Denis Culinary Tours

Usually by the third week of April, I’ve dined/imbibed at one or two outdoor dining spaces in K.C.  These are also known typically as patios and several restaurants around town have created lovely spaces for those who want to dine al fresco. This year, however, no dice.  For starters, it’s snowed, sleeted, semi-hailed, or rained or been freezing cold every weekend – but you are probably also aware of that. Once I got over my surprise at being unable to control the weather, I sought solutions. I found four that could come close to the answer.  Sullivan’s Steakhouse ’s outdoor dining is partially covered and enclosed.  You can eat an entire steak dinner or just snack on their bar bites – either works well.  You can also, the last time I was there,  smoke a cigar.  Brewery Emperial in the Crossroads has an entire “beer garden” where you can get much more than a beer.  You can warm up around their “au natural” (almost) fire fit.  You’ll ...

Peppercorn Filet ~ Piropos, a taste of Argentina Argentine food is an amalgam of Spanish, Italian and French cuisine, neither spicy or bland. The pride of Argentina is its fabulous steaks and Piropos follows the tradition. 8 oz. Filet 1 oz. Cracked peppercorns 2 oz. Brandy 2 oz. Heavy cream  Olive oil, salt to taste 2 Portobella mushrooms 6 white mushrooms 1 tsp. Rosemary 1. Coat one side of the filet with peppercorns and season with salt. Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Sear filet on both sides to desire temperature. If cooking medium to well done, place in oven to bring temperature up. 2. After removing filet from skillet, de-glaze the pan with brandy, stir in cream and reduce to desired consistency. Add salt to taste. 3. Sauteed mushrooms in olive oil on medium heat until al dente. Add rosemary, salt and pepper.  Piropos Restaurant 4141 N. Mulberry Drive  Kansas City, MO 64116  Ph. 816-741-3600

One Great Chef: Colby Garrelts In doing a bit of research on Colby Garrelts, I found his recipe for chipped beef on toast with white gravy.   My navy guy dad called it s*** on a shingle, and my mom made it from packaged dry beef and cream of mushroom soup.   He wouldn’t eat it but we kids liked it though we couldn’t call it what he did. Colby’s recipe has 16 ingredients, and reading it, I immediately wanted to make it.   Or rather, I wanted to order it. But it did make me go buy his second cook book, Made in America .       You probably already know all of Chef Garrelts’ credentials: a 2013 James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Midwest award winner, 2005 Food & Wine’s Top 10 Best New Chefs, author of two cookbooks (with semi-finalist Outstanding Pastry Chef, wife and co-owner Megan), semi-finalist Outstanding Restaurant for Bluestem in 2018, the third time on this prestigious short list, and all kinds of showcases and awards in various mag...