NoRTH
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Kudos go to NoRTH for its decidedly tasteful and un-chain-like décor, and its inventive and comprehensive menu, though some of the food fell short of our high expectations. Service is extremely accommodating, if not a little forced, and the cocktail menu is beyond imaginative compared to the rest of Kansas City. The best time to go is when the weather is nice and you can enjoy the spacious patio and/or open windows, though we imagine it would also be nice when the snow is falling. Overall, a very good choice if you find yourself in Overland Park and in need of a good meal. Try the Baby Greens Salad with Chicken and Spicy Eggplant Dip
Atmosphere
Although NoRTH is part of a large chain owned by Fox Restaurant Concepts, it's décor is decidedly tasteful and un-chain-like. The vast and open space has impossibly high ceilings and a welcoming, open-air feel. To the left, a long shiny bar, with perfectly-aligned chairs, beckons in front of a worn exposed-brick wall. Beyond which is a shielded open kitchen where one can see bustling chefs. To the right, a wall of glass doors that, in nice weather, open out onto a spacious patio of wrought iron dining tables and large shady umbrellas. In the center, long rows of simple wood veneer tables and booths are set simply with glasses and rolled silverware. Overhead, huge, modern drum shades give off delicate light, and overall the muted colors of dusty tangerine, dark wood, and olive green leather lend a welcome air of sophistication. If it weren't for the constant traffic whizzing by from 119th St, one might just believe they were actually in Milan. Ah well....
Service
Everyone at NoRTH is extremely well-trained to think service, service, service, and it shows. From the hostess to the manager the staff is accommodating, and friendly. The manager even sent someone to buy wheat bread for us when we merely asked if they had it. Within minutes, a fresh loaf of grilled wheat bread appeared at our table. Voila!! Now, that's service!
That said, I couldn't help noticing that all this serving was a little forced, as when someone is smiling at you so hard that you can see their jaw is aching, and I am not quite convinced that all of that friendliness is sincere. Now, not to seem ungrateful, and I certainly enjoyed the wheat bread, but I couldn't help but all those Sirs and Ma'ams, and Absolutely's and Right Away's were not exactly sincere. Which is better: genuine and wholehearted service that may or may not be imperfect, or service that is so polished and robotic that it seems feigned? I'll let you decide....
That said, I couldn't help noticing that all this serving was a little forced, as when someone is smiling at you so hard that you can see their jaw is aching, and I am not quite convinced that all of that friendliness is sincere. Now, not to seem ungrateful, and I certainly enjoyed the wheat bread, but I couldn't help but all those Sirs and Ma'ams, and Absolutely's and Right Away's were not exactly sincere. Which is better: genuine and wholehearted service that may or may not be imperfect, or service that is so polished and robotic that it seems feigned? I'll let you decide....
Food
The first thing we noticed at NoRTH was the fantastic menu. I always say, the sign of a great restaurant is having so many good choices you are not sure what to order. Such was the case at NoRTH. Maybe because we were starving. Maybe because I had gotten to the point where I was so hungry I thought I might take a bite out of my own arm, but when presented with the menu there were so many delicious-sounding options I could hardly make up my mind. I like that.
Finally, because we saw it at a neighboring table and it looked amazing, we opted for a Trio of Spreads ($9), which included Hummus, Eggplant Dip, and Goat Cheese with Pesto. Now, I'm not sure if Hummus and Eggplant Dip (isn't that called Baba Ganoush?) qualify as Northern Italian cuisine but, putting the authenticity issue aside... The Hummus, which I suspect was made out of white beans (which would therefore definitely make it Italian, but not by the name Hummus) was sadly bland and would benefit greatly by the addition of garlic, but the Eggplant had a nice spicy kick, and the Goat Cheese and pesto was creamy and rich, if not a little thick. The trio was accompanied by NoRTH's own grilled garlic bread, which was a bit dry but, ironically, the wheat bread they bought for us was deliciously crusty, dense, and chewy. We suggest they stick to the wheat bread :)
To go along with our trio, we had a bowl of Zucca chips ($5), thinly-sliced zucchini deep-friend in oil and served plain. And, although the idea of fried zucchini chips is a good one, we suspect there is a reason why it is not widely offered, as the majority of the chips were so thin and delicate that they were overcooked and had a slightly burned taste to them. Too bad, because the few that were underdone had wonderful flavor.
