paul Kirk remarked to the late Anthony Bourdain, as Bourdain sliced some barbecue brisket for the opening snippet of a culinary travel show in Kansas City. Bourdain responded to Kirk with a good-natured “no holds barred” chuckle at his knife skills relapse.

Judging from the many online videos of barbecuers slicing meat, plus watching pitmasters at barbecue cooking contests and in restaurants when the electric meat slicer isn’t in use, there’s a lot of meat sawing going on in Kansas City.

That begs the question: “What’s the best knife for slicing barbecue brisket?” Ambrosi Brothers Cutlery Co. on Main Street is a landmark destination for chefs and home cooks in need of new cutlery or cutlery maintenance, so I put the question to Ambrosi sales representatives Steve Lutes. Without hesitation Lutes replied, “A fourteen-inch slicer.”

Lutes also noted that a sharp knife is essential. More than eight-hundred local restaurants, plus hundreds of home cooks, get their knives sharpened at Ambrosi Brothers.

I also put the question to chef Richard McPeake, instructor at Kansas City Kansas Community College, the Culinary Center of Kansas City and other venues.

McPeake has instructed culinary professionals and home cooks in Kansas City for decades. He is also a veteran of Kansas City’s competition barbecue circuit, competing in past years with select students as the “RibStars” team.

He teaches sold-out Adult Knife Skills classes at the Culinary Arts Center and KCK Community College, with an emphasis on proper knife safety, speed and efficiency. “When slicing brisket for service, it is best to have a fourteen-inch meat slicer so that you slice through the brisket with two strokes,” he says. “‘Sawing’ leads to tearing the meat and uneven slices. A great meat carver gets his slices in one stroke, two at the most if it is a large piece of meat.”

—Ardie Davis

Jousting Pigs 110 E. Kansas St., Liberty.

Open 11 am-8 pm Tuesday-Thursday, 11 am-9 pm FridaySaturday and 11 am-4 pm Sunday. joustingpigsbbq.com.

Q39 NUM

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5

Q

39 PITMASTER ROB MAGEE does everything

a little bit differently. The chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America, the Harvard of culinary schools, before breaking onto the competition circuit en route to opening his own spot. Magee knows a lot about the science of food, enough to ignore certain truisms and bits of folk wisdom.

“When you did the competitions, it was all about that [science], but you were only serving six judges,” he says. “I've got this cuisine I really fell in love with. I took everything I learned in the field and figured out how to do that in a restaurant.”

And Q39 is a restaurant—a barbecue restaurant, but a restaurant.

It’s a place you get an appetizer, two drinks, maybe dessert. And, brisket.

Low and slow is out here. Q39

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makes a brisket in six hours, with the meat wrapped in foil to keep it moist.

And they do that a couple times a day to make sure there’s fresh meat for lunch and dinner.

“I was told a million reasons why you can’t serve fresh barbecue,” Magee says. “I figured, if I’m going to have brisket going out to my customers, it has to be fresh out of the smoker and sliced to order.”

I’ve been to the Midtown Q39 twice in just the past month, and I’ve had two excellent experiences.

The first time, I popped in by myself for wings and a smoked Old Fashioned with Four Roses and smoked honey. On the second visit, I brought out-of-town guests who eat all over the country. They had the wings and smoked Old Fashioneds—and ribs and brisket and the chipotle sausage, which is hand-cranked to have a

satisfyingly gritty texture.

My friends, who’d both been to other notable barbecue bastions both in KC and abroad, were impressed by the same thing that always gets me here: the way Q39 can feel both down-to-earth and a little posh.

We also got the wings again—a dish that exemplifies why Q39 remains toward the top of this list. At Q39, they start with meaty jumbo-size wings that are marinated for a full day, then fried, then char-grilled, then smoked. It’s a complicated process, but it makes for a meal that stands out even in a town lousy with great wings.

“What really makes the wings work is the marination,” Magee says. “It keeps it really moist. The wings are cooked, like, three different ways, which makes it super delicious.”

—Martin Cizmar

WING-A-LING Char Bar Like the name says, Char Bar in Westport is a bar where the food is (lightly) charred. Three whole wings are brined in coffee and smoked, then sopped with a spicy sauce and served next to a large dipping cup of buttermilk-chive dressing.

Wednesday Wings at Jones At Jones Bar-B-Q in KCK, wings are a Wednesday special.

Jones smokes their wings whole until the skin starts to bubble a bit, then splashes them with the house’s excellent sauce and plates three whole wings on a slice of white bread. They’re both simple and perfect.

Q39 Q39 calls its wings “the best in the world,” and there’s certainly a case to be made for that claim.

Six flats or drummies come on a rectangular platter with a nice coating of smoky chipotle barbecue sauce.

Q39 Locations on 39th Street in Midtown and College and Antioch in Overland Park.

Open 11 am-9 pm Sunday-Thursday and 11 am-10 pm Friday-Saturday. q39kc.com.

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T’S TOUGH TO SEE the forest for the trees, they say, or to tell the wheat from the chaff. Visitors to Kansas City are all but required by municipal ordinance to sample the twisting, turning foodway known as KC barbecue, a hodgepodge of influences and migrations from across the South and Midwest, as labyrinthine and complex as American history itself. Many come with a half dozen or more restaurants on their must-see list, eating little else. This is, of course, a rookie mistake: food in Kansas City does not start nor end with BBQ. I am lucky enough to spend time in your city around once a year, which means my target list stays freshly updated with new wine bars, breweries, contemporary fine dining, food halls, coffee shops, and more—much more—in one of the country’s most exciting food and beverage cities.

But this is the barbecue issue,

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and there is really only one barbecue place that my soul demands to be reunited with every time I touch down at MCI, and that’s Gates.

I love everything about Gates: the dimly lit and comfortable dining room, so as to commit the sin of enthusiasm away from the bright lights of judgment; the late hours, suggesting a stop at Gates after having visited several other imbibing establishments in the course of a revelrous evening; the cognac bar at the Emanuel Cleaver Boulevard location, perhaps as classy and convivial of a drinking destination I’ve ever had the pleasure to know; and, of course, the service, from the greeting upon stepping foot inside (“HI MAY I HELP YOU?”) to the nodding hook-up from the carving line, slicing brisket and burnt ends to order. On my most recent visit, I ate there twice—in a single evening.

Yes, the food is very good. Gates is easily among the best barbecue

restaurants in your city, and the Gates family’s history is a significant part of why this cuisine is synonymous with KCMO. But it is the vibe at Gates that is peerless, unmatched, sine qua non. It transcends the food itself and becomes something more, something important and meaningful, calling me and so many others to return across the decades, happy and hungry and welcomed.

There are many excellent barbecue establishments in Kansas City. And then there is Gates.

—Jordan Michelman

GATES Six locations, but we favor the one at 1325 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd., KCMO. Open 11 am–midnight daily. gatesbbq.com.

PHOTO BY JEREMEY THERON KIRBY

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Sauceagram The Heart (Beefy) Types The Sauceagram is a very serious and totally foolproof way of matching Kansas Citians to their preferred barbecue sauce. It’s much like an Enneagram test, but with sauce. You may think you prefer a different sauce than your result suggests. You are wrong.

This published project is the result of many minutes of psychological research and many gallons of sauce consumption.

—Mary Henn, M.A., MFA

1 2

I prefer to A. Make a decision and go for it.

B. Do as much research as possible.

I want to be known as A. Independent and unique.

B. Hardworking and reliable.

3

It’s most important to A. Take care of my relationships.

B. Get the job done.

The Side-Dish Bringer Jones Bar-B-Q Sweet & Tangy Sauce You work to be helpful. You keep things light and a little peppery and work from scratch, according to the old family ways.

The Showboat Arthur Bryant’s Original Barbecue Sauce Rich and tart, you work hard to be well known and keep a reputation.

The I-Do-It-My-Way-er L.C.’s Famous Kansas City BBQ Sauce You’re sweet, but you do things the only way that makes sense, which happens to be your own way.

The Head (Turkey) Types The Cookbook Reader Jack Stack Barbecue Sauce You’ve studied the rules and you follow them so well you might as well have written them yourself.

You’re a great blend of sweet and sharp.

The Sauce Splasher Joe’s Kansas City Original BBQ Sauce You’re an enthusiastic adventurer and thrill seeker who gets attention.

The Body (Porky) Types The Entertainer If you answered…

AAA - The Sauce Splasher ABB - The Showboat ABA - Six-Pack Bringer AAB - The I-Do-It-My-Way-er BAA- The Entertainer BAB - The Thermometer Watcher BBB - The Cookbook Reader BBA - The Side-Dish Bringer

Gates Bar-B-Q Sauce Strong, powerful and independent, you like to show off a little, and people enjoy it.

The Six-Pack Bringer Slap’s BBQ Kansas City Slap Sauce You like to go with the flow—light, sweet and casual. You make sure no one has an empty glass.

The Thermometer Watcher Q39 Sauce You know the rules and do things by the book.

You’re sassy and savory but always professional.

El Pollo Guasave NUM

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PHOTOS BY JEREMEY THERON KIRBY

GIMME THE BIRD Honestly, I’m not much for brisket.

I know when it’s done well, and I know how to appreciate it, just as I can recognize the inherent superiority and grace of, say, Olympic shot-putters. But give me a juicy, well-spiced bird, its skin flame-reddened and speckled with black char —give me El Pollo Guasave—and I become a barbecue evangelist.

When it comes to ’cue, beef and pork get all the glory. While everyone was looking the other way, Kansas City has been slowly fanning the flames of its barbecue poultry game. When I say, “I love barbecue chicken,” I am not talking about the Costco thighs you threw on the gas grill, slathered with Kraft sauce and forgot about until the bottom of your third beer. I am referring to the birds that receive significantly more attention: The whole cherry woodfired chicken at Poio (807 S. 17th St., KCK), for instance, which is brined for a full day in a garlic-chili-vinegar mix and tastes like waking up from a wonderful, vivid daydream. At Buck Tui (page 68), birds are blessed in a Thai marinade of citrus, fish sauce, lemongrass and coriander before they are smoked low and slow over hickory, oak and cherry wood, then served on a bed of jasmine rice.

