Romero's, Weston
November 2024
“We were a bit overwhelmed by the response,” says Ben. “Everyone loved our food, and the townspeople were coming out to the orchard just to eat. That’s when Lily and I decided to open something more permanent in downtown.”
Last October, Romero’s opened on the corner of Main Street serving recipes inspired by Ben’s mother and grandmother and his early years in Tijuana and Chihuahua, Mexico. They revamped the 1800 brick building’s main floor for the dining area, added a professional kitchen upstairs and moved into the basement apartment.
Ben’s specialties include the street tacos and burritos. His secret lies with the meats he buys from Kansas City, Kansas grocery, Bonito Michoacán, plus his marinades. Shredded pork, carne asada from skirt steak and chicken are grilled on cast iron adding depth and flavor. Except for the flour tortillas, entrees are gluten free.
My husband and I decided on our choice of meat for the street tacos and burrito and ordered the quesabirria, which is a one-day-a-week special announced on Facebook that continually sells out. Traditionally, this dish incorporates shredded lamb, but Ben uses wagyu beef from Kansas City Cattle Company. A six-inch white corn tortilla, soaked in beef juice, is generously layered with shredded beef and cheese, folded in half and grilled. This crispy-melty delight reminds of authentic street food at its best and comes served with a dipping sauce of beef juice, cilantro, onion and lime.
Chips are thin white corn tortillas fried daily. Salsas, also made daily, include pico, green tomatillo, hot red with arbol chilis and popular creamy green salsa of roasted jalapenos in oil and salt. Margaritas lean to the sour side. Their newest addition is a mango-chili margarita infused with mango and red chili puree and rimmed with tajin—a blend of dried chile peppers, dehydrated lime and sea salt.
Lily bakes stellar desserts including traditional tres leches cake. Creamy and light, it’s Ben’s grandmother’s recipe. Topped with homemade whipped cream and strawberries, it makes a noteworthy finish.
“Whenever I bake tres leches cake, I let our Facebook followers know,” says Lily. “It’s usually sold out by 2 p.m.”
For more information, visit Facebook.com/p/Romeros-100095404157943.
Green Dirt on Oak, Kansas City
August 2024
Hoffman’s journey has been anything but linear. A move from Seattle in 1996 landed her family in Weston’s rolling hills. A former academic physician and microbiologist, her career trajectory ventured into sheep farming and creating specialty sheep cheeses. As the demand for Green Dirt’s cheese grew, it stretched her production capacity in Weston. One month into the pandemic, French chef Oskar Arévalo volunteered as a cheesemaker’s apprentice and quickly became head cheesemaker, but he dreamed of opening a fine dining experience.
Finally, in 2021 Hoffman bought the two-story building on the corner of 16th and Oak. A two-and-a-half-year rehab transformed the interior. The warm, yet industrial, vibe showcases exposed brick, pine floors and skyline views.
On a lively Sunday evening, my husband and I started our meal with the Monger’s Choice cheese board, we scooped up pungent woolly rind, creamy fresh cheese capped with local honey and mild, nutty prairie tomme cheese onto house sourdough. Next, shareable plates came laden with savory cheese croquettes, perfectly crisped on the outside with melted goodness inside; citrus-poached beets topped with feta and zucchini tempura dipped in sheep yogurt (reminiscent of Greek-style yogurt) with a hint of sumac.
Lamb was a must, although the grass-fed hanger steak and local pork chop tempted. A generous portion of the farm’s lamb chops—butchered in-house—arrived medium rare juxtaposed over mild tahini and black garlic vinegar, worthy of being slathered on every bite. The standout lamburger, juicy and tender, was created entirely in-house from the ground lamb to brined pickles, American-style sheep cheese and soft brioche-like bun. Our evening ended with Green Dirt cheesecake, a light whipped sheep cheese on a graham crust edged with spiced apples. Libations spanned an adventurous wine list, local beer, mocktails and creative cocktails like the top-selling fig jam Old Fashioned.
Don’t miss the rooftop patio for downtown panoramas or appetizers and drinks. The first floor houses the coffee and cheese retail shop and café serving late breakfast, lunch and cheese hour from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. plus weekend brunch.
For more information, visit GreenDirtFarm.com/oak.
