After much debate we decided to just eat at the bar and take advantage of their $2.95 bar bites. We ordered four of these and it was more than enough. We order two flat bread pizzas, their mini meatball sliders and spinach dip. Everything tasted amazing! The flat bread pizzas were full of flavor and freshness. The spinach dip served with crackers was filling enough for two. It was just the right amount of food for a very good price.

In order to fully celebrate any occasion I ordered their chocolate cake with ice cream. It was a lava type cake that was outstanding. The best part of any meal is desert and Bravo lived up to my expectations. We had a perfect dinner and service was great. We will definitely be going back!

They were very apologetic and even discounted our order for the error. Once we got the correct food it was very good. Not as good as Chartroose’s Philly’s, but a close second. The fries were plentiful and seasoned to perfection. As we were dining the server never once checked on us after the mistake. I am not sure if it was embarrassment, but we did not see her again until she brought the check by. You think you would make sure no drink refills were needed, but maybe she was busy. Then before we were leaving we noticed the wall behind us had a broken plate covering where electrical outlets use to be.

The wires being clearly exposed within reach of any young child who might explore and injure themselves. Hopefully these are not live wires, but a plate cost around 20 cents and could be replaced easily. The establishment has some history and could be updated for safety reasons. Dinner was good, service was a little disappointing and the concerns over the safety have me a little worried. I might be back, but I will give it some time so maybe they will make the necessary repairs.

Grinders is in the heart of the crossroads district and proves to pack some serious cures for those food cravings. I tried to visit Grinders earlier this year, but due to a concert in the vicinity it was over packed and the wait would have been a little too long. But this night we lucked out. We sat down in the Grinders West building, but we ordered from both the original and the west menus. We started off with an order of chicken wings with the “Death Sauce” and man was it killer on the taste buds. For dinner I tired a couple of different items. First I split the Baja burger…cooked medium and it was ok. Nothing spectacular. But then we got our pizza we ordered. The Le Hog which features a creamy white sauce and multiple bacon, ham and meatball toppings. The pizza was delicious. The crust was impeccable and by miles the best pizza I have had in Kansas City. The ambience was very modern and I really enjoyed the service and food. I will be going back to Grinders to try their other specialty pizzas and I recommend you to do the same.

I previously have enjoyed the food at Abuelo’s, but this time I think I may have over rated them or perhaps they changed their recipe. The restaurant which in the past seemed to be busy was rather slow at this time. We were seated quickly and it took some time to be greeted by our server. However once we got our drink and food order in it seemed like the pace picked up tremendously. I ordered the lunch chimichanga with chicken meat. I found the chimichanga a little overcooked and did not care for the queso it was drenched in. The chips and salsa were fresh and delicious.

Overall the service was spot on, with our waiter checking in frequently and offering us dessert, but the food was not up to par. Not sure what has changed since my last visit there over a year ago, but Abuelo’s can’t compare to some of my other favorite Mexican restaurants in the KC area.

Before heading to Smashburger I had hoped to call in my order and called the new location and found the phone rang endlessly until I was disconnected. Once there while waiting in line there were many flaws I found. The line was full of about fifty people waiting to order but they only had one register open but about seven extra employees running around. Finally when the line was down to about ten people another person jumped on the register. You would think that would be something to have done about twenty customers ago.

After ordering while waiting for the food I saw many mistakes being made. People who had orders to go were coming back in shorthanded on an order of fries and several dine-in customers were missing bacon from their burgers that had to be cooked and brought out separately. That was not as disturbing as the manager bagging the orders. He became very impatient with the cooks yelling at them that they were taking too long and saying that perhaps he should come back there to cook fries as it should not take this long. I found this disturbing as he is yelling at the people who are cooking my food. Way to piss them off. Plus while he is yelling at them it appears he is oblivious to the fact that he has around 20 customers behind him hearing all of this.

I was one of the lucky ones whose food order was correct. I headed back to the office to drop off the orders and chow down. I ordered the Spicy Baja burger which came with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos and guacamole. It was excellent. The flavors all together made it a spicy kicker, which is what Iove. However my co-worker who ordered the All American found it under cooked and pink in areas which were a turn off for her. The smash fries I found bland and dull. Overall the burger was great, but the service needs improvement. I am giving it the opening week exception, so I will go back and see if the chaos has seized until I make my final decision.

The Country Club Plaza

New neighborhood restaurant featuring fast, fresh and affordable food hosts benefit night for Children’s Mercy Hospital.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 3, 2010) Noodles & Company, the restaurant that serves made-to-order noodles, soups and salads inspired from around the world, will open its doors on The Country Club Plaza Sunday, March 7 at 10:30 a.m. The new restaurant is located at 540 Nichols Road at the intersection of Nichols Road and Jefferson Street.

In celebration of the opening, the public is invited to a pre-opening fundraiser at the new Noodles & Company restaurant on Friday, March 5, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The restaurant will donate 100 percent of the sales generated from the fundraiser to Children’s Mercy Hospital, one of the nation’s top pediatric medical centers in Kansas City.