You can smell the chicken at El Pollo Rey (901 Kansas Ave., KCK) from several blocks away. Here, dozens of plump birds are moved down a long wood-fired grill while the woman at the counter calls out orders for whole chickens, half chickens and wings. The chicken king likes to pair this smoky bird with pickled red onions, tortillas and a zippy pink salsa.

—Natalie Torres Gallagher

El Pollo Guasave 1600 Central Ave., KCK. 913.621.1515.

Open 10:30 am–8 pm Thursday–Sunday.

BER

W

ITH IMPERFECT SPANISH, I tried

to tell the woman behind the window at El Pollo Guasave that I had questions for the owner of the little chicken shack on Central Avenue in KCK. She waved over the man operating the grill. He was wearing a white apron, and when I told him, “Tu pollo es el mejor de toda Kansas City,” his easy smile grew. He was very glad I liked it, he responded graciously in Spanish— before hailing his bilingual daughter to continue the conversation.

Felix has been operating El Pollo Guasave for sixteen years. He is originally from Guasave, the Sinaloan town where the iconic Mexican chicken chains El Pollo Loco and El Pollo Feliz were both born in 1975.

There are only two options on the menu at El Pollo Guasave: Pollo entero (whole chicken) or medio pollo (half chicken). Both come with sides of rice and beans, plus corn tortillas and salsa. The Sinaloan signature style is all over the flavors in these birds, which first take a luxuriant bath in a vibrant orange-garlic marinade before getting butterflied and layered on a fiery grill.

In a text message, Jessica, Felix’s daughter, kindly declined my request for an interview, adding that her father is “old-fashioned.” Over numerous

visits, we have ascertained the following: The chicken at El Pollo Guasave is never frozen (there’s no room for a freezer). The grill operates on an assembly-line model, with the birds migrating across it to be cooked at different temperatures during its hour-ish of cook time.

We have surmised that this method creates a depth of flavor that most other places, where the grill temp is consistent, can’t attain.

The result is a charred, citrusy chicken whose juicy flesh is practically leaping from the bone directly into your mouth.

Kansas City barbecue is built on borrowed techniques and traditions: It is a mashup of all the best things from other regions. And so we aren’t interested in the semantic argument about whether grilled chicken is technically “barbecue” or not. The racks of ribs at Charlie Vergos in Memphis spend similar time on a similar grill, and no one has ever questioned its barbecue bonafides. In the Kansas City spirit of embracing outside influences, we are deeming Sinaloan-style charbroiled chicken to be barbecue— and damn good barbecue, when it’s done right. Before complaining, please stuff a medio in your mouth.

—Natalie Torres Gallagher

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

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BER

8

Sandwiches Corned Beef at Danny Edwards BLVD Even in the barbecue business, where recipes are measured by hours instead of minutes, scratch-made corned beef is an overly involved process, starting with extra-careful trimming and continuing with two weeks of daily maintenance. At Danny Edwards, where the titular pitmaster has retired, owner Joel Bremer serves it once a week, on Wednesdays. Kraut is not available. “I look at Reuben sandwiches more as a deli thing, and this ain’t a deli, so we don’t go with all that,” Bremer says.

Jackfruit Carnitas Sandwich at Poio You’ll never find anything that looks more like alien offspring than jackfruit. You’ll never find anything more surprising than the looks on our faces when we tried this vegan alternative to carnitas (loaded with a tangy slaw, black beans and salsa verde) and liked it.

Joe’s Rocket Pig at Joe’s KC In 2018, Joe’s KC introduced this sweet-spicy masterpiece: perfectly sauced pulled pork, crispy bacon, gooey pepper jack cheese and deep-fried golden jalapeno coins, sandwiched in a Kaiser bun. Let the Royals keep the Z-Man—we’ll take the undeniably superior Rocket Pig any day of the week.

Smokin’ Russ at Jack Stack A burnt end sandwich, but make it spicy. The Smokin’ Russ comes with chopped burnt ends so you don’t have to worry about them falling out of your sandwich and gets layered with a spicy sauce and jalapenos. Your taste buds will thank you for the extra kick.

3B at Arthur Bryant’s Arthur Bryant’s invented the burnt end, but if you order “burnt ends” here, you’ll end up with something the current owner will freely admit is “totally incorrect” since scarcity is inherent.

Instead, those tiny models of extra-toasty brisket point find their way onto this excellent sandwich, named for the landmark restaurant’s freeway exit.

Turkey Club at the Woodyard The Woodyard in KCK has long had a loyal following—witness the sign out front that advertises the restaurant being featured on Nigella Lawson’s long-gone BBC show. We’ve always liked their turkey, which is put to good use in this twist on a traditional club.

Jack Stack Barbecue Five locations, but we favor the one at 4747 Wyandotte Ave., KCMO. Open 11 am-9 pm Monday-Thursday, 11 am-10 pm Friday-Saturday and 11 am-8:30 pm on Sunday.

877.419.7427. jackstackbbq.com

J

ACK STACK HAS BEEN one of the

most recognizable names in Kansas City barbecue for decades.

Since Russ Fiorella opened the first storefront in 1957, the brand has expanded to include five locations in Missouri and Kansas (a sixth is coming soon to Johnson County).

What it does well today are the same things it has always done well, the things it must do well: brisket, steak, ribs. They begin the same way today that they did over sixty years ago, with a live fire in a brick pit over hickory logs built as the sun is cresting over the horizon.

For a long time, I disliked the idea of Jack Stack. When I arrived in Kansas City in 2013, I saw the stylish chain and the salad section and decided whatever made it popular had probably sizzled out. But on a busy Friday evening last month, as I leaned back into a booth at the Country Club Plaza and considered the full rack of lamb ribs in front of me, I realized I had played into the tired trope of

snobbish food critic. And the joke was on me.

Those lamb ribs start with ample dry rub—a combination of onion, garlic, cayenne and brown sugar—before they are transferred to the grill, where a half-hour in the heat renders them a tender, smoky bronze. On the plate, the rack gets a zigzag of shiny glaze and two sides before it is sent to silence the hunger of the carnivore who ordered it.

Earlier this year, I sent my family in Texas a care package consisting mostly of Kansas City barbecue sauce and rubs.

They’re big barbecue people, of course. (If you’re not serving barbecue at a Texas wedding, does the marriage still count?)

Included in the package was a bottle of Jack Stack Barbecue Kansas City Hot Sauce.

A few days after opening the mail, my Uncle Mingo texted me: “We just had wings and I have to tell you, this sauce is the best I’ve ever tasted, way better than any we have had before. We’re ordering more.” I think I’ll send them Jack Stack’s lamb ribs, too.

—Natalie Torres Gallagher

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Buck Tui BBQ NUM

BER

9

T

Buck Tui Currently at the Overland Park Farmers Market, soon at 7200 W. 121st St., Overland Park.

EDDY LIBERDA IS HALF THAI,

half German and all KC. Liberda and his family have been “all over the city, man,” running restaurants since Liberda’s mother opened her first in 1991.

Times and tastes have changed, which you can see from the menu at Waldo Thai Place, the restaurant Teddy owns with his wife, Pam. A health problem sidelined Teddy shortly after the restaurant opened, and his wife, a native of the northern Thai city of Lampang, redid the menu to her own tastes.

“My wife took over as the chef and started doing the straight-up native food,” he says.

“We only do it one way, and we bring the heat.

It was hard in the beginning, and now she’s killing it.”

The couple is, Teddy admits, a little competitive. And so now that he’s back from the mend, he’s got his own new project, currently operating at the Overland Park Farmers Market but soon to take over a space at 119th and Metcalf.

Buck Tui serves barbecue the way Teddy grew up eating it. That’s with papaya salad and jasmine rice. The cheesy corn is enriched with a little coconut milk.

“I’m from Kansas City, so we’ve always barbecued,” Teddy says. “I’m half German, half Thai, so we’re always barbecuing. And those flavors really come together.”

The first time I had a Thai-American

barbecue mashup was at a food festival in Portland. The best local pitmaster in town had collaborated with a successful Thai restaurateur to create a one-off dish they called “smoked brisket jungle curry.” It was the talk of the festival—I have a vague, booze-sodden memory of overhearing noted Thai food chefs Andy Ricker and David Thompson discussing it at an afterparty. It birthed a very successful restaurant, Eem. The secret, as Buck Tui shows, is that bright, hot, fruity, complex Thai flavors pair extremely well with smoky, earthy American barbecued meats.

“In Thailand, they’ll marinade or salt cure or brine pretty much all the meat—they don’t have big offset smokers like we do,” Teddy says. “You have that fish sauce, palm sugar, anchovy, lemongrass, coriander. We have all that, and then we cook it Kansas City-style, low and slow, open pit.”

And then you dip it in tiger cry sauce?

Ooh-wee.

The challenges of serving a consistent product when you’re cooking a creative new menu just once a week in the summer heat are real, but Teddy says, “We like a challenge.”

That challenge will be done soon, and you can expect Buck Tui to soar even higher from here. “Mainly, I’m trying to get some of the barbecue people to try Thai food, man,” Teddy says. “As a chef, it’s something my whole team is enjoying.” —Martin Cizmar

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Big T’s Bar BQ NUM

BER

10

S

OME OF THE BEST LITTLE BARBECUE spots

are the product of one person’s passion. Such is the case at Big T’s on Blue Parkway, where things are at their best when Timothy Jones is personally manning the old wood-fired pits.

