The American Restaurant
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The American Restaurant reminds me of a Silversea cruise I went on, it was very expensive and, reportedly, the best. When you first get there, the atmosphere is a little bit of a letdown and the décor dated, but once you experience the impeccable service, the wonderful flavors, and the true hospitality, you forget all about the décor and you start to enjoy the things that truly matter. AR is a classic, deserving of all its accolades and wonderful reviews. As my Silversea cruise, it is not something I can do all the time, but it's something I will highly prize in my memory and I will be happy to come back to, whenever I get the privilege.
Atmosphere
OK, I have to be honest here, and I'm just going to come out and say it- the décor at AR is outdated. No, not just outdated, seriously outdated!! Awash in a sea of maroon, white, and chrome, I thought I had stepped into a Marriott hotel lobby circa 1984. During dinner I half- expected Joan Collins to come parading down the stairs in a gold-lame evening gown with huge shoulder pads. Even the grey and pink china had an 80's twist to it. Remember when grey & pink were all the rage? Well, I do. And it was a loooong time ago.
That said, once you get over the questionable décor, the atmosphere in itself is quite nice and, in its own dated way, classic. A large, sweeping stairway takes you into the dining room where huge 40ft windows overlook Crown Center. Soft piano music (jazz and standards) plays from the balcony, and the white linen-clothed tables are nicely spread and angled so that each table is comfortable and seemingly private. Compared to most of the new restaurants where close and cluttered banquet seating is the norm, and a loud, boisterous bar where you can hardly squeeze through is acceptable, this is a nice change and an example of how, sometimes, things were done better in the 'old days'. In a word, the atmosphere is quiet, sedated, calm, and lovely.
That said, once you get over the questionable décor, the atmosphere in itself is quite nice and, in its own dated way, classic. A large, sweeping stairway takes you into the dining room where huge 40ft windows overlook Crown Center. Soft piano music (jazz and standards) plays from the balcony, and the white linen-clothed tables are nicely spread and angled so that each table is comfortable and seemingly private. Compared to most of the new restaurants where close and cluttered banquet seating is the norm, and a loud, boisterous bar where you can hardly squeeze through is acceptable, this is a nice change and an example of how, sometimes, things were done better in the 'old days'. In a word, the atmosphere is quiet, sedated, calm, and lovely.
Service
The service here is excellent, I mean, really excellent, and it's one of the things that makes AR such an outstanding restaurant. All of the staff, from the busboy, to the hostess, to the manager, are friendly, efficient, well-spoken, informative, and helpful. It reminds you that real service is a rare thing these days. Our waiter knew every dish and explained everything beautifully; he did not just rattle of a laundry list, but knew in detail how each dish was made and what he was serving. His recommendations were well thought-out. He was friendly and chatty but, more importantly, he was not pushy, nosy, or intrusive. He did not try to up-sell us. The dishes came out in perfect time, the table was kept immaculate, the bread and water replenished immediately. Just the service alone was enough to make you feel pampered and special.
Food
AR is consistently noted for its wonderful food, having both a Mobile 4-star and AAA four diamond rating, and being regularly voted the #1 restaurant in Kansas City. (for a full list of awards and accolades, visit their website: www.theamericankc.com And, I must admit, it did not disappoint…
The first thing to come to the table is bread, and this was delicious. Warm, soft, and homemade, you could smell it as it sat on your plate begging to be eaten. (it didn't have to wait long…) One was, I think, wheat, with a thick chewy crust, and the other was, I believe, olive oil, which was softer and richer. Both were very good. The bread came with a soft round of butter which was salted. I prefer unsalted, but it was fine.
The ever-changing menu is divided into courses, and the pricing is based on how many courses you order: 3 courses is $65, 4 is $75, 5 is $83, and so on, and you may mix and match the courses any way you choose. Both my boyfriend and I had the 3-course option though we chose different things.
For starters, I had the tempura-fried figs, fresh figs very lightly battered and deep-fried. They were interesting, very light and airy, with some delicate greens, a light plum sauce and chopped hazelnuts. It mentioned foie gras, which I love, but don't remember any of. I'm not sure if the frying was a little heavy for a thing as delicate as a fresh fig, still, it worked. The textures and tastes were interesting.
My boyfriend had the charcuterie platter, a mix of pates and sausages. His included elk terrine with a drizzle of spicy sweet sauce that was great, capicola and salami, and warm, crispy toasts that were delicious. He also had an artichoke, arugula, and sausage salad with a poached duck egg on top. The egg was perfect.
