Editor’s note: The following is from the Let’s Dish newsletter from Jenna Thompson, published weekly on Fridays. Let’s Dish also publishes on Tuesdays from Food Insider Katelyn Umholtz. You can sign up here to get them delivered to your inbox.
Welcome back to Let’s Dish — your one-stop shop for all things eats in Kansas City. I’m Jenna Thompson, one of the restaurant reporters for The Star.
Welcome back to your weekly installment of our newsletter: a love note to foodies in Kansas City. It seems fall is giving way to winter, and I’m ready to begin baking Christmas cookies. But I digress.
Today’s list of stories seeks to satiate a variety of cravings, from caffeine to quesadillas. This new Johnson County restaurant isn’t what one might consider authentic Mexican cuisine, but a spokeswoman told me it’s “its own thing.” However you classify it, many Arkansas residents love it. Soon you can have a taste, too!
You may recall this brewery announcing it would close a Kansas City location. Now its last remaining spot in the area is saying goodbye to customers, too. They said it’s been “an incredible ride.” We’ll cover all those headlines and more in today’s Let’s Dish.
Your story stew is served!
A KC-area brewery is closing
Just a few months ago, a brewery of 10 years announced it would close an Independence location.
The announcement itself was a little cryptic, sharing that owners felt the city had been less than supportive and that they had been “done wrong.” I reached out to the owners and received no response.
Just yesterday, the brewery announced it would close its last remaining spot in the metro. This one is in a suburb’s busy downtown area. I caught a manager on the phone, who told me the post was no joke.
“While we’re sad to say goodbye, we’re choosing to celebrate the incredible ride we’ve had. Ten years of memories, friendships, adventures, cold beers, and stories,” they wrote on social media.
Johnson County Mexican-style restaurant opening
A former Italian restaurant in Johnson County has been transformed into a Southwestern-style restaurant.
The Arkansas-based upscale chain is calling the cuisine “fresh Mex,” and while some dishes lean more traditional, there’s plenty that’s a touch more modern.
Still, the place specializes in street tacos and tequila, and they’re eager to begin serving the Kansas City metro. This is the brand’s fourth location — and the first in the KC market.
Want to glance at its menu? My story has all the details.
À la carte
✴️ When one coffee shop closed in Westport, many fans bemoaned the exit. Now another is open, and my colleague Noelle Alviz-Gransee has the details.
✴️ Yet another Yemeni coffee shop is opening in Johnson County, though this time it’s a brand with some familiarity.
✴️ A Johnson County doughnut shop is crossing state lines to bring its sweets and caffeine to the Missouri side. It’s open in its biggest location yet.
Standout dish of the week
Faithful followers of the newsletter will recall that I, not too long ago, had my wisdom teeth removed. I wasn’t expecting the pain and numbness to linger for so long, but that’s what happens when you put off an oral surgery meant to be performed during your teen years, I suppose.
I was grateful on Monday to have complete use of my facial muscles and jaw, because I needed every nerve in my mouth to chow down on Brooksider’s massive, juicy Boursin burger.
Topped with Boursin cheese, special sauce and crunchy onion straws, I was delighted at how juicy the patty was. Combined with a side of ranch (to go on my salad, but I craftily dipped my burger into it), it mixed zesty and slightly sweet flavors perfectly.
Brooksider is now open in Leawood’s Town Center.
Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.
