Flying Saucer Draught Emporium - Drinking in Kansas City

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium

101 East 13th St.
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 221-1900
http://www.beerknurd.com/stores/kansascity/

.. wow!
I don't even know where to start!

So, there's 200 beers to choose from, with over 74 on tap!
If you're a member of the UFO club, when get through the whole beer menu you'll earn a personalized saucer to be displayed proudly on the wall or ceiling!

What's good? Get a beer flight!


We arrived here just after dark from a jam packed day starting with a quick bite at Joe's BBQ Kansas City, then a stroll through the World War I museum. A break for coffee at Thou Mayest (a Kansas City local specialty coffee roaster), and an iconic $5 Manhattan at Pierponts in Union Station.

Located near the Power and Light district. There's plenty of entertainment around - From restaurants and bars, down to shopping and live music.

We each had a beer flight designed by our most friendliest bartender.
I asked to have a combo of brews, as broad of a selection as possible.
This resulted in a Strongbow cider, Hofbrau Hefe Weizen, Tallgrass buffalo sweat oatmeal stout, Green flash hop head red, and a Bells 2 hearted IPA.
.. how's that for variety!

Aside from setting us up and pouring our drinks, she also explained to us what the tasting notes were for each of our drinks, and which ones were her favorite. A very important element for a craft beer bar is a knowledgable and passionate bartender - and the flying saucer scores another point.

The atmosphere was great. It's cosy, friendly, busy and passionate. Being a Gastropub, it meets every criteria, but with extremely reasonable prices - which is another point scored by the flying saucer.

There are events held here on a regular basis, every week showcasing one rare beer on tap. A $3 local beer night, Trivia night, and Brewery night where a certain brewery showcases their beer along with giveaway collectable glassware as incentive for patrons to trying out their brew.

So, If you're ever around the district (which you will if you're in Kansas), make sure to check out the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium.
Sure they have another 16 locations across the US, but Kansas City is where the breweries (and microbreweries) are booming, with over 21 craft brewers and counting.

Therefore, if it's anywhere you wanted to take your beer palette on a journey, it's here in Kansas City.

The Majestic steakhouse - Dining in Kansas City

The Majestic
931 Broadway Blvd
Kansas City, MO 64105
816-221-1888

http://www.majestickc.com

After a beer flight at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, we quickly rushed here in hope to make the last call for dining that night.

Operating out of The Fitzpatrick Saloon Building, an old Kansas City Saloon dating back further than 1923 -

Upon entry we were greeted by a nice little jazz quartet tucked in the corner right by the front window. They jammed the night away opposite a mural adorned with the greatest figures to come out of Kansas City titled 'From Kansas city to… Fame', with the likes of Walt Disney, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, and Ernest Hemmingway who graced this proud painting.  

Further on.

Our waiter was kind enough to take us in and reassured us that we had all the time in the world to enjoy our dinner - Kansas City locals are very nice people.

Here's the honest part,
I seriously cannot remember for my life what we ordered. See, after the beer flight we had at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium and the $5 Manhattan at Pierponts, I guess I was quite tipsy by the time we got here.

But, knowing myself and Tara, I think for drinks we ordered another Manhattan, and for the main course we had a USDA dry-aged KC Strip and a USDA dry-aged Rib Eye, with sides of mash, four cheese Mac and Cheese, steamed asparagus, and the soup of the day which came as an appetizer.

Like every top class restaurant, we had an amazing bread basket to call in our appetite. The soup of the day was also spectacular, (if only I remembered what it was..) and the main course was perfectly cooked and came out in perfect timing.

My steak was nothing short of extraordinary, tender and flavorful like how a KC strip should be.
Besides being dry-aged locally and cooked to perfection, where else in the world could you experience a USDA dry-aged KC Strip like in Kansas City?
..and why would you not? It's the ultimate culinary home field advantage, and I'm blessed to have experienced this.

I'd also like to point out the four Cheese Mac and Cheese as well. It was simply incredible. I could only wish we took on this side dish seriously in Australia, because here in the US, Mac and Cheese has become an art form with every chef showing off their own take on it.

Besides the incredible food and service, you'll also notice the antique 40-foot long bar (circa 1900's from New Orleans) with 245 different kinds of spirits on the shelves, and probably the same amount of wines by the bottle from the menu (I gave up counting.. there was a lot).

