FOOD

FOOD words by EMILY & STEWART LANE | photos by ANNA PETROW

A Culinary Road Trip.

Emily Lane: If your childhood summers looked anything like mine, they always included a road trip. My brother and I would pile into the car, grabbing books, colored pencils, and card games to keep ourselves entertained, and we’d cross our fingers our parents would let us stop for soft serve ice cream. There is nostalgia that accompanies the notion of taking to the open road, and the folks at Blu Hwy are capturing this familiar feeling of Americana, while adding in their own spin.

Stewart Lane: The flavors and dishes served at Blu Hwy have a genesis in generations of culinary traditions. To define the menu at Blu Hwy as American Continental falls short of capturing the vision and story the chefs are trying to tell with their dishes. They are not reinventing Americana; they are paying homage to it and bringing some of the best cuisine from the back roads to your plate.

You must start your journey with the fried pimento-cheese bites, a play on fried cheese curds from the north and the iconic cheese spread from the south. Cracking through the thin shell of the fritter reveals a molten center of pimento cheese. They are tangy, slightly spicy, and studded with sweet pimentos and finished with a spicy and sweet pepper jelly. A plate of Campo Lindo Farm’s deviled eggs topped with country ham and a house fermented hot sauce, paired with a 1908 Sour, made with Empress gin, lemon, Earl Grey, and chamomile bitters, put me right on a South Carolina porch swing in spring.

EL: The cocktail menu is playful and fun, showcasing quippy drink names and fruit-forward flavors. There is a nice assortment of beers and wines by the glass, as well. The Blu Hwy space is setup in small vignettes – a dining room, bar, lounge, and a spacious outdoor patio – which allow for you to curate your experience based off your mood. The décor showcases art and photos of the “road trip” aesthetic, and the warm woods paired with different textured fabrics complete the space. I suspect the patio will be a very popular spot this summer, where you can feast on chilled gulf shrimp, sip drinks, and people watch in their popular South Plaza location.

SL: The pork tenderloin sandwich is one of my favorite sandwiches, and there is plenty of competition for the best in the city. At Blu Hwy, it’s called the “Little Pig, Little Pig” and features a

cutlet of pork in an airy and crispy tempura batter, fried to perfection, then topped with tangy slaw, Thai chili mayonnaise, and a buttery brioche bun. Tender, juicy, and full of flavor, the sandwich was paired with house fries that were tossed in an herb gastrique, adding a unique and ever-so-slight sweetness and acidity to the potatoes.

We also enjoyed the Grilled Skirt Steak, which came in with strong southwestern vibes and a vibrant salsa verde. Accompanied by an herbal and crisp arugula salad with cilantro, chilies, and a lime vinaigrette, this is exactly the sort of thing you’d want to find after a long day on the road (or in my case, this summer, doing yardwork).

EL: The Blu Hwy menu isn’t huge (good for someone like me who can become easily overwhelmed with options), but it provides plenty of variety for every palate. Seasonal salads, sandwiches including a classic burger and lobster roll, and entrées featuring a variety of proteins ensure you’ll find something that’s perfect for your tastes.

A patio picnic, featuring the lobster roll, deviledeggs, and beet salad.

SL: The Spanish Octopus was a must try for me. Octopus can be very difficult to work with, but in the right hands, incredible flavors can be created. The Blu Hwy chefs did not disappoint. Crispy outside skin with tender, juicy meat laid on a bed of mashed English peas, crunchy sweet hazelnuts, spicy Fresno chilies, and a simple lemon vinaigrette were crafted with knowledgeable hands. The English peas were the perfect textural and flavor complement to the bold octopus, chilies, and tart vinaigrette.

EL: So whatever plans your summer holds, we hope you add a visit to Blu Hwy to your list, and take a journey through their menu without leaving the city limits.

Blu Hwy, located in the South Plaza area at 5070 Main Street in Kansas City, is open Monday through Friday for lunch, happy hour, and dinner, and Saturday and Sunday for brunch, happy hour, and dinner. More information and reservations can be found at BluHwy.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Emily and Stewart Lane are Kansas City natives who have an affection for hospitality. Stewart, a former executive chef, makes his career with SMG and loves to cook for friends and family, and Emily is a marketing communications manager with an arts background. Along with their daughters, Evie and Catharine, they live a life filled with food, culture, and creativity.