Jones, no relation to the sisters of KCK, got into barbecue through his father, Oscar, who placed second in the earliest years of the American Royal. They cooked for everyone in the neighborhood back in those days.

Jones, who is pushing retirement age, is an excellent barbecue cook.

His sliced brisket with a splash of bright-orange sauce and a heap of pickles on white bread is the best of his style of barbecue I’ve ever encountered. The fries, when at their peak, are fat and hot, fried dark brown. Forget the ketchup; sop them in sauce. I’ve been to Big T’s more times than I can count since discovering it before our last barbecue issue (the drive-thru was especially

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welcome at peak pandemic), and things do vary a little more these days—though the floor is still relatively high.

“Kansas City has a reputation for barbecue, and people are taking advantage of that out here,” Jones says. “I think if people really knew what they were getting with Kansas City barbecue, they’d eliminate a lot of the other places.” —Martin Cizmar

Big T’s Bar BQ 9409 Blue Ridge Blvd., KCMO. Open 11 am-10 pm Monday-Friday and 11 am-11 pm Saturday and Sunday. www.bigtsbarbq.letseat.at

Why KC cue has an Oklahoma Accent In the 1985 book All About Bar-B-Q, Kansas City Style, Shifra Stein and Rich Davis devoted two pages to Texas-born cartoonist Charles Barsotti, a beloved Kansas Citian. His fajita recipe appears with a memorable cartoon called “How Kansas Citians Can Get Really Good Bar-B-Que.” A cowboy stands next to a smoker as an armadillo passes by offering this advice: “Take I-35 south to Lockhart, Texas.”

In that cartoon, as so many others, the journey passes through Oklahoma without a nod.

But there’s a lot more Native American and Oklahoma influence on Kansas City’s barbecue than most people realize. It’s a heritage tangled with smoke, blood, tears, violence, broken treaties, land grabs, enslavement, forced migrations, voluntary migrations, greed and cultural blending. A book on such could echo the title of Darnella Davis’ fascinating story of mixed ancestry: Untangling a Red, White & Black Heritage.

Although fire, smoke and meat are essential to the barbecue method of cooking, seasonings give barbecue its signature flavor. Henry Perry’s original 1908 hot vinegar-based sauce bore no resemblance to the sweet tomato-based sauces you see some places today.

Charlie Bryant’s sauce was like Mr. Perry’s, as was his brother Arthur’s A major shift in Kansas City barbecue sauce from vinegar to tomato base blossomed during the post-War boom in suburban backyard barbecue and the proliferation of new barbecue restaurants. When competition barbecue heated up in the late 1970s into the 1980s, and Dr. Rich Davis introduced his KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce, the switch to sweet gained momentum.

Imagine Donny Teel of Sperry, Oklahoma’s Buffalo’s Barbecue engaging Barsotti’s cowboy in conversation.

Donnie would say: “Picture a big barbecue sandwich. The bottom slice of the bread or bun represents Texas; the top slice, Kansas City. All the good stuff is in the middle.”

—Ardie Davis

Also of Note ARTHUR BRYANT’S

This Jazz District “greasehouse” is one of the city’s oldest and, if you’re there on the right day, one of the best. We like the 3B sandwich or beef on bread with lots of pickles and the President’s Choice sauce.

(The president is Truman, of course.)

PHOTOS BY JEREMEY THERON KIRBY

AUNT MILDRED’S #10

The story of Aunt Mildred’s #10 goes back to 1944, to a little town called Portland, Arkansas.

There, McArthur Williams had a restaurant called Mac’s Barbecue.

His daughter Mildred brought it to Rockford, Illinois, where she had a restaurant called The Rib Cage. Third-generation pitmaster Earstin Sanders came to KC, where he sells bottled sauces and cue at a truck on Truman Road in Independence.

CHAR BAR

One of the city’s all-time great patios, Char Bar in Westport draws a hip crowd for lawn games, ribs and excellent people-watching. The sandwiches are the play here—the best value and easiest to eat while tossing bocce balls.

DANNY EDWARDS BLVD BBQ

This Southwest Boulevard spot’s namesake retired three years ago, with longtime pitmaster Joel Bremer taking over.

Wednesday corned beef is our favorite, but we’ll happily take any brisket-based sandwich.

FOX & FIRE

One of the best new pits in the area, Fox & Fire closed to move to a new spot in the far Northland as we went to press. You can see what they’re up to on page 102.

JOE’S KANSAS CITY

Also widely known by its original name, Oklahoma Joe’s, this landmark on the border of Johnson and Wyandotte counties is the first impression many have of KC barbecue.

And, for a lot of people passing through, the only impression. That’s fine, of course: Joe’s makes a mean sandwich, some of the best fries you’ll eat and really nice ribs, too.

PLOWBOYS

Is Plowboys the youngest of the old guard or the oldest of the new guard?

It’s a good question to ask yourself about this pit run by competition circuit big dog Todd Johns as you wipe sauce off your face.

Pulled pork nachos are the way to go here.

PORKY’S BLAZIN BBQ

Porky’s sits on the far edge of Jackson County and came in at number ten on our previous list.

It’s out of the way from everywhere and only open weekends, but you can order anything with confidence.

NIGHT GOAT

“Night Goat” is the branding for Westside restaurant Fox & Pearl’s Sunday barbecue brunch menu. Chef Vaughn Good is a talented cook. If

you’ve got the juice for a $10 link of pork sausage or a $6 side of pickles, you could do much worse.

Avoid the $3 housemade slices of white bread on the side that, on our visit, were inexplicably toasted and buttered when served as an accompaniment to brisket.

SCOTT’S KITCHEN

Scott Umscheid’s restaurant near the airport has appeared on past editions of our top ten list—and for good reason, given the excellence of his thick-cut, bark-heavy brisket and uber-moist turkey.

SLAP’S

Slap’s in KCK enjoys a loyal following. We love their cheesy corn.

Shot on Film: We wanted to honor the pitmasters who cook on live-fires. They get up before dawn to light their smokers. So we went a little out of the way ourselves, with photographer Shawn Brackbill shooting most of this package on Kodak portra 400, processed at Process One in Overland Park.

THE WOODYARD

Come for the wood, leave with a sandwich.

This charming patio eatery initially opened to serve food to customers buying logs from the aisles out back for their own smokers. The cheddar-jalapeno muffins, served warm, are a favorite.

ZARDA

This classic KC spot smokes on Ozark hickory and seemingly always has a great special running.

BY NINA CHERRY PHOTOGRAPHY BY CALEB CONDIT

AND REBECCA NORDEN

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WH ER E TO SE E LIV E JA ZZ

IN KC R IG H T N OW

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LONNIE'S RENO CLUB

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O R T H E PA ST

THE MUTUAL MUSICIANS FOUNDATION

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century, Kansas City has been home to one of the country’s most vibrant jazz scenes. Much like barbecue and speakeasies, jazz is deeply ingrained in the city’s identity.

Kansas City jazz, a distinct style heavily rooted in the blues tradition, as well as ragtime, contributed greatly to the development and prosperity of old “Kaycee” during the Jazz Age. It was during Kansas City’s Jazz Age when Charlie Parker cut his teeth improvising, Count Basie swang, Mary Lou Williams crafted killer big band arrangements and Lester Young developed his cool, melodic solos.

Kansas City has historically been home to innovators.

But Kansas City’s jazz scene is not a museum piece. Check out the comprehensive calendar of local jazz at livejazzkc.com, and you’ll see that this town still swings every night of the week, from divey spots serving beer in red plastic cups to swanky spots where you’ll feel underdressed without a fresh shoe shine. Here’s where to immerse yourself in Kansas City’s rich musical heritage right now.

LONNIE’S RENO CLUB 1111 Grand Blvd., KCMO

While Lonnie’s Reno Club may be the city’s newest jazz club, owner and beloved jazz musician Lonnie McFadden is no stranger to the scene. McFadden has been playing since the seventies, continuing the legacy of his father, Jimmy “Pops” McFadden, who was also a sensational performer on the scene nearly a century ago.

Head down the steps of the historic Ambassador Hotel and you will enter a quaint, elegantly decorated speakeasy, with McFadden and his bandstand before a backdrop of red velvet curtains. Much of the music embodies the distinct, local style from the prewar years, but it also ventures beyond that in fusion-style tunes. The photos that line the walls pay tribute to Kansas City musicians from the swing era, including Count Basie, Mary Lou Williams, Charlie Parker, and even “Pops” McFadden and his tap dancing group.

While McFadden is a stellar trumpet player, vocalist and tap dancer, he is also a storyteller. Throughout his performance, you can expect to learn about the rich history of the Kansas City jazz scene in an intimate listening room.

Reservations are a must. This is not the place to just stop in and grab a drink; there is no bar seating. It’s expected that you’ll stick around for the night to enjoy the three-course prix fixe meal ($85), which includes one drink. But if you aren’t in the mood for a lavish three-course meal, you can pay the $25 cover, which includes one drink. Lonnie’s offers a list of Prohibition-era cocktails, but the champagne cocktail is their house drink and is a great way to kick off the night.

If you’re looking to be transplanted back to Kansas City’s Prohibition era, put on your best evening attire and head to Lonnie’s Reno Club for an immersive experience.

WHEN TO GO:

Lonnie and his band play on Friday and Saturday nights from 7-10 pm.

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THE MUTUAL MUSICIANS FOUNDATION 1823 Highland Ave., KCMO

If you’re planning to make a pilgrimage to the century-old Foundation, plan to nap first. The music starts at one in the morning and goes on until four or five.

The cover is ten bucks, cash only. As for drinks? They are served in a plastic cup, and domestic beers are plentiful.

The decor is utilitarian, but the photos that line the walls tell the story of The Mutual Musicians Foundation, or "The Foundation," as it is more commonly called. This is a mecca of jazz history, and you can hear it in the sounds of the current players, who carry the city’s jazz heritage forward while leaving their own mark.

