raglanroadpatio
RAGLAN ROAD
KANSAS CITY
by ELIZABETH HEY

Since my initial introduction to Raglan Road, it doesn’t take a concert or basketball game to convince me to head to Kansas City’s Power & Light District. Raglan Road lures me on its own merit. Irish owned and operated, Ireland’s most celebrated chef, Kevin Dundon, is the culinary mastermind who oversees and designs the menu. When he’s not dropping in to train staff, Dundon lives with his family in Ireland’s Wexford County countryside. (There, his five-star Dunbrody Country House Hotel & Restaurant have garnered international acclaim.)

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As my husband and I and our two sons, ages 17 and 20, entered the three-tier restaurant, groups clustered around the bar which spans the length of the lower level. If restaurant-goers can’t choose between the 17 beers on draft and 21 whiskeys from Ireland’s three distilleries, beer flights and whiskey flights make the decision a bit easier.

Our table owned a commanding view of the Sprint Center. City lights reflected off the mirror-like exterior. Families and groups of business colleagues held lively conversations. The restaurant’s boisterous atmosphere contrasted with its sophisticated dark woods and mosaic pillars.

While looking over the menu, we dunked slices of dense, cork bread studded with walnuts and apricots and Irish soda bread into a slightly sweet Guinness reduction and olive oil combination.

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The scallop forest starter came artfully plated. Upright forks skewered with large, tender scallops, breaded in a light, champagne batter, were paired with a mild citrus-lime dipping sauce. We tried the smoked salmon and goat cheese flatbread, which has since become a favorite. Dinner salads combined blanched green beans, strips of parmesan, generous amounts of red pepper and bacon.

All seafood is flown in daily from Boston. Joshua ordered fish and chips, the top-selling entree, dipped in the same champagne batter. Served with a pea shot instead of traditional Irish mashed peas, it’s another Dundon twist. Joel ordered shepard’s pie; Dundon’s version comes crustless with beef and lamb simmered in a veal stock topped with mashed potatoes and port wine reduction. Hands down, our favorite entree that night was sage chicken. Perfectly crisp skin covered moist meat that hinted of sage with every bite. Savory wild mushroom cream sauce added a not-too-rich compliment. I would have had enough for lunch the next day, but the boys eagerly polished off my leftovers.

Halfway through dinner, the evening’s Irish band played its first set. Waiters pulled back a central tabletop to reveal a microphoned dance surface. Dressed in red, an Irish dancer hopped onto the table.

For desert, bread pudding earned top kudos, rich enough to be shared because of the homemade crème anglaise, loads of butter and butterscotch sauce. (Even those, like myself, who aren’t butterscotch fans will enjoy this offering.) Fortunately, it can be duplicated at home. Chef Dundon included the recipe in his first cookbook, Full on Irish.

For more information, visit www.raglanroadirishpub.com.