Balsano’s Gelato Café

So, my 17 year old came downtown to work in my office to make a little extra cash, I told him he could decide where to go for lunch.  He chose Chipotle…Hhhh.  I couldn’t talk him into anywhere else.  I don’t mind Chipotle, I always get my meal there in a bowl and it is always filling.  Chipotle’s Power and Light location is always bursting at the seams during lunch time and I usually run into people I know, which is fun. 

After lunch we walked across the courtyard to Balsano’s Gelato Café.  He really loved going to Balsano’s when it was on the Plaza and was completely bummed when they closed, through no fault of their own (if you believe all of the rumors).  Sometimes Kansas City is such a small town, anyway, we hadn’t been down to the new location until today.  The Power and Light district isn’t exactly teen friendly, for whatever reason it’s much easier for he and his friends to drive to the Plaza, park and walk around.  The new location is “L” shaped.  There are tables for two next to the exterior’s glass and the counter takes up the inside.  It’s cute although cozy.   

There are many gelato flavors to choose from, he chose Red Velvet Cake and Cheesecake flavors.  I ordered Italian Chocolate Chip.  He raved about how much he liked both flavors; I on the other hand, am not a fan.  To me, gelato should be very smooth and creamy, this tasted like freezer burned ice cream.  They report serving sandwiches, but today, they said they only had egg salad, upon hearing this, a potential customer walked.  I worry about this place’s viability, it was the middle of lunch hour on an 80+ degree day and there were only two other customers inside while outside the P&L was crawling with people.  If it doesn’t work out here, I hope they will try again, maybe in a more family friendly environment. 

Cupcake a la Mode

We finally got around to trying Cupcake a la Mode; (It’s only taken 3 years).  We took so long to get there that they have changed locations from 47^th Street in West Plaza to a cute spot directly on the Plaza.  Good for them!  Business must be good.  My spouse, 17 year old son and I ordered 4 cupcakes:  Red Velvet, Blackberry, Nutella and Tiramisu.  Now, not being from this area originally, I have to admit that I am not a fan of Red Velvet cake.  In fact, I don’t even understand what the big deal is… red food coloring makes it oh so much better?  However, my son has been thoroughly brainwashed by that red dye and he says that Red Velvet cake is his favorite.  I do like the cream cheese frosting, so I stuck my finger in it and tasted it (much to the loud objections from my son).  It was good; I don’t know what the cake tasted like because I refuse to knowingly put that much red dye in my body.  However, my son reported that it met expectation, minus being tarnished by a finger sized hole in the frosting.  Next, the Blackberry; its butter cream frosting was just like eating a blackberry, there was even a nice plump blackberry on top, nice.  The disappointing part of this one for my spouse and I was that the chocolate cake portion was dry; a problem not uncommon for chocolate cake.  The same problem was true for the Nutella cupcake.  The Nutella cake’s other problem was that it didn’t taste anything like Nutella.  I’ve been a big fan of the spread since childhood, so I was disappointed.  The best cupcake for me was the Tiramisu.  Wow, two types of butter cream frosting covered the moist white cake.  We all really liked this one.  I will go back for one of these, take it to the deck at Starbucks with friends and have it with a cup of good coffee.  That’s the best part of Cupcake a la Mode’s new location.  You can have your cake and walk to your favorite outdoor coffee spot too.     

Chez Elle

There are several trendy breakfast spots in Kansas City in old buildings in old neighborhoods that have gone for the "trashy chic" look with beat up old kitchen tables and rickety chairs (and that's fine). However, whoever owns this place put some money into the décor; everything is new and inviting. There are quite a few stairs to climb to the entrance, but don't let that deter you if you have trouble with stairs, there is a ramp on the left side of the building.

After climbing the stairs and entering, you find yourself in an inviting two story space that feels rather like a lobby. The order counter is to your left, the menu is written on a chalk board above the entrance to one of two dining rooms. You place your order and are given a number that you place in one of the kitschy little metal Eiffel Towers that are on each table. I thought these were cute and I appreciate that I don't have to wait, bunched up with everyone, near the counter for my order to come up or have someone walking through with plates of food yelling customer names every few minutes.

The kitchen is in the center and open to what I would consider the main dining room, to the right of the order counter. The other dining room is more coffee house style with black leather couches and chairs, a few tables to sit at and art from local artists for sale on the walls, this room has windows, the main room does not. Both rooms are inviting. I like that the spaces are so distinct, I can choose one or the other based on my mood.

Food:

There are 26 crepes listed on the menu (I'm sure you can come up with your own favorite concoction as well). In addition, the menu states that vegan, gluten free and buckwheat crepes are also available. Other menu items available: Greek, Spinach and House Salads; Soup of the Day; an assortment of house made pastries, smoothies and coffee.

We each ordered a cup of coffee and decided to share four crepes.

Crepe One: Bonjour - ham, scrambled eggs, Swiss cheese and hollandaise. (It came with the scrambled eggs piled on top, hmm…) We both thought this one was rather bland (possibly because we were also eating crepe two at the same time).

Crepe Two: Jambon - Black Forest ham, pesto, spinach, mozzarella and crème fraiche. Wow. The pesto tasted house made, very fresh, as was the spinach. The basil and garlic in this really made it pop. We both really liked it.

Crepe Three: Tropicale - coconut cream custard, almond brittle, pineapple and kiwi. I thought this one was okay. I did like the mix of flavors and textures. My co-diner absolutely loved it.

Crepe Four: Citron - lemon curd, strawberries (on the side) and whipped cream with a dash of powdered sugar. This one is served cold. My co-diner thought this one was too tart. I really liked this one. The tart lemon mixing with the ripe, sweet strawberries was a nice mix. This one would be especially refreshing on a hot KC summer afternoon.

The bill came to $34.80 before tax or tip (there is a tip jar at the order counter). We both really enjoyed this place and will be back.