The Foundation was formerly the Local No. 627, the African-American musicians union in Kansas City. What was founded as a union in 1917 quickly became a community center of sorts, where musicians hung out and jammed after gigs. It was a space to create cutting-edge music away from the dance hall crowds who demanded the hits.

WHEN TO GO:

Anytime from 1-5 am on Friday and Saturday evenings (technically Saturday and Sunday morning).

The house band rotates, but the jam session is always hot.

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THE BLUE ROOM 1600 E. 18th St., KCMO

Also located in the 18th and Vine District, The Blue Room—managed by the American Jazz Museum—is a quaint room featuring jazz memorabilia and excellent room acoustics.

Drinks are moderately priced and generously poured.

The Blue Room also happens to be one of the few jazz venues in the city that allows minors, making it a great place for the next generation to experience jazz.

The venue actually encourages young people to attend shows, as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

WHEN TO GO: Fridays from 5-7:30 pm for Indigo Hour. This free happy hour event showcases local talent. Outside Indigo Hour, you can expect to pay a $10 cover.

THE SHIP 1221 Union Ave., KCMO

THE MUTUAL MUSICIANS FOUNDATION

Although this West Bottoms landmark closed for nearly twenty years between 1995 and 2014, most of The Ship’s original interior (fortunately) remains intact. True to the name, the eclectic decor, complete with porthole mirrors, is convincingly ship-like.

The bar food is better than baseline and modestly priced. The craft cocktails, which rotate seasonally, are generously strong at a great price point.

The Ship books a broad span of jazz artists, from the more “straight-ahead” cats to fusion artists like rapper and jazz trombonist Kadesh Flow.

WHEN TO GO: The Ship does not book artists for regular, weekly engagements, but you can usually find organist Chris Hazelton here monthly. You’ll definitely want to climb aboard for Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7, which combines soul, funk and jazz. You won’t be able to stop yourself from dancing to this fusion act.

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CORVINO SUPPER CLUB & TASTING ROOM

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CORVINO SUPPER CLUB & TASTING ROOM 1830 Walnut St., KCMO

Let’s cut to the chase: Corvino Supper Club is rapidly becoming the hottest jazz joint in the city. While the restaurant is rightly regarded as among the city’s best, so are the jazz musicians who have regular engagements there, which include Peter Schlamb, Eboni Fondren and Eddie Moore.

Corvino Supper Club is an avid supporter of innovative artists who are challenging the traditional frameworks of jazz, with many of the musicians playing their own, original music while weaving in influences from electronic music, hip-hop and beyond. We recommend that you make reservations—this isn’t a drop-in spot.

SOIRÉE STEAK AND OYSTER HOUSE 1512 E. 18th St., KCMO

This Black-owned oyster bar and steakhouse is the best restaurant in the 18th and Vine district. Enjoy gourmet Southern- and Cajun-influenced cuisine from chef Anita Moore alongside some swingin’ charts down on the Vine.

WHEN TO GO: Although Soirée has live music several nights a week, Tuesdays are especially fun. Every Tuesday, Eboni Fondren and Friends host an open jam session.

Here, you can watch young, upcoming artists “cut their teeth'' on the bandstand alongside the older, seasoned performers on the scene. Together, they keep the lively Kansas City tradition alive.

WHEN TO GO: Head to Corvino when pianists Eddie Moore or Jackie Myers are on the bill for the night. Moore has his solo set every second Sunday from 6-9 pm, and Myers has a solo set every other Tuesday evening from 6-9 pm. Moore is an innovator; he pushes the boundaries and margins of what constitutes “jazz” using elements from hip-hop, rock and more. If you’re interested in something more “straight ahead,” check out Myers, who has some standards in her set but also performs original music.

THE PHOENIX 302 W. Eighth St., KCMO

Located in the blooming Garment District, The Phoenix is one of the oldest surviving nightclubs in Kansas City, originally opening as Valerius Saloon in 1905.

The food here is standard bar food, and the draft beers are cold. You won’t find craft cocktails or a single steak on the menu.

Opt for any of the eggs benedict or the chicken and waffles, and take a trip to the bloody mary bar.

WHEN TO GO: After a late, boozy Saturday night (possibly at The Foundation), head here for a recovery brunch accompanied by soulful vocal jazz. Every Sunday, from 10 am-2 pm, Millie Edwards, a powerful and fervent vocalist, is joined by the velvet voice and piano accompaniment of Dan Sturdevant.

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BL ACK DOLPHIN

GREEN LADY LOUNGE/ BLACK DOLPHIN 1809 and 1813 Grand Blvd., KCMO

With oil paintings on red velvet walls, comfortable Chesterfield booths and pressed copper ceilings, Green Lady Lounge is a sight to behold.

You can expect a $5 cover at Green Lady Lounge and Black Dolphin on any given night, and the cover doubles as your pass for both venues, so you can easily hop between bars. Both venues share the same cocktail menu, but Green Lady offers table service, a rarity nowadays. Drinks are moderately priced but of high quality.

While the wine selection is limited, the cocktail menu and craft beer selection are plentiful.

Green Lady Lounge boasts a television-free environment, so you can focus on the music, craft cocktails, conversation and overall ambiance. With the lounge open until three in the morning 365 days a year, you can always find live jazz here. Additionally, Green Lady has two stages on two floors, so there is little transition time when the bands change over.

If Green Lady Lounge is too crowded, go next door to the sister club, Black Dolphin. Black Dolphin typically only has live jazz on Fridays and Saturdays. The venue does have televisions, so you can keep tabs on what’s happening next door.

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WHEN TO GO: Because the main stage at the Green Lady has an in-house Hammond B-3 organ, the best times to go are the late-night Monday and Wednesday sets. Jeff Shirley’s organ trio starts at 10:30 pm on Mondays, and Matt Villinger’s organ trio starts at 11:30 pm on Wednesdays. You’ll find that the Green Lady is a lot less crowded during these late-night weekday sets, too.

GREEN L ADY LOUNGE

THE MAJESTIC RESTAURANT 931 Broadway Blvd., KCMO

The Majestic Restaurant is a classic Kansas City steakhouse, offering great steaks and jazz in a classy, timeless environment.

The prices are steep, but the steaks are locally sourced and dry-aged. The Majestic also has a selection of hundreds of whiskeys and wines and a Prohibition era-inspired cocktail menu. Reservations are highly recommended.

WHEN TO GO: Peter Schlamb takes the stage from 7-10 pm on Tuesday evenings.

Schlamb, a versatile and innovative pianist, vibraphonist and composer, is a nationally sought-after musician.

JOHNNIE’S JAZZ BAR AND GRILLE 1903 Victory Drive, Liberty

Looking for somewhere to listen to live jazz in the Northland? Johnnie’s Jazz Bar and Grille is inside a B&B Theatre—and a hidden gem. The menu features Kansas City-inspired cocktails—such as the Charlie Parker, a Dark ‘n’ Stormy with a twist— and a wide variety of burgers made with local beef, as well as plantbased options.

The happy hour specials at Johnnie’s feature $4 well drinks, wines and beers.

Johnnie’s has jazz every Friday and Saturday night, but some of the “local talent Thursday” acts cross over into the jazz world, too. Frequent musicians at Johnnie’s span a wide variety of styles and include Stan Kessler with Kathleen Holeman, J Love, Talya Groves, Millie Edwards and many more.

WHEN TO GO: Stan Kessler, trumpet and flugelhorn player, takes the stage on the last Saturday of every month from 6:3010:30 pm. Kessler is a versatile player whose expertise ranges from bop to Latin jazz. He is joined by vocalist and pianist Kathleen Holeman.

K ANS A SCI T YMAG.COM O C TOB E R 202 1

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LUCKY FOR YOU, THERE’S NOTHING TO DO HERE.

In Nebraska, we believe that only boring people get bored. So we invent our own fun.

Like when we realized that a livestock tank would float, and thought, “It’s a boat.” Soon, “tanking” became the preferred method of meandering down our slow-moving rivers.

It might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but if it sounds as good to you as it did to us, go to VisitNebraska.com for a free Travel Guide. And welcome aboard.

& QA

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Expert A S K

TH E

When considering any task, it’s important to do your homework.

These professionals offer their expertise on an array of popular subjects in order to help you decide what’s right for you.

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Tim Herre, DDS ABOUT

havoc on our personal and professional lives. The good news is we have the ability to permanently change the size and volume of a patient’s airway for 24/7 improved breathing with the use of a biological dental appliance.

No more managing with just a nighttime appliance or CPAP. My goal is to help you breathe better during the day and the night so you can thrive!

Dr. Tim Herre is a graduate of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and UMKC Dental School. He is a third generation dentist in Johnson County and is passionate about Kansas City. He practices holistic and biological dentistry with an emphasis on treating TMJ disorders, childhood growth and development, tongue ties, and airway/sleep concerns for all ages. His wellness philosophy aims at treating the root cause of disease, which promotes healing and long-term health for his patients.

Q: Should I be concerned if my child snores, mouth breathes, grinds their teeth, has ADHD or wets the bed?

Holistic Dentistry Q: Is there a solution to my chronic TMJ pain?

I can’t deal with this!

A: Jaw pain, worn teeth, receding gums, headaches, earaches and clenching or grinding your teeth are all common TMJ symptoms.

These are all signs that the chewing system is breaking down and not functioning properly. By focusing on the root cause of the symptoms, the chewing system is able to be conservatively rejuvenated back to a state of optimal health and wellbeing. This type of dentistry

is not focused on managing the disease with a typical night guard but asking why and what is causing the breakdown and providing a permanent fix. The good news is there is hope for those suffering from long-term chronic pain.

Q: I don’t sleep well: I snore, I never feel rested when I wake up, and I’m tired of wearing a CPAP. What is going on?

