Just for Valentines Day, Farm to Market Bread Company has created a Chocolate Cherry Bread. This Kansas City tradition is available for a limited time only, Feb. 8 through Valentine’s Day. This bread is made with semi-sweet chocolate, Michigan-grown red tart dried cherries and 100 percent cocoa.  Like all Farm to Market artisan breads, Chocolate Cherry is made with all-natural ingredients. This year, the recipe is being crafted into 14-ounce round loaves that make perfect gifts or treats for the office.

Allthough this bread is absolutely delicious just eaten plain, this recipe that adds strawberries and Nutella makes a luxurious treat.

 

Farm to Market Chocolate Cherry Nutella Panini

 

1 loaf  Farm to Market Chocolate Cherry Bread

Nutella to taste

Sliced Strawberries

 

Slice bread into desired thickness. On one half of bread spread desired amount of Nutella. Place 3 to 4 strawberry slices. Top with other slice of bread.  Place in panini maker until toasted to desired doneness,  Can use skillet to toast up, turning sandwich so both sides get toasted.

 

Tavern in the Village – Offering a four-day special (Feb. 11-14) of Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail, for $45. The full menu is also available with specialty handcrafted cocktails. Call for reservations.

Westport Cafe and Bar–  Available Saturday, February 11 through Tuesday, February 14, Westport Café and Bar is offering a special three-course prix fixe menu. This Paris Style Bisto is offering a a customizable menu to create the perfect meal, for $40 per person.  In addition, select wines have been paired with each course of our Valentine’s Day menu for an additional $15. The full menu is also available through 1:00 a.m. and drinks served until 1:30 a.m.  Call for reservations.

www.westportcafeandbar.com

Westport Cafe and Bar, Steak Frites & Profiteroles

Zocalo – Offering an extended special as well beginning on Friday, February 10 and running through Tuesday, February 14. Zocalo is also offering a couples special. Couples will have the option to choose one shared appetizer, individual soup or salad, individual entrees, and a shared dessert.  Special Four-Course Dinner for Two is $60.00. Wine and 100 percent blue agave tequila flights are an additional $15.00 per flight. The full dinner menu will also be available.  Call for reservations.

www.zocalokc.com

Zócalo Mexican Cuisine and Tequileria, Scallops and Tres Leches Cake

Fo Thai – This newly opened restaurant features upscale modern Asian Fusion Cuisine. Fo Thai’s Valentine’s special offers a 3-Course Pre-fix Menu and one Bottle of Champagne for $120.00 per couple. The full menu will be available as well. A complimentary “surprise valentine’s bouquet will be included in the special. Call for reservations.

Avenue’s Bistro – Avenues Bistro does offer up a great menu for the ‘big day’ priced nicely at $49 for four courses per person. They are also offering a four course Valentine’s Eve special that is ten bucks less and includes wine pairings! The full menu will be available Valentine’s Eve as well. Call for reservations.

Avenues Bistro, Mediterranean Platter

 Seasons 52 – There is not a “special” Valentines dinner menu at Seasons 52, but if you want to indulge without any of the guilt check it out.  All of the dishes there under 475 calories, but do not let that detour you. All of the Seasons 52 dishes I have had have been amazing. For Valentine’s Day, they have created a special chocolate cocktail. The Skinny Chocolate Espresso Martini is a mix of Voli Vanilla Espresso Vodka, chocolate coconut water, and a touch of agave nectar. It taste rich but is low in calories only 150 to be exact. You can also get special Chocolate Raspberry Valentine Mini Indulgence—chocolate cake layered between chocolate syrup, raspberry puree and raspberry mousse. This Valentine Mini will only be available February 1 – 15. The Valentine’s Day mini has 260 calories. Call for reservations.
340 Ward Pkwy
Kansas City , MO 64112
(816) 531-0052

Seasons 52 Chocolate Raspberry Valentine Mini Indulgence

Seasons 52 Skinny Chocolate Espresso Martini

Both Room 39 and Blue Bird Bistro – Are offering a Farm to Table Four Course dinners featuring dishes made with local and seasonal ingredients.  Blue Bird Bistro is offering their full menu along with a Prix Fixe special for $55 per person. Wine Parings $20. Call for reservations.

The Room 39 Four-course sweetheart dinner for $70 per person, plus an optional liquid pairing for an additional $30. Call for reservations.

For those that are not going to be free for dinner there are a couple places offering lunch.

Amore Dessert Cafe and Coffee House – February 14th- Lunch and Love! Choice of quiche or 8″ 2 topping pizza, salad and heart shaped chocolate. Only $9.95!

