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Categories: American (New), Lounges
Neighborhood: Westport
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Brunch.
Hands down - my most favorite meal of the day. It's such a treat when you see a menu packed with the best breakfast items, but mixed with some fun lunch items, too. And...mimosas and bellinis. Lovely. And, it's even more of a treat when you're in a totally new city and can try out one of the fab brunch spots!
Enter Bluestem.
This place is super, super cute. The lounge area is spacious and cozy - great for afterwork cocktails or kickin' back with your favorite group of people. The dining area is a little more intimate and sophisticated. The exposed brick and various mirrors on the wall give true character to the dining room, for sure.
The service here is awesome, friendly, attentive! Everyone gives off this close-knit, family vibe...ya know? I don't see that too often, so I became quickly became enamoured. *sigh*
Now, the brunch menu had all these delicious sounding items...yup. Biscuits and gravy w/ egg, corned beef hash, kobe beef burger, country friend steak, crepes, chicken liver w/ grits - comfort food at its finest, right? After asking for input, I decided on the chicken liver with Parmesan grits. Yes, Parmesan.
It was such a different combo that you can't find anywhere else, so I had to try it out. Verdict? Delicious. The liver was perfectly cooked and even had a little crunch when you bit into it. The cheesy grits were delightful, too. Yum.
My friend's kobe beef burger looked amazing. The best part of that burger was probably the fried egg on top. Seriously. Add in the huge portion of fries and anyone would be satisfied with that menu choice.
Bluestem also has some fab happy hour deals that we took advantage of the night before. $2 truffle fries (yes, $2!) and $6 martinis. Best part? The happy hour started at 10pm on a SATURDAY. Deals, yo!
Ahhh, love Bluestem. I wish I could go back to try the rest of the brunch items. Perhaps they can open one in Chicago? ;)
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Kansas City. The menu is always changing and always on point, service is fabulous, great lighting, and you definitely get what you pay for. They usually start with an amuse-bouche and give something small and sweet after your meal (which is great if everyone isn't into dessert)
Since I think everything is good there I would say just order what you're in the mood for, or something you haven't tried. You will not be disappointed!
Didn't live up to the hype for me. The food presentation was exciting, and the food was good, but definitely not worth the price. Dessert was most disappointing. Maybe I'm just not a fan of deconstructed desserts, but I found mine to be emotionally cold and wanting.
I went to Bluestem for some late night cocktails and food. I had the Kobe burger with blue cheese and it was delicious. From now on, whenever I am having a burger craving, I will get my fix at BlueStem. My BF had the shrimp and grits and it was equally as delicious. You cannot go wrong with any of their cocktails. They are all pretty good and have a bit of a twist(in a good way)!
This review is for the lounge only.
I don't know why this lounge always falls off our rotation, but we need to make a point of remembering that it exists. There are great happy hour specials on bottles of wine and 1/2 price martinis. I love the champagne flights. Best of all, I love their small plates. When you don't want a huge meal, but you know you better eat before drinking. The other night we had a Kobe burger that came with a huge side of fries. They also have other yummy snacks like parmesan popcorn. The great part is that the Bluestem chef that is cooking up a $30 meal for the restaurant is also in charge of your $5 pomme frites.
It is sexy and velvety inside and a great place to start, or end, the night..
I thought it was great, but I am a big foodie. The dinner was about three hours long, so get ready.… Read more »
I have only been here twice (once when it only sat 14 and once since the expansion), but if I lived in KC I assure you I'd be here at least once a month. It's a bit of a splurge, but you get what you pay for - a true dining experience.
I should mention - the second time I ate at Bluestem, it was the sole reason for my trip down I-29. If I close my eyes tight enough, I can still taste the Fois Gras.
Long live the slow, romantic and uninterrupted idea of supper. Dining at Bluestem was a special treat and clearly my top experience of the year in KC. This destination with virtually no signage was a great choice for sharing with someone special. Step off of Westport Road and through the door and curtains and into a sleek and cozy bar. The music, lighting and vibe were perfect. After sharing a couple of drinks at the bar we arrived at our table and the wait staff gave us the drill for ordering. After selecting a terrific wine (Thanks for the help Jeremy), we both went for the three course meal. The galpal started with Wagyu tartare with Maytag and radishes. The Kobe beef used in this dish MELTED. Simply amazing. I went for the heirloom beets in champagne vinaigrette. Great starters. Entrees were just flavorfully out of this world. She had the scallops braised in bacon, cauliflower and cabbage, and I don't think I looked up once while eating the confit duck cassoulet with cranberries and garlic. Zing!! Dessert? I can't even remember dessert. Something foamy in a shot glass and something chocolate. My senses were drunk on the food. Everything was top notch and delightful. With food, presentation and service like this, who needs a sign?
great drinks and food..perfect attention to detail
Been here many times now, everytime has been extraordinary food and great servie.