A: Up to seventy million Americans are affected by chronic sleep disorders. It’s well known that sleep apnea can cause systemic disease such as high blood pressure, fatigue, weight gain and diabetes. Now we know that grinding one’s teeth and snoring can be directly linked to the size of one’s face, jaw and airway. When our jaws don’t grow properly, our airway from inside the nose to behind the tongue is smaller and limits our breathing. As a result of not breathing properly, we get inadequate restorative sleep, and our health suffers. This can make us more irritable, anxious and stressed, wreaking

A: YES! The above symptoms, plus crowded teeth, enlarged tonsils, tongue tie and inability to nurse, are all signs there is a problem. In our modern society, there is an epidemic among children due to poor growth and development of their jaws and face. If not addressed early in life, the airway becomes constricted and may predispose your child to orthodontic issues, sleep apnea, TMJ and other health issues. We screen and evaluate the growth pattern, airway and tonsils of our pediatric patients with a 3D scan of their jaws. The ideal age for this is three to six years old to harness the child’s true growth potential, but it is never too early or late to evaluate your child. My goal is to catch any potential airway issue at an early stage so your child can grow and develop to their full potential.

Dr. Tim Herre | Herre Holistic Dental KC 11201 Nall Ave., Suite 120, Leawood | 913.491.4466 | holisticdentalkc.com | info@holisticdentalkc.com

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Maniza Ehtesham, MD, FACP gain, trouble with sleep onset or maintaining sleep, frequent awakenings, frequent urination at night, headaches, decreased productivity at work, nightmares, acting out dreams, restless legs etc.

ABOUT Dr. Maniza Ehtesham is a board-certified sleep physician and the medical director at Excellhealth Sleep Center. She is an associate professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and enjoys teaching medical students and residents. She has also served as an associate residency program director at UMKC. She is currently a staff physician at Advent Health Shawnee Mission and Excellhealth Sleep Center.

Q: What are the risks of leaving a sleep disorder untreated?

Sleep Disorders Q: How many hours should an average adult sleep?

A: Preferably seven to eight hours but a minimum of six hours.

Q: How important is sleep amid coronavirus pandemic?

A: Sleep improves your immunity. In addition to eating immune boosting foods and adding exercise daily –getting your 7-8 hours of sleep is very important for your immune system to function optimally.

Q: I am anxious amidst this COVID 19 pandemic and cant sleep. What should I do?

A: Try to set a sleep and wake up routine even though you may be working from home or doing school online. Try to do a

few relaxing activities close to bedtime like stretching, listening to soft music, massaging your hands and feet with a lavender based cream or lotion and not watching TV or reading on your phone at bedtime. If sleep hygiene tips don’t help, try melatonin and contact your doctor for further advice.

Q: Amidst the coronavirus I have more time on hand and I can nap. Is this ok?

A: Yes, that is okay, but try to keep naps limited to 20-30 min.

Long naps can disrupt your night time sleep and are best avoided.

Q: I think I have a sleep disorder. Can I still do a sleep appointment or sleep testing during the pandemic?

A: Yes, video telehealth visits are available and some in person visits are available as well. Home sleep testing is also available, so yes, you can do the test safely in your own home. For severe disease patients we are arranging for in lab tests also.

Q: How do I know I may have a sleep disorder?

A: Common symptoms include snoring, gasping/choking in sleep, excessive sleepiness or naps in day, attention/ concentration/focus/memory problems during daytime, weight

A: Sleep disorders have been linked to many chronic diseases. Persons with sleep apnea have been found to be at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease, irregular heartbeat and strokes. Laboratory research and epidemiologic studies have found that short sleep duration results in metabolic changes that may be linked to obesity and diabetes.

Studies have also indicated that depression may decrease once sleep disorders have been effectively treated and sufficient sleep cycles are restored. The interrelatedness of sleep and depression suggests that irregular sleep is a driver for this disease.

Q: What are some other other common conditions associated with untreated sleep problems?

A: Memory problems, dementia, acid reflux, chronic kidney disease, anxiety, depression, ADHD/ADD are some of the other problems associated with poor sleep.

Sleep apnea/sleep disorders can contribute to seizures and migraine headaches as well.

Excellhealth Sleep Center 8901 W 74th St., Suite 350 Overland Park | 913.203.4040 | excellhealthsleep.com

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Rick Tague MD, MPH, TM ABOUT

Q: What does Dr. Tague’s program address?

Rick Tague, M.D., M.P.H. & T.M. is board certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Tague founded the Center for Nutrition and Preventive Medicine in 1996.

With offices in Leawood and Topeka, Dr. Tague has assisted over 20,000 patients in achieving weight loss and improved health.

A: •Appetite control • Metabolism evaluation and management • Weight cycling evaluation and treatment • Food cravings (sugar, carbohydrates, salt, high fat foods) • Emotional eating • Binge eating • Nighttime eating • Poor satiety (not feeling full after eating normal amounts) • Body composition analysis, including muscle mass • Nutrient-level testing and replenishment

Weight Loss

Q: Is it really necessary to have a physician help me lose weight?

Q: Why not simply use the latest “fad diet” to lose weight?

A: Research shows that over 96 percent of selfdiet attempts, including common fad diets, fail to result in long term weight loss. Restricting favorite foods through willpower is simply not effective for most people, especially during times of stress and busy schedules. On average, dieters actually gain one and a half pounds after one year of dieting. We often see patients lose 20, 40, 80, or 100 plus pounds in a matter of months. By addressing the actual medical causes

of weight gain and using powerful medical strategies for weight loss, our patients are empowered for success short term and during our maintenance plan.

Q: Do you use the same treatment plan for all of your patients?

A: Using a “cookie cutter” approach to weight loss, placing everyone on the same diet, just doesn’t work. People don’t gain weight or lose weight the same way. For success, your plan must be individualized for your personal medical needs, your appetite, metabolism, likes and dislikes, family history, environment, stress and more. Unfortunately, fad diets and commercial franchises have everyone follow the same diet forever, which explains the dismal success rate and inevitable weight regain.

The Center for Nutrition & Preventive Medicine, P.A. 4963 W 135th St Leawood, KS | 913.814.8222 | taguenutrition.com

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A: Being overweight is a true medical problem, with many medical complications. Being overweight is most effectively managed with medical solutions. A personalized medical approach is most appropriate for anyone who has gained more than 20 pounds after age 21. Weight loss is far more challenging than most people realize.

Thoughtful attention to medical causes and an individualized treatment plan are keys to success.

For a customized weight loss solution, call or visit us online to schedule a free consultation.

Ask the Expert

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C. Lan Fotopoulos, MD ABOUT

Q: Who would benefit from the Intracept Procedure?

C. Lan Fotopoulos, M.D., is an interventional physiatrist specializing in minimally invasive and interventional procedures in the treatment of spinal disorders, including epidural injections, vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation and sacroplasty. From skillful diagnosis to advanced treatment options and attentive follow-up care, you’ll find a comprehensive range of orthopedic services at Kansas City Orthopaedic Alliance.

Physiatry

A: Intracept is indicated for patients with chronic low back pain who don’t have a spinal instability or scoliosis, but they do have changes present on an MRI, called modic changes. These patients generally have experienced chronic low back pain for more than six months and have not responded to nonsurgical treatments.

Intracept addresses modic changes that stem from degeneration rather than a tear or rupture. An MRI and physical examination will be performed to determine patients who qualify.

Q: What is the Intracept Procedure?

Q: What are the key benefits of the Intracept Procedure?

A: When patients don’t respond well to nonsurgical treatment methods for lower back pain, they often think spinal fusion surgery is their only remaining option. But for some, there is another type of treatment that could relieve their back pain: the Intracept Procedure. It’s an outpatient, minimally invasive procedure that

targets the basivertebral nerve, which is located in the bones of the spine (vertebrae).

Q: How does Intracept help relieve chronic low back pain?

A: The pain-sensing basivertebral nerve is responsible for applying innervation to the bony end plates of the vertebral body. When the Intracept probe burns that nerve, it blocks the pain signals before they have a chance to branch to those end plates.

A: Intracept is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure, so the recovery period is rapid—often not more than a couple of days. It is implant-free and preserves the structure of the spine.

There are no restrictions placed on patients afterward, and in many instances the pain relief is almost immediate.

Kansas City Orthopaedic Alliance Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute: 3651 College Blvd., Leawood | 913.319.7678 ext.3109 | dd-clinic.com Saint Luke’s Hospital: Medical Plaza Building 1, 4320 Wornall Road, Suite 610, KCMO | 913.319.7678 ext.3109 | dd-clinic.com

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Senior Care Authority family mediation, community education and a plethora of other topics that affect our region’s seniors.

Q: What types of factors differentiate one senior community from another?

ABOUT US

We help guide seniors and their families to excellent outcomes. Don Minter previously worked ten-plus years as a food and beverage director in a senior community and developed a heart for working with this age group. His father suffered from Alzheimer’s, and Don had to juggle his father’s needs with his full time career, so he knows the challenges that families face. Elaine Minter is a pharmacist and has a decade of experience in long-term care.

A: We research each community in depth to understand the level of care they can provide for our clients.

Every place is different, so before we set up any tours with our clients, we ensure that the community can fit the individual’s unique needs. We accompany them on the tours and help them weigh their options to make an informed decision. Once they move in, we follow up to make sure it’s a good fit. All of this is at no charge to the private-pay independent, assisted living and memory care clients.

Senior Care Q: Why did you choose Senior Care Authority as your next career path?

A: The challenges Don faced with caring for a sick and aging parent made him wish for someone to help guide him through the complexities of the senior care world. Our goal is to know the systems inside and out, which can help families make informed decisions. Don is a Certified Senior Advisor and a Certified Dementia Practitioner and keeps current with continuing education to help people navigate the often confusing options out there.

Q: Explain your services.