Julian – If you are a fan of Food Network, you may have seen Owner Chef Celina Tio battling it out to become The Next Iron Chef.  Although she is offering a Valentine’s Day dinner menu, it is completely sold out and has been for 4 weeks.  However, you can still enjoy an Iron Chef Quality meal for lunch. Julian is not usually open on Tuesdays for lunch, but Tio is opening up for a special Valentine’s Day lunch. Call for reservations.

Saturday, February 11^th, Bluestem is offering a Valentine’s Day Tea. Although teatime is mostly thought of as a “girly” thing and this would be great to enjoy with a girlfriend or make a mother/daughter event out of, I have enjoyed bluestem’s teatime with my husband and he loved it.  Who can say no to any of the amazing pastry creations?  They are to die for!


Enjoy an afternoon sipping fine teas with lovely pastries and assorted tea sandwiches.
$25.00 per person, $7.00 for children under 10. Seating’s are 11:00am & 1:00pm. Bluestem is also offering a Valentine’s Day three-course dinner menu for $65.00 per person.

Reservations required for both. Call for reservations.

Avenue’s Bistro had been on my list to try for months and I finally got the chance to get a sneak peak at their Restaurant Week menu this past January. I was quite impressed and you can read more about that here. I was thrilled when they invited me back try the new dinner menu that debuted February 6, 2012.

Just as it was with Restaurant Week, the new dinner menu at Avenues Bistro is impressive. It is refined, simple and elegant.  In addition to the Entrée’s and Unique Sides categories on the menu, the new menu features Bistro Plates; these small plates are the perfect size to share as an appetizer with the table or a small meal for an individual. I have to say this is actually my favorite way to dine.  I love getting small plates of a variety of things and then sharing them with the table.

If you have heard the saying we eat with our eyes first, then do I have a feast for you! Below are a few items off the new Avenues Bistro menu. The first four items are off Avenue’s Bistro Plates selections and the last dish is a dinner entrée featuring scallops.

  

Zucchini Sofrito – Braised Artichokes, Roasted Peppers, Onions, Lemon Herb Couscous. 

This dish is light but full of flavor.  The tangy artichoke pairs nicely with the sweet roasted red peppers and the couscous is light and fluffy. 

Mediterranean Platter – Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Genoa Salami, Sicilian Olives, Sun Dried Tomato, Goat Cheese Spread, Olive Tapenade and Pecorino Romano. Toasted Ciabatta , Flatbread. 

This dish screamed for a glass of wine and to me is the perfect appetizer type dish. I loved this! The goat cheese spread on the toasted Ciabatta was delicious! I am hoping I can sweet talk the chef out of the recipe for it.

Roasted Pork Belly – Asian Pear, Sweet Potato, Maple Balsamic Reduction. 

This dish was sticky, sweet and satisfying.   The pork belly was tender inside and perfectly glazed on the outside.  The accompaniment of the sweet potatoes gave the dish a real “comfort food” feel and is a perfect dish to enjoy in the colder months.

Pan Fried Oysters – Pork Confit, Raisin Honey Compote.

Seriously, how beautiful is the presentation of this dish.  Are you full yet? This dish is like three-in-one.  Layer one:  Toasted Ciabatta with Pork Confit, Layer two: Crispy Fried Oyster and Layer three: Pea Shoots Salad with Raisin, Honey Compote.  Even if you are at a table with someone who does not care for oysters, it could still be shared, as there are so many components to it.  

Pan Seared Scallops – Pea Shoots, Cherry Tomato, Beet Jam, Pistachio Gremolata, Lemon Butter.  

 I have to admit before starting this blog; I had never really tried a scallop. Well fast forward, a couple of years and I can say I have had a few.  From what I can tell, I do not think they have much flavor.  They are like blank little canvases waiting to soak up whatever the chef has in store. At Avenue’s this scallop dish shines.  The Lemon Butter is bright and the Pistacio Gremolata has hints of parsley and garlic. The Beet Jam adds a nice sweet component to the saltiness of the scallops and pistachios and the pea shoots add a touch of freshness.

Everything was so good and I am looking forward to trying many more dishes off Avenues Bistro’s new menu soon.  For more information or to view the new menu visit, avenuesbistro.com.

Also for Valentine’s Day, Avenues does offer up a great menu for the ‘big day’ priced nicely at $49 for four courses per person.  However, they are also offering a four course Valentine’s Eve special that is ten bucks less and includes wine pairings!  This is a great special especially for those that want to celebrate early. Call for reservations.

Brookside: 338 West 63rd Street , Kansas City, MO 64111

816.333.5700

Leawood: 10681 Mission Road, Leawood, Kansas 66211

913.381.5678