I have long been curious about this place. We plan to go in the near future, but in the meantime I thought it should be listed at least!
Update: 11/2008 The decor is sublime, the service excellent, and the food was quite good. Only brunch this time but I'm hoping with dinner to add a fifth star.
finding a place that does it any better than colby, jeremy and the rest of the staff at bluestem is a daunting task in our culinary-rich midwestern city. creativity is the norm here at bluestem with chef colby garrelts constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to cuisine. a blend of traditional and molecular gastronomy in the convenient westport neighborhood... what's not to like?
My husband and I were here for Sunday brunch recently (our first visit) and thought it was great. Food and service were both excellent and we're ready to make the larger commitment sometime soon for dinner!
Edited to add - we went for Saturday dinner with some friends in late August and loved it - we all did the seven course meal, and although we were there for over three hours, it flew by. The food was great and the portions appropriate, the service was polished, and the atmosphere was lovely. I would save it for a special occasion since it was so pricey, but it was perfect for us and for our out-of-town foodie visitors!
Blue stem is a very nice restaurant in Westport; the food there is a little pricey but very flavorful and presented beautifully. They have a wide assortment of wine by the bottle or glass, and they have a bar with seating in a completely different room if want to check it out but don't care to dine. The mood is very relaxed and elegant; it is a great place to take a date, or loved ones.
bluestem put me in a food coma.
I was lucky enough to be with a friend who had just won $500 at Isle of Capri. Just by swiping her card. I swiped my card after she did...and only won $20. But I digress...
Since she had won the money, and since we already had dinner reservations for bluestem that night, we just decided to go all out and order seven courses, paired with wine, with a four-course dessert menu. (Seven courses gets you four appetizers, two small entrees and one dessert.)
It was a three-and-a-half-hour meal.
bluestem's menu changes monthly, my description of the food will be obsolete in a few weeks, but let me just say that:
-- Our waitress told us the foie gras is a specialty of the chef. It basically stays on the menu each month -- it's just the side that changes, with the seasons.
-- Definitely get the wine paired with dinner. It is very worth the extra money.
-- Make an early reservation: We got there at 6, and were the only ones there for nearly an hour, so we had plenty of time to chat with our waitress (who was extremely knowledgeable). And left at 9:30. And I don't think I could have lasted much longer: so much amazing food.
-- I love the small dining room. Very intimate. Also, try to stop into the lounge before or after dinner. Comfortable couches in the far corner, great for chatting with friends, and I'm absolutely in love with the wall full of mirrors.
-- I just have to list off my favorite dishes: hamachi and tuna crudo, with arbequina olives, almond, citrus, ginger essence; calamarta, spring veal, soffrito, tomato, pinenut, oregano; gnocchi, with squash, roasted tomatoes in a brown sugar sauce; and the campo lindo hen, sage, rogout of spring carrots and radishes, pistachio pistou.
Delicious.
PLUS. All the desserts we had were amazing! A few: warm sarsaparilla cake, roasted peach, popcorn ice cream, honey peach caramel and three popcorn kernels; carrot cake, sweet marscapone, walnut nougatine, cinnamon emulsion, carrot ginger sorbet; chocolate velvet ice cream, bourbon marshmellow, chocolate sponge cake, toasted nut caramel.
We had the most amazing sparkling wine to round out the desserts -- it was a rose color, very sweet, with hints of strawberry? And I can't remember the name! I wish I could though -- I would definitely buy a bottle or five for home.
Update: Just called bluestem. The wine is Cava Codorniu Ros - Pinot Noir - Brut. Now I've just gotta find it in KC.
I definitely recommend bluestem for a nice dinner out.
this place was absolutely wonderful. everything is was amazingly delicious - both what i had and what my friend had. unfortunately i cannot remember the names, but i assure you that you will not be disappointed. it's expensive, but actually, for what you get, it's a really good deal (i'm from the east coast). i found it quite strange that it's less than a block from a random holiday inn express and a sonic fast food place, but hey, it's kansas city (i guess). but don't worry, when you walk in, you're in a whole different place: the decor is hip and modern, yet sophisticaed. great date place if you regularly roll like that.
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