FOOD_ACRE

A Culinary Homecoming in Parkville.

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

Emily Lane: On a late September evening, Stewart and I hopped in the car and headed north. It was a lovely night with a chill in the air, and the promise of a delicious, unrushed meal made us eager to arrive at our destination. Parkville, Missouri, is home to Acre, which opened in August and is the new concept from Chef Andrew Longres. You’ve likely heard his name before – Longres is a tenured chef who has worked at iconic restaurants such as The French Laundry, Bluestem, and The American Restaurant. But Acre is all his, and it’s deeply personal.

Stewart Lane: Acre is more than a restaurant to Longres; it is a love letter to the land, his upbringing, and the community in Parkville. From his family farm just down the road (for which Acre is named) and the small-batch producers in the surrounding states, Chef Longres wants to bring the flavors of our native terroir to your table. His career has taken him all over the world and to the greatest gastronomic pilgrimage restaurants of our time, but he always felt like his home was here.

As you enter the restaurant your eyes are immediately drawn to the roaring wood-fired grill, fed with Missouri oak, walnut, and hickory. This grill is custom made for Acre and designed with areas for high-heat searing and slow roasting. The cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and duck that will meet the fire greet customers as they walk past the host stand from a dry-aging refrigerator that is lit from within like a jewelry display case.

EL: Acre is an intimate space but doesn’t feel crowded thanks to the clean and contemporary design. Focus is drawn to the open kitchen, as

the bar flanks one side and the dining room the other in an L shape. The restaurant can seat up to 80 people, and there is also a 10-seat private dining room, a chef’s table, and a 30-seat patio. Sitting in the dining room, you can watch the food being prepared, plated, and expedited by Chef Longres.

SL: Our server, Faith, helped us navigate the menu and let us know of the Acre ordering procedure. The chef asks for your complete order at the beginning of your meal, taking pressure off the diner and wait staff, creating a seamless dining experience, where your food is coursed out at the exact right time.

Our first course was an exceptional Wagyu beef tartare with pickled cabbage, spicy mustard, capers, pickled, onions, shaved radishes, a horseradish sauce, and crispy caraway lavosh. The beef melted on the tongue as the complexity of textures and flavors danced in sync to create the perfect bite. We could also not pass up the whipped ricotta with spring peas and a sweet-and-sour pink-peppercorn sauce, served with toasted baguettes. The addition of pepper to the tender sweet peas added levity and a freshness to the dish.

EL: Presentation is unquestionably of utmost importance to Longres. From the craft cocktails to each dish we were served, close attention is paid to making things look beautiful. But don’t confuse this attention to appearance for something fussy; Longres makes it clear that accessibility matters to him, and that even comes by way of his choice to include a darling “Quarter Acre” kids’ menu. Like Stewart and me, he is a parent to young children and wants to ensure people know this is an approachable place to bring the whole family.

Idaho ruby trout almondine

Whipped ricotta with crostini

SL: The salads curated by the Acre team show creativity as well as mindfulness of the meal progression. Because dry-aged steaks have a beefier, more-powerful flavor, the salads focus on fresh and vibrant flavors. We enjoyed the spring greens salad with toasted almonds, cranberries, feta, smoked bacon, and red-wine vinaigrette. Simple, beautifully plated, and well balanced, this was the perfect bite in advance of our entrees.

As we talked with Chef Longres, he discussed more about his philosophy on the Acre menu. “You will never see a saltwater fish on this menu,” he shared, “because we do not have any oceans near us.” Chef Longres directed us to the Idaho Ruby Trout Almondine with Minnesota wild rice, charred pole beans, smoked country ham, and brown butter. The fish, seared in browned butter and topped beautifully with a crust of toasted almonds, was finished with the splash of lemon and almond sauce. Emily said it was the best fish she’d ever eaten. I chose the 35-day dry-aged strip loin, complete with the most velvety and buttery potato puree. The bearnaise sauce, one of our favorites, was ethereal and well balanced between the butter, vinegar, and the sweet tarragon. Faith told us we could not skip the chimichurri, an herbal sauce of parsley and garlic, herbs, olive oil, and vinegar, which we also loved. Between the grill, the aging process, and the technique, this one of the best steaks I have ever had.

Custom, wood-fired grill

Tartare

EL: As our focus turned to dessert, I was heartened to learn the story of the lemon cake on the menu, which is based off Longres’ grandmother’s signature recipe. It was bright and flavorful, and we ate every bite. Chef Longres also offered us the honey apple cake with cognac caramel, which was equally satisfying and embodied the cozy flavors of autumn. From start to finish, our Acre experience was nothing short of perfection.

Midwestern hospitality is at its best at Acre, and Chef Longres should be incredibly proud of what he’s built. We certainly are.

Acre, located at 6325 Lewis Street in Parkville, Missouri, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made at acrekc.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 in business development and loves to cook for friends and family; Emily is a communications strategist with an arts background. Along with their daughters, Evie and Catharine, they live a life filled with food, culture, and creativity.