Denis Culinary Tours

I don’t live too far from André’s Confiserie Suisse which is on Main and 50th Street just off the Plaza. Both bad and good news for me. This family-run establishment, here since 1955, has another location on 119th Street in Overland Park which they’ve called Andre’s Rivaz, which opened in 2002. While confiserie means a shop selling sweets and confections, André’s has expanded that meaning, believe me. They are especially famous for their truffles and tortes, but there’s so much else, including bars, cookies, chocolate almonds and orange peels, and much, much more. My almost very favorite is the Matterhorn with its creamy inside and dark chocolate coating. One is about two desserts, even if you’re a chocoholic. But, too, the macaroons are a small taste of heaven.  Andre’s expanded a while back and their lunch menu is eclectic and varied – it’s not just quiche for ladies anymore. . . though quiche is usually a choice every day and they do make the best quiche in K....

A sunny Saturday afternoon and being only slightly hung-over from what turned into a late night before (PotPie, always good!), I wanted a burger.  It's not that often that I say that. Off we went to Westside Local for their covered patio.  This is not elegance, picnic tables and benches largely dominate, but our wrought iron table on the side was shaded and protected . . . by a large dog of indiscriminate breed.  We didn't know he was protecting us, and everyone else, when a bulldog shouldered by, thereby causing a thunderstorm of barking punctuated by very loud, mostly useless cries of their respective owners to quiet, stop, no, etc.  Whaddya expect, really? Other than that disruption, the food was good, very good.  One of the best grilled cheese sandwiches in town, hands down. Bill had already started in before I could get my camera out, as you seen in the pic.   My burger came the way I ordered it; fries are great.  Service was OK, b...

Fika is a verb and a noun, mostly in Sweden but now in Kansas City, too.  It’s pronounced fee-kuh.   The easiest explanation is that it’s a coffee break, but not the kind of hurried, stand up and gulp one like we have.  Instead, it means to take a real moment and enjoy your life. With cookies and sweets.  With friends or alone.  It’s basically what we are now calling “mindfulness,” with coffee or tea.  It’s available at the Krokstrom Klub and Market at 3601 Broadway.  It is, at this restaurant, unequivocally delicious – who knew a plate of four different small cookies and treats could be so good?  In fact, so much so, that my portly companion and I, rather than doing the leisurely thing, started right in on it.  The plate varies from day to day and ours came with apple butter for the almost biscuit which was better than any apple butter I’ve had.  After initial nibbles, we began to savor, slowing our pace a bit. We tri...