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Positive People

Our decision to visit Va Bene was as close to spur of the moment as we get. With the week burning by quickly, I was looking forward to our Friday date night. My days had been starting early in the office, so it was perfect for a Happy Hour celebration. Doing a scan of social media, I spotted a new restaurant that was getting a lot of buzz. That’s just what the doctor ordered, so I verified with Crystal and we had our date set. The space was familiar to us from past visits to the previous restaurant. It didn’t take long for us to meet new acquaintances at a nearby table. Like us, they were loving the vibe of this new Italian eatery and feeling that all is right, at least for this evening.

Happy Hour Sips

Since it was Happy Hour, it seemed fitting to sample one of the cocktails. Our server was kind enough to point out one that I knew we would like. The Tito Lito is a delicious combination of Tito’s Vodka that has been infused with house-made Limoncello and fresh lemons. A sugar-coated rim adds a touch of sweetness to this distinctly tart drink.

St. Louis memories

When we do a Happy Hour, it usually ends up being a fusion between their special menu and the regular meal options. There was one dish that we spotted on the Happy Hour that we had to sample. The Toasted Ravioli made us think back to our time in St. Louis. After all, toasted ravioli was invented in that Midwestern city and has since become embedded in their various cuisines. While we have tasted a barbecue-infused version, the traditional style at Va Bene was very tasty.

Our Kind of Pie

With our appetites whetted, we knew that we needed something more substantial for our next course. With a menu filled with plates of pasta, sandwiches, and grilled entrees we chose one of our favorite Italian dishes, pizza. Oh, this was no ordinary pizza, this was a Fig & Prosciutto Pie. A savory base of pancetta cream, the roasted figs, and prosciutto all blend to add their own distinct flavors. The spicy kick of arugula pairs with the sweetness of the balsamic glaze to notch up the uniqueness of this dish. I wasn’t sure about the flavor combination at first but became a true believer after a couple of bites.

All Is Right

Our inaugural visit to Va Bene Italian Eatery was a glowing success. The interesting flavors were the kind that reminds us why we love exploring. Kansas City is filled with so many great pizza joints, but it’s nice to find one that has plenty of other choices. The idea that a start-up would choose to launch in the heart of a pandemic shows the drive of the human spirit. They certainly chose the right name, because we are positive that all is right at Va Bene. We can picture many more Happy Hour visits in our future.

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We want to thank Franco Cupini for hosting our visit. Rest assured all opinions are our own. 

Cupini’s Counter

Franco, and his son Eddie, opened Cupini’s at 1809 Westport Road, in 2003. Their business model was basic, which makes it easy to repeat day after day.  To them, Italian cuisine is all about freshness. To accomplish this, they make all of their pasta in-house daily. When a customer comes in to dine, it is these fresh ingredients that make each dish amazing. Their pasta has become so popular that they even sell it by the pound for customers to use at home. Cupini’s runs efficiently by having customers place their order at the counter, before finding a seat in the dining areas. By waving the standard table service routine, they are able to get started on dishes quicker and diners don’t have a long wait for their meals.

A Familiar Face

As we waited our turn to order, we looked around at the decor. Franco has assembled quite a collection of photos that show how important friends and family are to this business. We noticed the familiar face of Guy Fieri in a few of the photos. We have visited quite a few restaurants that have been featured by this Food Network star. In fact, we have even been bumped, if only temporarily, by Guy. This occurred during a visit to The Root Cafe in Little Rock, Arkansas. We did not look at this as being slighted, but more as we had made an excellent choice in dining destinations.

Simply Satisfying

While preparing to order, we realized that Cupini’s has a bounty of Italian cuisine choices. Matthew, who was leading the staff when we arrived, came out to offer some assistance. We discussed the variety of options and decided to sample from a few categories. Most of the main meals are served with side salads, so that covered our appetizer. We had seen photos of Cupini’s pizzas on social media, so we had to add a small one to our order. This was a wise choice and we both savored the delicious crust and rich toppings of our Margherita Pizza.

Variety is the Spice of Life

After placing our order, we found a table near the front windows. This allowed a view of traffic along Westport Road. With the tables being spaced for appropriate social distancing, the dining area felt spacious. In a flash our dishes began arriving. As they were piled on the table we began wondering what we were thinking. Matthew reassured us that they had plenty of to-go- boxes available. Now we sat there facing not only the pizza and salads but two pasta dishes.

