Tastes Of New Orleans – KC Daiquiri Shop

Jeff & Crystal — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 09:00:11 +0000

Living in the landlocked Midwest has its pros and cons. While one of the biggest pluses is the amazing people in every city and town, there are things we miss at times. Traveling around North America has allowed us to sample a variety of cuisines and flavors from all corners of the continent. The tastes of New Orleans have become some of our favorites, but one that is rare in our neck of the woods. When a friend clued us in on a new restaurant in downtown KCMO we just had to try it out. KC Daiquiri Shop is located at 1116 Grand Blvd and is bringing the true tastes of New Orleans to our hometown.

We want to thank KC Daiquiri Shop for hosting our visit. Rest assured all opinions are our own.

Playing by the Rules

Even though we are still going through the phases of lockdown, we just had to try this spot out. When we arrived, on a Friday evening, we found that others had already come up with the same idea. The KC Daiquiri Shop is a spin-off from the original startup in Dallas, Texas. Their business model is fairly simple and straight-forward. Serve up authentic Cajun/Creole dishes, toss in a few special features, and dole out amazing daiquiris. As we waited, the appropriate social distance in line, we scanned the menu to see what delightful delicacies we would choose.

Mixing It Up

When our turn arrived, we were giddy with anticipation. The entire menu is filled with entries we have chosen time and again during our visits to New Orleans. Should we have a Po’Boy Sandwich or maybe try one of their custom wraps? I know, let’s get a drink while we decide. Just like in the French Quarter, we found a spot featuring a wall lined with colorful concoctions waiting to be dispensed. Everything from sweet to fruity to strong was awaiting our taste buds. When they told us they have some unique mixes, we decided to sample the Willy Wonka. This baby had plenty of flavors, and a kick that matched.

Tastes of New Orleans

With so many tastes of New Orleans to sample, we couldn’t choose just one. Fortunately, they offer some baskets that gave us an opportunity to sample a variety of their dishes. Even though we were not allowed to dine-in, we still found a table to stage our dishes for some photos. This certainly was a nice change from doing all of the food shots on our dining room table. Once we completed our photoshoot, the staff quickly boxed it all up for our journey home.

Cajun Classics

During my younger days, I spent my summers at my grandparent’s farm in Southeast Kansas. My grandma was well known for her delicious fried foods, which often included fish filets. She liked to add plenty of kick to her crusts since it helped bring depth to the flavors of a dish. As I took a bite of the crunchy filet in my Crispy Cajun Basket, I was drawn back to those days. The addition of popcorn shrimp brought more pleasure to my taste buds, but it was the crispy wings that sealed the deal. These bad boys are amazing and I couldn’t get enough. I believe I have just found my new all-time favorite wing stop.

Bringing the Heat

Crystal has long favored Blackened Chicken for her NOLA-style entree. This is the dish she orders every time we visit Jazz. When she saw it on the menu at KC Daiquiri Shop her choice was a done deal. The basket she chose also included some Blackened Shrimp, which had a real Louisiana bite. Oh yeah, that’s why we got the daiquiri! This combo brought tons of flavor to the table and didn’t last long.

Savory Sides

You can’t have all of those main dishes without adding a couple of sides. Our choices were Red Beans & Rice (on left) and Gumbo. Let’s talk about red beans & rice. We have tried a plethora of variations on this dish, with a wide range of success. The version at KC Daiquiri Shop is as close to perfect as we have ever sampled. The true tastes of New Orleans come through in every bite. It made us wonder if we would end up being let down by the gumbo. No worries there, either. This hearty dish is a well-balanced mix of meat and veggies with the perfect amount of peppers.

Bringing NOLA to KC

Now we know the photo above is from NOLA, but this is how we felt after dining on the dishes from KC Daiquiri Shop. It is rare to find a place that can take regional flavors and transport them hundreds of miles away. This place has certainly done a bang-up job of bringing the tastes of New Orleans to Kansas City. You can be certain that this will become a regular stop for us when we are craving the spicy kick of some Cajun classics. Besides, a colorful daiquiri really hits the spot on a hot day.

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Dinner And All That Jazz

Jeff & Crystal — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 09:43:12 +0000

When we find a restaurant that adds live music to the mix, we know it will be popular. Jazz Louisiana Kitchen certainly falls into this category. What started just over 25 years ago, has grown to include six locations in four states. We dropped by their KCK location, which is found on the west end of the Legends Shopping Center. A weekend visit means that there will be a live performance taking place. They also feature periodic shows during the weeknight evenings, but you may want to check their website for show dates and times.

Jazz at Jazz

Clearly the name of the restaurant hints at the music style that will be found inside. We have had the pleasure of hearing a variety of musical groups perform, and they all seem to be quite capable. Sometimes performing for a crowd at a restaurant can be quite the challenge for musicians. There are so many distractions, that it can be difficult to capture the audiences attention. We have witnessed groups that really get the crowd to interact, as well as those that seem to only be background music for dining. No matter who is performing, we try to make it known that their music is appreciated.

The interior of the restaurant is like many other family style dining establishments, except for the New Orleans themed decor. A few murals are scattered across the walls, and trinkets adorn various statuary and sculptures that dot the dining area. A metal circular staircase leads up to a balcony area that is used by the bands, and makes a good focal point for the bar area just beyond. There are three elevated dining areas, which add visual interest to the over-sized room. The seating is all tables and chairs, which can easily be assembled to handle most any size group.

Time to Dine

We can be creatures of habit, and at Jazz we certainly have become just that. It goes without question that we will begin our meal with salads. We have always found them to be fresh, which is a must for us. While they aren’t fancy, like in some restaurants, they still offer a nice start to our meals. It also helps us justify the dishes we are about to have, by beginning with some fresh greens.

Not Too Chicken to Eat Chicken

My favorite menu item is the Chicken A La Mer. This dish consists of a crusty coated chicken breast that is smothered with a Parmesan sauce. The sauce is loaded with shrimp and crab, as well as some bites of vegetables. (I’ve convinced myself that there aren’t as many calories in this sauce, as there probably are.) This entree is served on a bed of dirty rice, which has a nice kick. I always substitute hush puppies for the steamed vegetables. (Clearly the reason for the salads.) The main course is not overly spicy, but adding the rice to each bite certainly brings up the heat level. This is a dish that I could eat almost every night, so clearly I am biased of my choice.

Crystal also seems to order the same exact dish on each visit. Her entree of choice is the Blackened Chicken, which is seasoned and cooked in a cast iron skillet. (I’ve recreated this at home with mixed success.) The finished product is nestled on a bed of dirty rice, and comes with a boiled potato and some melted butter for dipping. She will also forego the steamed vegetables to make room for hush puppies. (Another entree that is probably a little above the norm for calories, but we will walk some of these off later.) I have on occasion taken a small bite of her dish, and while it is quite tasty, I just can’t seem to change my order. We enjoy our dinners at Jazz, and look forward to hearing new performers serenade us, while we dine. On occasion, we will also visit their older location on the corner of State Line and 39th Street, which is just across from KU Hospital. How many of you have had the pleasure of enjoying this restaurant? Do you always choose the same dish when you visit?

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