“The Plaza is one of the preeminent shopping and dining landmarks in the country, so we are thrilled to be a part of it. This opening marks the beginning of several new restaurant openings we have planned in the area this year. In fact, we will double our presence in Kansas City by the end of 2010,” said Kevin Reddy, CEO and chairman of Noodles & Company. “At Noodles, giving back and supporting our local communities is part of our culture. We look forward to kicking off our involvement by supporting Children’s Mercy Hospital, and children and families in the Kansas City area and beyond.”

The new Noodles & Company location on The Plaza will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Convenient carry-out, phone-in or fax-in orders also are available. If catering for a large group, Noodles & Company’s Square Bowls, a family style to-go option, can feed four to 50. Guests may reach the new Plaza Noodles & Company location by calling 815-561-6100 or faxing 816-561-6102.

The opening marks the fifth Noodles & Company location in Kansas City metro area. Additional Noodles & Company restaurants in the Kansas City area include locations in Olathe, Overland Park, North Kansas City and Lee’s Summit. To find a restaurant near you, please visit www.noodles.com.

About Noodles & Company

Noodles & Company is about serving real food, real quick. Our menu features made-to-order noodles, soups and salads inspired from around the world that make everyone happy from kids to adults. Think Mac & Cheese, Pad Thai, Chinese Chop Salad and Pesto Cavatappi all under one roof. Within minutes of ordering a fresh, made-to-order dish will be delivered to the table on real china with real silverware. Nothing fake here. You also don’t have to clear your table or leave a tip. We just aim to please.

Dining on a Saturday in the early afternoon was slightly busy, but the restaurant offered adequate seating which meant no wait time. Unfortunately I was unable to try any of the alcoholic beverages, but my friends tried the Big Dog Beer Bong and loved its Bloody Mary style with a new intense flavor. The drinks are a little on the pricey side of $8 and up, but the Big Dog Beer Bong is served with a Corona that makes it more than substantial.

After reviewing the drinks it was time for some snacks. Hungry for dinner & appetizers we decided to try out the Chicken Nachos which were amazing. The chicken had great flavor, the toppings were fresh and it was very filling for the entire table. For dinner I opted for the best of both worlds. I settled for the Smoker, a burger with slices of Backfire slow smoked brisket served with fries. It was cooked to perfection and had a delicious smoky flavor. They had two wonderful sauces available. One was tangy and sweet and my personal favorite was the hot and spicy habanero flavored sauce.

The food was great and service could not have been better. My only complaint would be that the prices were on the high end. But then again at the Legends aren’t all the prices?

Our drink order was taken as soon as we were seated and our server was very polite. We did have a few drinks forgotten, but that was quickly corrected. After our food was ordered it was swiftly delivered. I found that our refills of chips, salsa and refreshments were not kept up on. For such a small area you would think we would have a little more service than experienced.

My next complaint would be the food. Our orders were completely mixed up and took forever to figure out. The chips were overcooked and burnt. The pork was dried out and did not have enough red sauce. The rice was excellent as always. Despite my disappointment in the food I know I will be back. I am hoping next time the food will return to its original flavor and offer the authentic cuisine I remember and admire.

During our wait we had a drink at the bar. I was immediately impressed with the cocktail prices. Their specialty drinks were no more than $5. I don’t know of many places where their specialty cocktails are less than $7-8 per drink. These drinks were of good size and tasted amazing. Once our table was ready we were seated. We were seated with another party of four for eight in total at our very own table/grill. The purpose of most Japanese Steak houses is to make the food right in front of you. This adds to the entertainment factor and makes for a unique dining experience.

The food was very reasonably priced. I ordered the chicken teriyaki and my husband tried the steak and crab. Not only do you get an entrée but you get a full course. It starts with very flavorful soup that is only the beginning to a scrumptious meal. Following the soup was the salad which was very fresh and served with an original ginger dressing. Up next is the rice which was cooked to perfection. As you are finishing up the salad and rice the cook brings out an appetizer of shrimp for all parties. The fun part begins. As he cooks all the food in front of you it is amazing. Eventually setting the grill on fire with flames rising several feet high, which leave you wondering if your eyebrows were singed off. It is all part of the fun.

As the cook is serving the shrimps, you are encouraged you to catch one. Everyone passed this task except for me. I am not very coordinated and failed twice. The shrimp were cooked to perfection and a perfect snack until the main course. Finally it was time for our dinner. My chicken teriyaki was served with a side of bean sprouts and veggies. All were cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. The chicken was very flavorful and made for a very filling meal. After dinner was finished we were served a little dish of sherbet ice cream to make for a perfect meal. All this for under $30!!

Where else can you dine that is relatively inexpensive and have a great evening? The only downside is that it is a little rushed. When you are served your sherbet it comes with your check. As GoJos is very busy they do seem to rush you a bit so they can get the table ready for the next group. Still loads of fun and I know I will be back.