When having out-of-town guests come to visit, trying to choose where to take them with limited time can be tough. A lot of planning can go into taking your guest to the perfect sites, activities, and restaurants. Being a foodie myself, I am always bragging about the variety of restaurants Kansas City has to offer. When I have a guest visiting, food is the first portion of the trip I plan. One restaurant that always comes to mind to Rye Leawood in Mission Farms.
Rye is the right choice to dazzle your guest with fabulous food and drinks. Every item on the menu hits the ball out of the park. Chefs and owners, Megan and Colby Garretls, are the masterminds behind Rye with an impressive track record. In 2015-2018, Rye was a James Beard Semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant in Kansas City. As found on their website, “Chef Colby is a 2013 James beard Foundation Best Chef: Midwest award winner, 2055 Food & Winer Top 10 Best New Chef and has had his cuisine showcased in the Wall Street Journal and on the cover of Savuer Magazine”. If that is not impressive enough, Chef Megan has her own impressive resume. She is a James Beard Semifinalist for Outstanding Past Chef 2017-2019 and her recipes have been featured in numerous national publications including Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Wall Street Journal and Saveur. This dynamic duo knows what they are doing!
While deciding what items on the menu to order, you should start by sipping on a refreshing cocktail. The French Blonde is one of my personal favorites which features Tom’s Town gin. Moving onto what to order for dinner. Some of my favorite appetizers are the roast Brussel sprouts, brisket burnt ends, and hot chicken wings. Moving to entrees, I highly recommend the pan-roasted scotch salmon, prime rib eye, and of course their famous fried chicken. No matter what you order for dinner, you must order a side of the mac & cheese with crispy bacon and the pan roasted Brussel sprouts. Once you have enjoyed your delicious meal and question whether you have room for dessert, the answer is absolutely yes! You cannot leave Rye Leawood without indulging in their lemon meringue pie or banana cream pie. There are truly the cherries on top of a fabulous evening. It is also nice that every item on the menu pairs well together. So if your table wants to share multiple plates or if you want to enjoy your own meal, you won’t be disappointed.
Having friends or family visit from out of town can be stressful. If you are like me, you try to plan an unforgettable weekend showcasing what Kansas City has to offer. Rye Leawood remains a constant go-to choice when deciding where to impress a visitor. For those of you living in Kansas City who have yet to visit Rye Leawood, I only have one question for you—what are you waiting for?