For entrees, and this was a much-belabored decision, the Fork and Knife Meatball Sandwich ($9) was disappointingly dry and salty, with hardly enough sauce to cover the bread, accompanied by grilled broccoli and cauliflower, which we thought was an odd choice for grilled vegetables. But, a Baby Greens Salad ($8), with feta, hazelnuts, corn, raisins, avocado,and added Grilled Chicken ($3) was perfectly-dressed salad Heaven, with sweet bits of raisins and corn superbly complimenting the crunch of the hazelnuts and the sharpness of the feta. I am a firm believer that one should never take salad leftovers home, especially when it is already dressed, but we were full after the Trio and Zucca Chips and this addictive salad treat was too good to go to waste. And, I admit that even severely-wilted, this salad made a fantastic snack later that evening.
NoRTH also has a creative and tempting cocktail menu though, unfortunately, we were there too early in the day to imbibe. High on my list was the Succo di Bacca ($10), with rum, strawberries, and fennel syrup, and the Valente ($9), with whiskey, red bell peppers, basil, and honey. Hello??!!! Maybe next time....
Finally, because we saw it at a neighboring table and it looked amazing, we opted for a Trio of Spreads ($9), which included Hummus, Eggplant Dip, and Goat Cheese with Pesto. Now, I'm not sure if Hummus and Eggplant Dip (isn't that called Baba Ganoush?) qualify as Northern Italian cuisine but, putting the authenticity issue aside... The Hummus, which I suspect was made out of white beans (which would therefore definitely make it Italian, but not by the name Hummus) was sadly bland and would benefit greatly by the addition of garlic, but the Eggplant had a nice spicy kick, and the Goat Cheese and pesto was creamy and rich, if not a little thick. The trio was accompanied by NoRTH's own grilled garlic bread, which was a bit dry but, ironically, the wheat bread they bought for us was deliciously crusty, dense, and chewy. We suggest they stick to the wheat bread :)
To go along with our trio, we had a bowl of Zucca chips ($5), thinly-sliced zucchini deep-friend in oil and served plain. And, although the idea of fried zucchini chips is a good one, we suspect there is a reason why it is not widely offered, as the majority of the chips were so thin and delicate that they were overcooked and had a slightly burned taste to them. Too bad, because the few that were underdone had wonderful flavor.
For entrees, and this was a much-belabored decision, the Fork and Knife Meatball Sandwich ($9) was disappointingly dry and salty, with hardly enough sauce to cover the bread, accompanied by grilled broccoli and cauliflower, which we thought was an odd choice for grilled vegetables. But, a Baby Greens Salad ($8), with feta, hazelnuts, corn, raisins, avocado,and added Grilled Chicken ($3) was perfectly-dressed salad Heaven, with sweet bits of raisins and corn superbly complimenting the crunch of the hazelnuts and the sharpness of the feta. I am a firm believer that one should never take salad leftovers home, especially when it is already dressed, but we were full after the Trio and Zucca Chips and this addictive salad treat was too good to go to waste. And, I admit that even severely-wilted, this salad made a fantastic snack later that evening.
NoRTH also has a creative and tempting cocktail menu though, unfortunately, we were there too early in the day to imbibe. High on my list was the Succo di Bacca ($10), with rum, strawberries, and fennel syrup, and the Valente ($9), with whiskey, red bell peppers, basil, and honey. Hello??!!! Maybe next time....
Cleanliness
Immaculate, and beautiful.
Pros
Great décor, Very friendly and accommodating service, Some very good food, Wonderful patio.
Cons
Some of the food below par, Service so friendly you question it's sincerity.