A: We meet the person wherever they are in their journey and help devise the best next steps. We offer placement assistance for independent living, assisted living and memory care at no charge to our clients. We also specialize in elder care consulting where we can help with situations such as skilled nursing placement,

Senior Care Authority 22052 W. 66th St., Suite 179, Shawnee | 913.488.8609 | seniorcare-kansascity.com

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Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)

TM

Ask the Expert

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Kristen Kneidel, RN, BSN

Hale Robinson & Robinson

Sarah Photography KC

ABOUT

Aesthetic Nursing

The Aesthetic Place Medical Spa in Leawood, Kansas, was founded one year ago by Kristen Kneidel, RN, BSN. Under the medical directorship of Dr. Paul Doskey, MD, the Aesthetic Place is a boutique med spa offering patients injectables, as well as a variety of skin care treatments like medical facials, laser treatments, RF microneedling, Rejuvapen and medical-grade skin care.

The spa’s philosophy is “Care of Face and Soul.” It places emphasis on the individual, creating a harmonious blend of unprecedented patient care.

Kristen explains she wanted to create a place where patient safety is first and foremost, as ongoing education of providers is paramount. Patient focus is top priority, allowing the celebration of each individual’s unique beauty.

Q: What is the key to your success in this first year?

A:

Trust. Trust is built and a relationship is formed when patients begin to understand they will be getting a soft, natural result over time that translates well to friends, family and co-workers. They feel refreshed and not overdone.

Q: What keeps you motivated?

A:

I have a sincere passion for what I do because I truly love the artistry and connecting with each patient to bring them the best results I can with all the trainings and knowledge I have learned in all my years of aesthetic nursing.

Q: What are your ultimate goals in this industry?

A:

To cultivate an inclusive idea of what beauty represents with a gentle, honest, caring approach that’s all welcoming.

The Aesthetic Place 5416 W. 151st St., Leawood IG: theaestheticplacekc | k.c.nurseinjector 913.379.1111 | www.theaestheticplacekc.com

ABOUT

Personal Injury

Husband and wife duo Rico and Suzanne grew up together in Kansas City, Kansas, before founding Hale Robinson & Robinson in 2020. HRR was born from a vision Rico had since childhood and has grown into a full-service law firm with lawyers specializing in family law, criminal defense, and personal injury. As the partners of the firm, Rico and Suzanne primarily focus on large personal injury cases.

Q: How much does it cost to hire a personal injury attorney, and when will I get paid?

A:

Nothing! You only pay us if you get paid. We take a percentage of that settlement as our attorney fee. If your case does not result in a payment, you do not have to pay. For a simple case, you can expect payment quickly after you complete your physician’s recommended treatment plan. For a more complex case, a lawsuit may need to be filed, which will result in your payment being delayed.

Q: What should I do after a

personal injury accident occurs?

A:

Call us. We can walk you through everything you need to do after an accident. Your attorney should be the one coordinating with the insurance companies. Your job is to follow your healthcare provider’s treatment plans and go to all your appointments. We take care of the rest.

Hale Robinson & Robinson 511 Delaware St., Suite 100, KCMO 816.605.1734 | hrrlawyers.com

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Neatly Done | Krista Williams

Jan Kelly

ABOUT

Myofascial Release (MFR)

Midwest Myofascial Release Center utilizes myofascial release (MFR) therapy, consisting of deep, sustained tissue manipulation to facilitate pain relief from fascial restrictions.

Our team now includes a diverse group of individuals grounded in MFR who also have varied backgrounds in complementary disciplines.

Q: Can MFR address all aspects of my condition?

A:

MFR focuses on treating the whole person.

For instance, our clients often are dealing with conditions resulting from traumatic injuries and events. This means there is often a psychological as well as physical aspect to the tissue memory and resulting restrictions causing the client’s pain.

Q: How can MFR help me achieve ongoing improvement and continued relief?

A:

MFR practitioners let the client guide the treatment approach. We get to know our clients – their history and current lifestyle. This allows us to customize the treatment approach, as well as offer advice on lifestyle modifications that might be beneficial to continued improvement.

Q: How can MFR help when other treatment options have failed?

A:

There is no magic, universal cure, and MFR may not be the answer for everyone. However, by listening to our clients and meeting them where they are, we are often successful. Being flexible is the key.

Midwest Myofascial Release Center Overland Park: 7270 W. 98th Terrace, Suite 220, Windmill Village Offices, Building 7, Overland Park Westwood / Plaza: 1421 W. 47th St., KCMO 913.343.9042 | midwestmyofascialrelease.com

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ABOUT

Organization

Krista Williams started Neatly Done after witnessing the power of organization in her own life to streamline daily routines and manage all the items kept in a home. The idea was to offer a turnkey organizing solution, where cluttered, chaotic spaces are efficiently transformed into simplified, beautiful spaces. Neatly Done has grown into a team of eight organizers who can quickly and expertly organize any home or business.

Q: What services do you provide?

A:

Organizing, decluttering, space planning, move management, unpacking and custom closet design and installation. Neatly Done organizes pantries, kitchens, playrooms, closets, garages, offices, mudrooms, storage rooms… really just about anywhere a system will make life easier!

Q: What’s the process like to work with Neatly Done?

A:

First off, it’s fun! We truly love helping others and organizing is our jam!

We start each project with a consultation to align on goals and preferences. Then, we design a custom plan. We procure necessary organizing supplies and return to organize and install. We haul away donations and coordinate with other necessary vendors.

Q: I’m overwhelmed with stuff! What should I do?

A:

Pull everything out of the space and sort items into categories. Purge broken, unused and unwanted items. Contain like items together. Label the containers, which will help keep your space tidy.

Q: What is your best organizing tip?

A:

Declutter first and THEN buy containers.

We know baskets are super cute and alluring, but you need to know what you’re storing and your storage dimensions before you purchase!

Neatly Done 913.703.7080 | www.neatlydonekc.com

MARINER

WEALTH ADVISORS RANKE D

TOP FIVE

NATIONALLY RANKED. LOCALLY BASED. Mariner Wealth Advisors has been nationally ranked in the top five RIA Firms from 2016 - 2020 by Barron’s. While we are thrilled with this recognition, we believe the true measure of our success is helping our clients arrive at their financial destination.

Because putting clients first isn’t just our motto – it’s our mission.

Why not have a conversation with a top-ranked firm?

913-647-9700 | www.marinerwealthadvisors.com 5700 W. 112th St., Suite 200, Overland Park, KS 66211 *Barron’s awarded the 2020 #5, 2019 #4 and 2018 #3 Top RIA Firms rankings to Mariner Wealth Advisors based on data compiled for Mariner Wealth Advisors and the 2017 #2 and 2016 #1 rankings to Mariner Holdings based upon data compiled for Mariner Holdings’ registered investment adviser subsidiaries. The number of firms included in the rankings were: 20 (2016), 30 (2017), 40 (2018), 50 (2019) and 100 (2020). Barron’s publishes rankings based upon a number of criteria and the firms’ filings with the SEC were used to cross-check the data provided. The listing includes numbers of clients, employees, advisors, offices and state locations. The award is not indicative of future performance and there is no guarantee of future investment success. For additional information visit www.barrons.com.

Mariner Wealth Advisors (“MWA”), is an SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the State of Kansas. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. MWA is in compliance with the current notice filing requirements imposed upon registered investment advisers by those states in which MWA maintains clients. MWA may only transact business in those states in which it is notice filed or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from notice filing requirements. Any subsequent, direct communication by MWA with a prospective client shall be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides. For additional information about MWA, including fees and services, please contact MWA or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). Please read the disclosure statement carefully before you invest or send money.

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IN ORBIT

Everyone has a bucket list they’d like to complete before shuffling off the ol’ mortal coil. Most people whittle it down over a lifetime, crossing off dream destinations and checking career milestones.

But there’s a special breed whose bucket list could also be titled “Things I Want to Eat,” and it tends to grow rather than shrink.

For these dedicated few, the newest entry will come from High Hopes Ice Cream (5536 Troost Ave., KCMO), a walk-up ice cream parlor that opened on September 6. Owner Jamie Howard uses fourteen-percent butterfat cream for an ultra-luscious product in flavors like strawberry birthday cake (made with City Barrel Shortcake Bar Beer), fresh mint crunch and mango chamoy. (She’s also well-stocked on creative dairy-free options, like blackberry oat milk sherbet.) Howard has teamed up with Blackhole Bakery to offer an obnoxiously good warm ice cream sandwich. In Howard’s hands, Blackhole’s fluffy brioche buns receive a slather of sauce (hot fudge, caramel or a seasonal offering) and a scoop of artisan ice cream before they are finished in a sandwich press.

“They look like UFOs when they come out,” Howard says, “and they taste out of this world.”

— NATA L I E TOR R E S GALLAGHE R

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PEAK PHO Exploring the nuances of Vietnam’s most beloved dish

BY N ATA L I E TO R R E S G A L L AG H E R | P H OTO G R A P H Y BY C A L E B C O N D I T & R E B E C C A N O R D E N

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H E N H E W A S growing up in Saigon, Zen Nguyen’s typical breakfast was pho.

He would walk to one of the food stalls in his neighborhood and pay the equivalent of twenty-five cents for a hot bowl of pho. Most shops would open at dawn and sell out by mid-morning. But that was almost two decades ago, Nguyen says. These days, a bowl of pho in Vietnam’s bustling former capital city will set you back about two dollars.

As enterprising shop owners have noted the popularity of pho among the younger generation, plenty open back up for lunch or dinner.

A good bowl of pho bo—bone broth, thin-sliced ribeye, rice noodles and a pile of cilantro, basil and bean sprouts—is soul-affirming. Traditionally, street vendors would balance clay pots on each end of a long shoulder pole, catering to laborers who needed a nourishing start to their day. (You can still find a few elderly women who sell pho this way in Saigon, Nguyen says.)