Plenty of Pasta at Cupini’s

Crystal and I are fortunate to share a sense of adventure, although mine is a little more robust. When it comes to dining, we enjoy sharing our experiences and discussing the merits of each dish. Franco had dropped by our table to see how we were doing but quickly excused himself so that we could focus on our meals. To get a better feel for the menu at Cupini’s, we had added a plate of Chicken & Prosciutto Tortellini. The flavor was amazing and the freshness was quite apparent. We also included an order of Chicken Spiedini, which blends the flavors of chicken, ham, tomato, onion, and Mozzarella cheese. After taking plenty of photos of our tablescape, it was time to dig into our mountain of food.

Quality Control

Once our dinner had been consumed, or at least all that we could finish. It was time for me to meet up with Franco Cupini. He led me through the restaurant space to a banquet-style hall that was housed in an adjacent building. We sat for a few minutes and discussed his business philosophy. As he told me his story, the passion he has for this business became apparent. All of the moves he has made throughout his life have led him on a path to this moment. With the continued success of the restaurant, he sees that it is opening new opportunities for the future. Many of these will be offshoot enterprises that will complement the core restaurant business. It is nice to know that there are business people who are still bullish about the future.

Sweets Galore

As we were wrapping up, Franco wanted to show me how they prepare their picturesque desserts. I watched with wonder as one of the staff topped cake after cake. Clearly he had this down to an art. Now it was time for Crystal and me to sample some of the artwork. Franco led me to the front counter and walked through the large variety of sweet desserts, which they offer up daily. The choices were overwhelming, so he eventually asked Matthew to assemble a selection for us to sample. The next thing we knew, our table was decorated with four slices of artistically designed desserts. With flavors like Passion Fruit Mousse, Zuccotto, Tiramisu, and Chocolate Mousse, it was difficult to select our favorite.

Cupini’s Couple

This is one of those visits that we were glad we took a selfie, before eating. I’m sure there was probably a little marinara sauce and maybe a smear of chocolate on my chin. We were completely impressed with the freshness of the dishes at Cupini’s. When you add on the quick turn time to get orders out to customers, it makes for a complete win-win. While Italian cuisine is not one we eat on a regular basis, this may change now that we found a restaurant that is filled with friends, family, and fantastic food. Have you ever sampled the fresh pasta at Cupini’s? We’d love to hear your experiences, so drop us a note in the comments section below. Ciao!

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Pre-Social Distancing

One of the cuisines that we had not featured is a German Smorgasbord. In Kansas City, there are a handful of options, but one of the premier stops is Affäre. They tout themselves as a seasonal dining experience with a German twist. Located at 1911 Main Street, in the Crossroads District, it is a popular destination for upscale dining. We knew that visiting on a First Friday would be crazy busy, so we chose a quieter Sunday evening. Stepping through the door, we were greeted with a dim interior, which sets a sultry tone for an evening meal. The seating arrangement is well spaced, and this was even before the necessity of “social distancing”.

Family Dinner

On this outing, we were joined by our daughter, Amanda. All of us were eager to sample the variety that can be found at a German smorgasbord. Fortunately, we were in luck, as Affäre was offering a Sunday Night Family Dinner. This Prix-fixe meal was comprised of a starter, followed by an ample amount of protein choices. The sheer volume of food would challenge even the biggest appetites, but we knew that we could always take home leftovers.

Let’s Get Started

One of the nice things about a German smorgasbord is that you only have to make a few selections. Once your order is in, you sit back and wait for the plates to begin arriving. It didn’t take long before we were staring at a huge Salat Teller (Salad Platter). The mixture of greens was accompanied by an assortment of diced vegetables. Two dressing choices were included, as well. This was a nice palate-cleansing start to our meal.

German Smorgasbord Staples

We were still enjoying our appetizer when the first main dishes began arriving. A platter full of Weinerschnitzel was accompanied by a side of Spinach & Blue Cheese Gaspaetzle. The schnitzel was served with a spicy mustard sauce that enhanced the flavor of the breaded pork cutlet. The flavor of the meat was quite different from the chicken schnitzel we had sampled in Amana, Iowa. None of us were familiar with the spaetzle, which is a German form of egg noodles. The creamy sauce had a hint of sharpness that came from the cheese. It was the perfect side for our meaty meal.

Protein-Packed Dinner

With the schnitzel as a warm-up, we were ready for the next round of protein. Without having a full background of German cuisine, it appears it was developed for robust hunger. One can only assume that the meals revolved around heavy loads of protein designed to fuel the working class. Our server arrived with a platter that contained a pair of meaty treats. A Wagyu Beef Loin was cooked to tender perfection and accompanied by two varieties of German Brats. At Affäre, the artisan brats are made in-house using local meats and traditional recipes. These were deliciously flavorful.

