Eden Alley
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Eden Alley is definitely a great bargain, fresh, tasty, well-presented food that does not cost a fortune and is good for you. Even if you are not a vegetarian you will find something good. The service is always pleasant and efficient and the outside patio is one of the best dining places in KC on the Plaza. Try the The 'meatless' tacos, the whole grain bread with agave butter, and the roasted sweet potatoes. The apple cranberry salad is always good too.
Atmosphere
Eden Alley is located in the basement of a church, although it is off to the side and really set apart. The main dining area, down the stairs, is a huge, almost cavernous space with tall ceilings and dark cold floor, in fact, it looks a little strange at first - that big, bare space with little tables spread around, but, I've eaten in this space several times and, once you settle in, it's both comfortable and enjoyable. In fact, because it's not the typical smashed-together seating that you might get in a more traditional restaurant, it's kind of fun. But, it is the outside patio upstairs that is the best place to sit. Large wrought iron bistro tables sit in an enclosed patio under very shady oak trees. When the weather is nice it's a great place to sit and people watch, and it's right on the Plaza.
Service
The service here is casual, as it should be, but always friendly and efficient. Especially when you are sitting outside and the servers have to climb up and down the stairs to get you anything, they are always smiling, accommodating, and knowledgeable.
Food
Even if you are not a vegetarian the food here is great. It's very simple and casual but always fresh and well-presented. The portions are large too and I usually end up taking some home.
To begin, we were presented with warm multi-grain bread with agave butter (the first serving is free) and it was delicious. The bread was warm and had a nice crust on the outside but was soft and delicious inside. The slices were nice and thick and the agave made the butter slightly sweet. Despite our efforts not to, we devoured it!
For our meal, we started with the 'dip duet' ($6.25) with hummus and baba ghanouj, served with warm pita bread. The baba ghanouj (a Mediterranean eggplant dip) was excellent but the hummus (chick pea dip) was a little watery and tasteless. The pita was nice and warm and very fresh.
For entrees my partner had the meatless tacos made with vegetable protein and, to my surprise, they were really great. The corn shells were crispy and flavorful and the salsa and cheeses tasted really fresh. The protein was nicely seasoned and was perfectly salted. The tacos also came with brown rice.
I had my usual, the spinach and mushroom loaf ($10.25), which I normally adore, but on this day it was a little mushy, cold, and not as good as usual. I like it when it has a lot of breadcrumbs and is very firm. Still, it's always been a favorite of mine. It's topped with a nice tomato sauce and served with roasted sweet potatoes on the side that are divine!
For beverages we had a kalibur, a de-alcoholized beer that tastes very strongly of roasted barley and was pretty good, and a bly sky lemon dew soda that was nice and refreshing and only moderately sweet.
To begin, we were presented with warm multi-grain bread with agave butter (the first serving is free) and it was delicious. The bread was warm and had a nice crust on the outside but was soft and delicious inside. The slices were nice and thick and the agave made the butter slightly sweet. Despite our efforts not to, we devoured it!
For our meal, we started with the 'dip duet' ($6.25) with hummus and baba ghanouj, served with warm pita bread. The baba ghanouj (a Mediterranean eggplant dip) was excellent but the hummus (chick pea dip) was a little watery and tasteless. The pita was nice and warm and very fresh.
For entrees my partner had the meatless tacos made with vegetable protein and, to my surprise, they were really great. The corn shells were crispy and flavorful and the salsa and cheeses tasted really fresh. The protein was nicely seasoned and was perfectly salted. The tacos also came with brown rice.
I had my usual, the spinach and mushroom loaf ($10.25), which I normally adore, but on this day it was a little mushy, cold, and not as good as usual. I like it when it has a lot of breadcrumbs and is very firm. Still, it's always been a favorite of mine. It's topped with a nice tomato sauce and served with roasted sweet potatoes on the side that are divine!
For beverages we had a kalibur, a de-alcoholized beer that tastes very strongly of roasted barley and was pretty good, and a bly sky lemon dew soda that was nice and refreshing and only moderately sweet.
Cleanliness
Everything always looks clean here. The bathrooms are nice too, located just down the stairs as you go in.
Pros
Eden Alley is a great restaurant for what is it: casual, inexpensive vegetarian food that is fresh, plentiful, and delicious. It's great when you want a simple, good-for-you meal that doesn't cost a fortune. And, if the weather is good, you get one of the best outdoor environments in town, right on the Plaza. The service is always good too.
Cons
Some of the food is hit-and-miss. Our hummus and mushroom loaf did not live up to expectations.