In 2011, when he was eighteen years old, Nguyen emigrated to the United States, staying with family in Kansas City while he pursued a career in dance (Nguyen teaches hip-hop dance and does choreography). His relatives took him out to a local restaurant for a taste of home: pho.

He could only manage a few bites. “It wasn’t good,” he says, shaking his head.

Nguyen missed the flavors of his home country, the way local ingredients tasted together. He also missed the ubiquitous street food: “Here, when you’re hungry and don’t want to cook, you order food at a restaurant,” he says, “but in Vietnam, you wake up and a food vendor comes to your door.” Each vendor has a unique bell so that hungry customers can hear their favorite hu tieu cart rounding the corner.

Compared to some of the creations Saigon’s street food artists offer, Nguyen doesn’t think pho is all that exciting. But it is, he says, one of the most important dishes in the cuisine—and it’s having a moment in Kansas City. Recent years have seen the arrival of a drive-thru pho spot in Johnson County and a counter-service pho eatery in a casino, both of which I tried over the last several weeks. I visited other pho places—nine total—and each bowl was wildly different from the next.

Pho is Vietnam’s national dish, but there is no consensus on what the perfect pho should taste like. Northern Vietnamese pho is nothing like southern Vietnamese pho, which is what most restaurants in the area serve. The answer to

Left: Pho Lan Right above: Pho Lan Right below: Coffee at Pho Lan

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what makes a good pho varies as much as the answer to what makes a good cheeseburger.

The first name most people in KC mention is Vietnam Cafe in Columbus Park. Since husband-wife team Minh Hoang and Ngoc Le opened the shop seven years ago, it’s earned a reputation as the gold standard here. Its popularity necessitated a dining room expansion, which took place during the Covid-19 shutdown. Nguyen briefly worked at Vietnam Cafe years ago and ordered his favorites from Le in Vietnamese. Plates arrived in quick succession: banh xeo, tom cuon (addictive deep-fried shrimp rolls) and steaming bowls of pho and bo kho.

Banh xeo translates to “sizzling pancakes,” and they resemble omelets, but there is no egg—the folded golden crepe is a combination of rice flour batter, coconut milk and turmeric. At Vietnam Cafe, they’re stuffed with shrimp, sliced pork roll, raw white onions and bean sprouts. I mirrored Nguyen by breaking off a portion, rolling it into a Left: Vietnam Cafe Right: Pho Lan

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lettuce leaf with fresh basil and dunking it into a bowl of fish sauce. It was a messy, unglamorous bite that nevertheless encapsulated everything that composes Vietnamese cuisine: meat, aromatic herbs, crisp vegetables and spices that linger on the tongue.

Our pho dac biet—pho ba on steroids, given its combination of thin-sliced ribeye, beef meatballs, brisket, flank and tripe—is also crowded with chopped white onions, scallions and thin rice noodles. The customary accoutrements are piled on an accompanying plate. But when it comes to pho, it’s the broth that matters most. I was distracted by a cacophony of cloves and star anise, which gave every sip a sweet and slightly bitter aftertaste, as though they had been added too early to the broth and lost their strength. I said this to Nguyen, who shrugged. “I never order the pho here,” he said before steering me toward the bo kho, which he requested with a baguette instead of noodles. It was as though an entirely different chef had prepared this stew, its murky broth floating with achingly tender hunks of braised beef, pearly onions and orange carrots. Here, star anise and cinnamon flirted with lemongrass, garlic, ginger and Thai chilis.

Southeast Asia meets beef bourguignon.

Less than a mile away from Vietnam Cafe, you’ll find Pho Lan, which opened in June in the former Pho KC space. You’ll usually find owner Aiden Truong darting between the cash register and the kitchen, where his mother, Lan Duong, and uncle, Thanh Truong, execute the southern Vietnamese dishes they grew up with.

“Vietnamese restaurants claim authenticity a lot,” Aiden offers. “What I want people to know is that pho can be made in so many different ways. Two pho places side by side in Vietnam will taste totally different.” The recipes at Pho Lan are the ones Aiden’s family has used for generations. “I want people to feel like they are part of our family, part of our kitchen, and if you were in our kitchen in Vietnam, this is what it would taste like.”

The nem nuong—a bright-red plate of gloriously fatty homemade pork sausage—gets a sweet-sour marinade before it’s fried and sliced into thick fingers. The entreesized plate of calamari undergoes a rigorous preparation, with large rings first coated in salt and pepper, then battered in rice flour and deep-fried and finally stir-fried with onions before they are piled atop a small vegetable garden. Also essential: The bo luc lac (“shaking beef”), a humble stir-fry dish transformed by a combination of fish sauce and spices into something holy.

Everything is good, down to the crab rangoon visibly bursting with pale pink surimi. But the pho stands out— and not just because there are two broths on offer.

“We have the beef broth, of course, but my mom wanted to incorporate her version of a chicken broth,” Aiden says. “We let chicken bone marrow simmer over low heat throughout the day, starting at six in the morning. That’s one of the secrets. The more it simmers, the better it gets.”

Aiden shares more secrets: Anise seed and cloves are toasted before they are added to the pot, and the family recipe calls for just a whisper of cinnamon. Both of Pho Lan’s broths are subtle, the flavors blossoming in each sip.

“This is genuinely awesome,” Nguyen tells me after a spoonful of Pho Lan’s pho dac biet, delight across his features.

Ask a Kansas Citian what their favorite barbecue restaurant is and they’ll probably ask you what kind of barbecue you’re looking for: This place has the best brisket, but they’ll send you somewhere else for ribs. Pho aficionados will follow the same principle: Ask not, “Do you want to get pho?” Ask instead, “What kind of pho do you want to get?” Do you like your broth heavily spiced or more restrained? Do you perhaps want seafood pho? Homemade noodles? It’s okay to have different options. If something isn’t quite to your taste, there’s always hoisin and sriracha on the table.

On Nguyen’s recommendation, I also made it to Cáfe Vie in Overland Park. This counter-service cafe has been operating since 2010. I wanted to taste what Nguyen considers the best pho he’s had outside of Vietnam. The beef broth was a dark mahogany, and luminous fat bubbles crowded the surface of the bowl. (“In Vietnam, they will ask for an extra side of this,” Nguyen told me.) I dipped my spoon and tasted... too much clove. And far too much anise. I wrinkled my nose and reached for the sriracha.

This one wasn’t for me—but there’s always another that is.

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TA S T E PER FECT DAY

Radio host/rapper/comedian Paul Nyakatura is building three careers at once.

BY DA N I E L L E L E H M A N

KC FAVO R I T E S Counter Menu at Caribe Blue “Caribe Blue is a short walk from my place. I love getting their stewed chicken, stewed beef, and they have a pulled pork that’s really good. It comes with rice and plantains. No one’s eating that in one sitting. It’s impossible.”

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Mimosas on the Patio “Mimosas at Mockingbird in the afternoon.

The patio has the best view of KCMO. It’s the bestlooking bar in KCK by a long shot.”

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

Neighborhood Gems “For dinner, I’m gonna shout out Sparker Kitchen. They have a salmon Philly on their menu that you can’t find anywhere else. I like the salmon bites with a side of Sparker Fries. I have no idea what’s on the fries, and they won’t tell me.”

Late Night “I love a good dive bar. My neighborhood dive bar is The Easy Inn. They do ‘Taco Wednesdays,’ just to be different. For five dollars they give you three tacos, an eightounce beer and a shot of whiskey.”

whose language is more colorful when he’s off-air, doesn’t want to commit to just one lane.

And as he grows bigger in each, the worlds are starting to bleed together.

What do you think you’re most famous for? It’s between FACEFACE and KCUR. My album came out when I wasn’t on air anywhere, but now we’re performing. I’m hitting up open mics again, and being on the radio is just good PR. But becoming famous isn’t happening fast enough for my taste. I’m full of myself, if that’s not wildly apparent.

Let’s talk about comedy first.

How do you feel the comedy scene in KC has evolved?

The comedy scene is way different than it used to be. It’s supportive, and the comics are just better. Mockingbird is my favorite open mic. I hate to say it’s my favorite because people will start coming. It’s a funny-ass show each time, and it’s progressive. When I first got involved in the KC comedy scene, the material was pretty “Me Too,” just idiot sexist punchlines. It’s like, “Wow, you started with a shitty premise, and then it stayed shitty. It wasn’t good—it was dark. It’s brightened up quite a bit.”

Tell me about your upcoming album. It should be out this fall, and it will be available on all of the streaming services.

This album is darker than the first one. I went through a breakup at the end of 2018, and I was not in a great space for awhile, and then the pandemic hit. One of the singles is called “Essential.” I was just angry that you can call someone an essential worker and not pay them a living wage. I watched as “burger flippers” were told they’re essential workers, but they still can’t afford a onebedroom apartment.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSHUA HAINES

TRIPLE THREAT

ON A ROAD TRI P with his cousin across Kansas, Paul Nyakatura recalls being pulled over by a state trooper on a lonely road in the center of the state. Nyakatura knew what he needed to do. “The cop comes up to the car, and I talk to the police officer how you’re supposed to talk to a police officer—basically my on-air NPR voice.”

His switch of personas shocked Paul’s cousin. “Yo, you turned that shit on well,” he said. “You were a totally different person.”

Nyakatura is, indeed, a man of many voices and talents. The Kansas City, Kansas, native and current Strawberry Hill resident has been building his career in KC since graduating from F.L. Schlagle High School in 2005.

Until recently, when his careers all hit new levels, his three worlds didn’t collide. He’s a producer and announcer on local NPR affiliate KCUR, a stand-up comic and half of the musical duo FACEFACE. “The public radio fans are slowly finding out I’m a rapper,” Nyakatura says.

“The rap people are like, ‘You’re on the radio?’ And the stand-up people are like, ‘Why are you even doing stand-up? You’re a good rapper.’”