For our main courses, I had lobster with cranberry beans (like green chick peas), artichoke puree, and lobster butter. It was rich, but very good. The lobster was cooked perfectly and was sweet and tender. The portions are adequate though not huge so, although the food is rich, you don't feel stuffed at the end. But it was my boyfriend's entrée that stole the night: veal breast, lightly breaded in panko breadcrumbs and pan-fried, served over sweet breads and shallots. Excellent! In fact, I think I ate more of his than I did my lobster. This was such a rich, decadent entrée, but it was so good. Perfectly cooked, perfectly presented, perfect temperature, and delicious flavor and depth. A truly great dish!
For dessert, I had the caramel corn pain perdue, which was brioche soaked in custard and cooked like french toast, sliced, and presented with a light caramel sauce, homemade candied corn, fresh blackberries, and a sweet corn ice cream that was divine. The dessert was very good- perfectly sweet, but not overly sweet. I ate every bite. Frankly, I could've done without the berries, who needs them when you have caramel sauce and corn ice cream? But, I still ate them :-)
The one thing I can say about this whole meal is that, as I'm writing this, I can taste each item again in my mind which, to me, is the sign of a truly good restaurant experience. We recommend trying the charcuterie platter, veal with sweetbreads, and the sweet corn ice cream. Overall, the food we chose was heavy, rich, and decadent, I couldn't come here on a weekly or even monthly basis, but for a special occasion or occasional splurge, it was excellent.
One more thing. AR also has an extensive wine list, a book of wine, really, with over 1,500 wines. The prices are very expensive with only a few bottles falling below the $50 mark and some reaching into the thousands. If you do not want a full bottle, half-bottles are available as are wines by the glass. They also have a full bar. A bourbon on the rocks was $10.
The first thing to come to the table is bread, and this was delicious. Warm, soft, and homemade, you could smell it as it sat on your plate begging to be eaten. (it didn't have to wait long…) One was, I think, wheat, with a thick chewy crust, and the other was, I believe, olive oil, which was softer and richer. Both were very good. The bread came with a soft round of butter which was salted. I prefer unsalted, but it was fine.
The ever-changing menu is divided into courses, and the pricing is based on how many courses you order: 3 courses is $65, 4 is $75, 5 is $83, and so on, and you may mix and match the courses any way you choose. Both my boyfriend and I had the 3-course option though we chose different things.
For starters, I had the tempura-fried figs, fresh figs very lightly battered and deep-fried. They were interesting, very light and airy, with some delicate greens, a light plum sauce and chopped hazelnuts. It mentioned foie gras, which I love, but don't remember any of. I'm not sure if the frying was a little heavy for a thing as delicate as a fresh fig, still, it worked. The textures and tastes were interesting.
My boyfriend had the charcuterie platter, a mix of pates and sausages. His included elk terrine with a drizzle of spicy sweet sauce that was great, capicola and salami, and warm, crispy toasts that were delicious. He also had an artichoke, arugula, and sausage salad with a poached duck egg on top. The egg was perfect.
For our main courses, I had lobster with cranberry beans (like green chick peas), artichoke puree, and lobster butter. It was rich, but very good. The lobster was cooked perfectly and was sweet and tender. The portions are adequate though not huge so, although the food is rich, you don't feel stuffed at the end. But it was my boyfriend's entrée that stole the night: veal breast, lightly breaded in panko breadcrumbs and pan-fried, served over sweet breads and shallots. Excellent! In fact, I think I ate more of his than I did my lobster. This was such a rich, decadent entrée, but it was so good. Perfectly cooked, perfectly presented, perfect temperature, and delicious flavor and depth. A truly great dish!
For dessert, I had the caramel corn pain perdue, which was brioche soaked in custard and cooked like french toast, sliced, and presented with a light caramel sauce, homemade candied corn, fresh blackberries, and a sweet corn ice cream that was divine. The dessert was very good- perfectly sweet, but not overly sweet. I ate every bite. Frankly, I could've done without the berries, who needs them when you have caramel sauce and corn ice cream? But, I still ate them :-)
The one thing I can say about this whole meal is that, as I'm writing this, I can taste each item again in my mind which, to me, is the sign of a truly good restaurant experience. We recommend trying the charcuterie platter, veal with sweetbreads, and the sweet corn ice cream. Overall, the food we chose was heavy, rich, and decadent, I couldn't come here on a weekly or even monthly basis, but for a special occasion or occasional splurge, it was excellent.
One more thing. AR also has an extensive wine list, a book of wine, really, with over 1,500 wines. The prices are very expensive with only a few bottles falling below the $50 mark and some reaching into the thousands. If you do not want a full bottle, half-bottles are available as are wines by the glass. They also have a full bar. A bourbon on the rocks was $10.
Cleanliness
Everything from the bar, to the bathrooms, to the dining room is perfectly-kempt.
Pros
The service is the best in KC, and the food was imaginative and excellently done.
Cons
The décor is outdated. It is very expensive.