1932 Reserve, Osage Beach
May 2024
Until two years ago, executive chef Scott Romano worked alongside Michelin-star and James Beard award-winning chef Charlie Palmer. Romano ran Palmer’s restaurants and lived in Sonoma County. After the last round of California fires, Romano and his wife moved back to her roots in the Ozarks where he has merged his culinary prowess with Spears’ team.
Spears, who grew up in Kansas City, had great memories of time spent at the lake. After playing professional soccer, he worked for chef-driven restaurants in San Diego’s luxury boutique hotels. Desiring to be closer to his roots, Spears and his family moved back to the Midwest and opened 1932 Reserve.
“We’re an upscale-casual restaurant with elevated food right on the water but with the feel of a Kansas City or St. Louis establishment,” says Spears.
On a Tuesday night, my husband and I dined in the circa 1932 building completed one year after the construction of Bagnell Dam. Located at the 17.5-mile marker, diners can pull right up to the dock and sit on the expansive deck overlooking the water. Inside, concrete floors and exposed ceilings lend an industrial vibe. The centerpiece bar displays lanterns salvaged from the original building, once the Ozark’s first lakeside lodging. Today, luxury vacation lofts lie above the restaurant.
We scooped up bold chorizo-chipotle sauce with the signature PEI mussels and golden fries. Sesame cauliflower fritti, encased in a crispy panko-sesame crust, came plated in a pool of finger-licking, chili-ginger sauce garnished with kimchi.
Flaky sea bass, pan-seared to perfection, was accompanied by artichokes, asparagus and fingerling potatoes atop a divine basil beurre Blanc sauce. Fork-tender, the hand-cut filet came with rosemary mashed potatoes, cauliflower puree and a robust red wine reduction. The two-day, brined pork chop with chorizo and cheddar smashed potatoes was accompanied by a delicious pecan-smoked bacon cream. Savory whipped bacon butter complimented corn bread garnished with jalapeno pickled green beans.
Desserts ranged from ooey-gooey butter cake to carrot cake and decadent s’mores cake. The bar serves more than 200 whiskey labels, several hundred wines and beer on tap. Hand-crafted cocktails included their Blackberry Bramble, so popular it’s on tap.
Visit 1932Reserve.com for more information.
Ozark Mill at Finley Farms, Ozark
February 2024
Chef Kevin Korman spent much of his 25 year career working with restaurants from Florida to Tennessee. When he got the call about this project, he was intrigued. One year before the restaurant opened in 2020 he began work on menu concepts.
“I’m a big believer in sense of place. Cooking locally is all about storytelling through food,” says Korman. “I dug into the history of Ozark cuisine, which has Appalachian influences and tied the cuisine into the mill itself.”
Farm-to-table and grain-to-table, the menu reflects Korman’s philosophy. Not only does the restaurant dedicate acreage for growing produce, but it also initiated a composting program. An ever-evolving “Market Menu,” highlights produce grown on-site as well as by local dairy farmers and ranchers.
“Last year we grew an heirloom variety of corn that we sent to Dogwood Canyon where they milled it at our sister property and sent it back as cornmeal. We used it in our entrees and desserts,” says Korman. “Sustainability is huge so we pickle, puree and freeze in order to use our produce year-round.”
My husband and I started with five-cheese spinach dip created with a roasted wild mushroom medley and white truffle oil on grilled bread. Quite popular, the green tomato cake showcased the 600 pounds of tomatoes annually grown on site. From the “Market Menu,” an unexpected riff on traditional caprese salad featured charred cucumbers mixed with heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs and burrata. Excellent short rib pasta with 12-hour braised Missouri beef sat atop a light alfredo pasta tossed with herbs, arugula and roasted wild mushrooms. Creamy chicken and dumpling-like cornbread gnocchi hinted of mustard for a non-traditional twist. Peach cobbler won out for dessert. Fresh thyme and peaches garnished a flakey buttermilk biscuit and crème fresh ice cream.
Cocktails and mocktails incorporated in-house syrups. Draft beers hailed from local breweries. Wines tied into the overall menu. Afterward, we strolled through the chef’s garden and across the restored bridge to check out the farm’s open-air wedding chapel at sunset.
For more information, visit FinleyFarmsMo.com/eat-drink.