At this point, Nyakatura,

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TA S T E DR I N K

TINIS AND TWENTIES After 20 years of shame, the dessert martini makes its triumphant return to trendy bar menus thanks to TikTok.

BY M A R Y H E N N

that if an espresso martini appears on a bar menu, it’s either outdated or a guilty pleasure—much like Sex and the City.

I appreciate a proper espresso martini, so I’ve been asking bartenders and bar owners around Kansas City how they feel about the cocktail.

There seems to be a consensus that dessert martinis are making a comeback. As one bar owner put it, “People like what they like, and they are becoming more comfortable asking for what they like, even at the risk of being called ‘basic.’”

The mid-1990s saw what some refer to as “the cocktail renaissance”—martini glasses were everywhere.

What started as a push toward fresh fruit cocktails led British bartending legend Dick Bradsell to create the espresso martini. Any drink that couldn’t be called “a martini” (and the term was used loosely) was poured into the void. Chocolate martinis, appletinis, raspberry martinis and especially espresso martinis were the pinnacle of sophistication.

One of Kansas City’s best-loved classic red sauce Italian restaurants, Cupini’s, just opened a full-serve bar with a tiramisu martini. For starters, Cupini’s is a whole 90s-Italianrestaurant mood. The restaurant’s red-checkered tablecloths and countryside mural in the open alleyway are pictureperfect for sipping dessert martinis.

Cupini’s tiramisu martini is made with chocolate and coffee liquor, Irish cream and rum. It has cinnamon and chocolate added for that tiramisu-in-a-glass experience. And the drink has a secret ingredient you might not expect: orange juice. It caught me off guard, too. You don’t really taste it. The citrus just adds a little zest.

If you’re into the dessert martini revival or the thrill of a caffeinated-foam mustache and the chance of choking on an espresso bean, you’re in luck because the drinks are popping up unannounced at a surprising rate, much like S&TC sequels.

T I N I T R E N D T WO The martini revival has arrived. Here are five spots in KC with trendy espresso and dessert martinis.

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1

Chocolat Martini (on tap) at Parlor

2

The Ape Hanger at 9th and State

3

Banana Split Martini at Harry’s Country Club

4

Quick Hit at The Monogram Lounge at J. Rieger & Co.

5

Buffalo Kick at The Belfry

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAMANTHA LEVI

R E C E N T LY, A F R I E N D S A I D

TA S T E B I T E S

NEWSFEED

WHAT’S NEW IN KANSAS CITY FOOD & DRINK

BKS Artisan Ales

Silver on the Ceiling

Deux It

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE VENUES

Haunted Independence A century ago, J. Ott & Co Undertaking was the only town morgue in Independence. This Halloween, it’s a pop-up bar.

Kansas City’s Halloween pop-up bar, Apparition Spookeasy (apparitionbar.com), has partnered with 3 Trails Brewing to open a new location in the historic Independence Square.

Guests are handed a lantern as they begin their descent into the underground bar, owner Edward Schmalz says.

Cocktails include the Xenomorph, made with Union Horse’s Rye Whiskey and Szechuan peppers meant to “realign the senses” so the cocktail is tasted in reverse. The Nosferatu is a pitch-black cocktail with activated charcoal and mezcal. The Monster Squad is a shareable apple brandy drink served in a black cauldron with dry ice. There’s also the Upside Down Old Fashioned, which uses waffle-infused rum and maple syrup.

Schmalz says he’s always loved Halloween. “I thought it would be fun to create a Halloween party that would last for over a month,” he says.

The new pop-up will remain open through the end of October. Customers can sip drinks in the eerie space Thursday through Saturday from 6 pm to 1 am and on Halloween, which falls on a Sunday this year.

The team behind The Russell has a new project selling French comfort food in Midtown. Tailleur, now open at 3933 Main St. in KCMO, comes from Heather White and Amante Domingo of The Russell. The menu has some similarities but leans further toward an all-day French bistro, a la Aixois in Brookside. Look for quiche in the morning, then mussels, salmon nicoise, duck confit and a French dip later in the day. There’s also a burger, which tracks— the French love burgers far more than most Europeans do.

New Nueva What’s the name of that new taqueria at 12561 Antioch Road in Overland Park?

Ah yes: Taqueria La Nueva. The new taqueria brings lengua and tripa to a part of town where it was scarce before and also makes trendy quesabirria. So far we’ve seen long lines of enthusiastic South JoCo crowds looking for taqueriastyle Mexican in the neighborhood.

If you haven’t been to BKS Artisan Ales on 63rd Street in a while, you’ll notice they’ve moved some things around. The brewery, which stayed with to-go cans only until vaccines were widely available, has moved their taproom around to make more space inside.

Also new: a silver medal for Clouds, their hazy double IPA, from the annual Great American Beer Festival awards. This was the first time BKS entered the competition, the nation’s largest, which is usually timed to a massive beer festival in Denver. (Kansas took two medals this year, both for breweries outside the KC area, while Missouri had four, the other three also outside KC.) Clouds was the first Double IPA that BKS brewed when it opened back in 2017. It’s a beer that brewerowner Brian Rooney had been working on since 2015, when he started making trial batches as he eyed leaving his family’s longtime profession, accounting, to open his own brewery.

KANSASCITYMAG.COM KANSASCITYMAG.COMOCTOBER OCTOBER2021 2021

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TA S T E ’CU E C A R D

ROUND TWO… FIRE! Why Fox & Fire is making the move to Kearney

BY N ATA L I E TO R R E S G A L L AG H E R

GO: Fox & Fire BBQ. 102 W. Lawrence St., Kearney. 816635-2553. Open 11 am-sellout Saturday. foxfirebbq.com

102 102KANSAS KANSASCITY CITYOCTOBER OCTOBER2021 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZACH BAUMAN

W

H E N W E L A S T left Andy Fox, he had parked his food truck at Callsign Brewing in the Northland. Once a week, he’d slide open the window and sell his barbecue—Texas-style brisket, pork belly burnt ends, juicy pulled pork—until it was gone (usually within two hours). Things looked promising.

Fox & Fire was open at Callsign for just one year. In July, Fox packed up and drove to a new parking lot at 102 W. Lawrence Street in Kearney. If you make the drive, you’ll find the clementine-orange truck hooked up to a small brick building big enough for, say, the desk of one used-car salesman and a bathroom. (As it happens, this address was formerly a used-car lot.)

Fox purchased this real estate— which includes a handful of surrounding green acres—in June 2021. I visited him in August, and he’s only open here and there while he prepares to launch at this permanent location. There is a cluster of picnic tables outside the truck that will soon have umbrellas. Eventually, there will be shaded three-seasons seating, and the grass nearby will boast outdoor yard games. Fox is figuring out how to get beer and wine on the menu (he’d like to offer Callsign).

Already, he says, there is more chatter—more excitement—for his business from Kearney locals than he ever saw in Kansas City. He seems alarmed by this. Given that Kansas Citians were enthusiastically devoted to his barbecue, I can understand why.

Forty minutes after I leave Fox in Kearney, I unwrap the brisket. Too often, I see brisket sliced as thin as deli-counter roast beef. I was born in Texas into a family of multigenerational Texans, so this is not to my taste. But as I looked at the glistening hunk on my table, each hefty piece boasting peppery crust and a thread of fat and pink meat, I recalled Fox’s careful half-inch incisions. Very promising, indeed.

J OU S T

I NG PI G S B B Q

WHERE COMPETITION MEETS CRAFT COMING SOON TO THE LEGENDS

816.702.7555

HISTORIC LIBERTY SQUARE

110 E Kansas St Liberty, MO 64068

BACKSTORY

1898

A plow factory goes up in the West Bottoms, breaking ground for what may one day be Kansas City’s first barbecue museum.

“

City, so we’ve got a bunch of it. We’re going to move all the hot sauce into the vault and call it the ‘Devil’s Vault.’ If you’ve seen Hot Ones, I have Da Bomb Beyond Insanity Hot Sauce, but I also have a couple that make that one look mild. I’ve actually been talking to Spicin [Foods] about creating a replica of Hot Ones, where people can come into the store and try the hottest hot sauces.

Right now, with the pandemic keeping people at home, I’m mainly shipping product. Remember the Jones sisters [of Jones Bar-B-Q]? I do all their shipping for them—with their appearance on Queer Eye, sales went through the roof. Last winter, I shipped fifty or sixty of their gift packages to Will Smith. But eventually, I want to turn the store into a museum with a barbecue and hot sauce gift shop. I’ve been talking to people about getting in old equipment and display pieces— somewhere around here I have a chair from the original American Royal from 1912—stuff like that. I think Kansas City needs a barbecue museum.”

was the original downtown Kansas City—it’s what the city was all about. Kansas City barbecue started here in the West Bottoms. Well, here and 18th Street.

I moved Stockyard BBQ Supply into the West Bottoms in August 2020. The building was constructed by the Parlin and Orendorff Company in 1898 to manufacture farming equipment. It was the Central Bag Company until the early 2000s. A lot of the original features are still intact. There’s even a money vault in the back because people paid in cash then. We just recently got it open. It’d been closed for eight to ten years. About a month or two ago, a guy was playing with the numbers and got it open. But there was nothing in there.

What’s cool is the artwork on the vault’s door. It’s original to the building.

There are also some licenses and other documents from the 1920s still on the inside of the door. Somebody who came up here from Memphis said they once saw a safe with the exact same painting. Maybe it’s a trademark of the time. — John Kessler, owner of Stockyard BBQ Supply, as told to Mary Henn Since opening the store, I’ve found that hot sauce is really popular in Kansas

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T H E S T O C K YA R D S D I S T R I C T

KANSAS CITY OCTOBER 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE CENTRAL BAG COMPANY 1999, COURTESY OF THE K ANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY, MISSOURI VALLEY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

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