There's also another dining room in the basement which used to be an actual speakeasy during prohibition (now known as the Jazz Club) with a small stage equipped with a baby grand piano for jazz combos, if you want live music to be your main attention here at the Majestic.
Otherwise, the ground level dining room will serve you well if you're here to experience the food above anything else (ha ha, pun intended).
There's also a private cigar and whiskey club (called the Pendergast club) up stairs as well, which I don't know much about to be honest.

The Majestic steakhouse is a must visit if you want to experience what Kansas City has mastered; Culinary and Jazz culture.

It's classy, it's historic and it embodies everything that's amazing about Kansas City.

Put quite simply, it's Majestic.

__________

Footnote,
For music history buffs:
Apart from New Orleans, Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and New York City - Kansas City is also known as one of the most popular 'Cradles of Jazz'.
Rich in history as the crossroads of the United States, many musicians gathered here in Kansas City during their transcontinental transit and henceforth came together, jammed and revolutionized the genre with their combined backgrounds in Blues, Bebop and Big Band which eventually became the unique 'Kansas City Style Jazz'. A hard-swinging, bluesy transition style influenced by the popular styles at the time.

The Majestic hosts Kansas City's best Jazz bands pretty much every day of the week, so be sure to check out their calendar on their website, http://www.majestickc.com/upcoming-shows/ 

Joe's Kansas City BBQ (Formerly known as Oklahoma Joe's) - Dining inKansas City

Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que
3002 West 47th Avenue,
Kansas City, Kansas 66103
(913) 722-3366
http://www.joeskc.com

I had no idea what Oklahoma Joe's was until my good friend Tara, told me about it as we were picking up our order at the counter.
Before then I thought we were just picking up some food at a busy service station right by her place.

You see, President Barack Obama ordered $1,400 worth of takeout here and shipped it out on Air Force One (like a boss), 

and every year since 2004, Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que has been the Zagat #1 Rated barbecue restaurant in Kansas City. 

The Daily Meal website and USA Today both named Oklahoma Joe’s Kansas City's ribs "America's Best Ribs".

Then in 2009, Anthony Bourdain named this place as one of “Thirteen Places to Eat Before You Die” in an article for Men’s Health magazine.

..What kinda rock was I living under?!

I've been in Kansas City for about two hours after I broke into my friends house, parked my luggage in the guest room and had a nap on the couch with her dog.

It was only a few minutes later after she arrived home that she suggested we go grab some food. 

She told me that she had put in an order for pick up at this place right around the corner, so off we went, driving to this gas station called Shamrock at an intersection on West 47th Avenue, near Roeland park were she lived. 

To my surprise, the gas station was very busy.
There were plenty of cars parked on the lot, a few of them pumping gas, and the rest I had no idea why they were there until I started to smell an amazing aroma of BBQ smoke which filled the air, overpowering the smell of gasoline you normally would smell at a gas station.

We walked around the corner of the building revealing the entrance into Joe's, and it became apparent that this place is extremely popular judging by the long line of people waiting inside which snaked around the convenience store part of the service station - a very odd setting for a world class BBQ restaurant.

You could literally grab some spare spark plugs and anti-freeze while you wait for your ribs to arrive. 

Without hesitation, Tara headed straight for the pick up counter and got our food within 5 minutes of being there. 

(A tip if you don't want to wait in line - call in your order and pick it up as 'to go'.)

Arriving back home, Tara went through all the items that she had ordered for us; 

a full slab of ribs, the all famous Z-Man sandwich, BBQ beans, and fries - This is happening!

...Insert line break here, while I drool over this sweet memory.

The ribs, oh my goodness, the ribs couldn't wait to fall off the bone. The smokey flavors combined with the complexity of the baste (or the rub) and whatever they used to smoke it with was just out of this world. If you could taste BBQ heaven, this was it. 

The BBQ beans, wow! Who would've thought beans could be this amazing! It has definitely ruined my life knowing that I'll never find beans like this again.

Don't even get me started on the Z-Man sandwich. 

What a wonderful way to present slow smoked beef brisket and have it party with melted Provolone and onion rings between a kaiser roll IN YOUR MOUTH!

Even the next day, the ribs still tasted amazing - I seriously believe that this might be the best BBQ ribs on planet earth, 

and for the price? 

$21.99 for a full slab. God bless America!

Operating out of a gas station, this place was no less than extraordinary. 

It was here that I fell in love with Kansas City.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/cityscape/article1310928.html#storylink=cpy