As we continued to pick away at our robust main courses, we realized that we needed to save room for dessert. While these were not included in Sunday Family Dinner, there was no way that we would overlook this important portion of any German smorgasbord.

A Sweet Ending

They had a few options to choose from, so we decided to pick our two favorites. Our first choice was a Pear Tart with Almond Paste. The thin layers of sliced pear was a nice choice to pair with the creamy and sweet almond paste. Crystal wanted to make sure we sampled the Apple Strudel, and we all loved the moist layers that we found in each bite. While we savored our delightful desserts, our server packed up our leftovers for the ride home. After thanking the staff for such a wonderful experience, we made our way back into the night. All the way home we discussed the idea of finding other Kansas City German smorgasbord destinations for future excursions. Have you discovered any that you would like to share?

Share with a German Food Lover!

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We want to thank Main Street Parkville and Café des Amis for their hospitality. Rest assured all opinions are our own.

Cozy and Quaint

Our morning meal had been hours ago, at the local B&B. (You can read about Main Street Inn here.) Hunger was beginning to call out to us, and we were anticipating more than a meal. Having prior knowledge that owners Guillaume and Ingrid Hanriot are from the Champagne region of France, increased our anticipation. We knew the dishes would be full of delicate, yet complimentary flavors. The hostess seated us with a window view of the downtown. We timed our visit to be a late lunch, in hopes of missing the normal weekend rush. Our server, Sarah, welcomed us to the oldest business building in downtown Parkville. (Built in 1844) She walked us through the menu and included some suggestions based on dishes she enjoys.

Difficult Decisions

With Sarah’s assistance, we were able to plan out our entire meal. We knew it would come in stages, which allowed time to savor each dish properly. While this cuisine is designed to be complimented by certain wines, we decided to forego this and stick with water. Sarah brought us a tray of crusty French bread, with lavender salted butter, to munch on while our meal was being prepared.

Dining With Our Eyes

In order to get the best cross section of flavors, Crystal and I decided to split dishes where possible. We started with Salade Cafe des Amis, which combines baby greens, red pepper, Portabella mushrooms, blue cheese crumbles, and candied spiced walnuts. Even a simple salad becomes a culinary masterpiece when the correct selection of flavors are combined.

Refined Elegance at Café des Amis

The next course included a pair of seafood based dishes. It is fair to say that most people have heard of escargot, yet many have not tasted a dish containing snails. My first experience was at Café des Amis, when I ordered the Feuilleté D’Escargots. The dish consists of six Burgundy wild snails in a butter sauce, with garlic and fresh herbs. The flavor was a delightful blend that begged to be completed. It was apparent that the crusty bread was a perfect way to sop up every drop of the delicious sauce. Sarah arrived again shortly, with my order of Coquilles St. Jacques Au Gratin. This breaded and baked dish of sherry sautéed scallops and mushrooms is served in a béchamel sauce. The addition of tomato had tinted the “white sauce” to a beautiful hue of orange. The addition of a baked squid ink wafer added an architectural element to the dish.

A Taste of Brunch

Time for a confession. Not for me, but for Crystal. She is not nearly as open to new flavors as I am, so she was skipping the opportunity to sample the seafood dishes I had chosen. Her loss was my gain, as each one presented a new flavor combination that my taste buds had yet to discover. Now it was her turn, as the Quiche Lorraine was served. This labor intensive dish consists of 36 hour poached ham, bacon, sautéed onions and Swiss Cheese. Baked to golden perfection, I could immediately see that Crystal was happy with her choice. Our final dish to be served reminded me that it was a good thing I had let her have the majority of the salad.

Sensational Seafood

Sarah brought out a lidded pot that contained my order of Moules Marinières Faςon Odile. I knew that this would be all mine, since Crystal was busy with her quiche. When the lid was removed, a plume of steam rose from the pot. Inside I spied Prince Edwards Island mussels in a sherry wine, shallots, herbs, and light cream sauce. This was definitely another fantastic dish that offered a depth of flavors. Soon, my pot was empty and our meal was complete. Sarah returned to tempt us with dessert, but we had no room left for it.

Returning to Our Discoveries

Our thoughts were turning to our afternoon of exploring, and we wondered how many people would recognize the look of satisfaction that comes from a meal at Cafe des Amis. Time for us to make our way back into public, but we would carry with us the memory of the refined elegance we just enjoyed. With an afternoon still ahead of us, it was certain that we had plenty of energy to take on any challenge.

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