Posted
by Tom King
September 13, 2005 at 3:34 p.m.
Fine Newcomers
Downtown Lawrence is once again experiencing a flurry of restaurant activity. Each time such flurries occur, there's talk of a "restaurant row", of Lawrence as a regional dining destination. But it's only talk. To date, restaurants downtown have largely dealt with each other in terms of petty competition, of sniping, rather than building a stronger force through unity. If it happens that Lawrence becomes known as a dining destination, it will only be through cooperation. There is a limited pool of dining dollars in this town--the way to expand the pool is by cooperative excellence. Everybody on the same side, everyone focused on the prize. Two new fine dining houses have staked claims downtown, and both are truly fine. Krause Dining "Hey, Mama," piped Robert Krause as his wife and business partner, Molly Krause, walked into the kitchen. [Krause Dining][1], now located in that sexy room that housed the Bleu Jacket, and then the Meat Market, is the latest realization of the Krauses' restauranting passion. The Krauses' story is fascinating. There's the year they spent in Mali "for personal education," after selling their popular Topeka eatery, the New City Cafe. And the ensuing two years in San Francisco, working in the prestigious kitchens of Gary Danko, Aqua and the Ritz Carlton. Then the commercial kitchen and 30-seat dining room, designed and built by Dan Rockhill, attached to the Krause's 150-year old East Lawrence home--an innovation that clarified some local zoning issues and prompted the move to 811 New Hampshire. At Krause Dining, tasting is the name of the game. Robert Krause describes his tasting menu as "hors d'oeuvres and seven courses of food". And that unique experience runs about a hundred dollars. An abbreviation can be had for seventy dollars. The menu is focused and tight; Krause cooks his own food, executes his own designs. Most dishes are available a la carte. The menu of the week featured two duck treatments: a confit with fresh peach salsa and grilled goat cheese polenta; and a roast with passion fruit-mustard glaze, ginger-anise sticky rice with a banana fritter. Colorado peaches, at the peak of their season, showed up again--grilled this time--in a salad of frisee, mache, proscuitto and whole candied almonds, a confident and perfectly logical composition of contrasts of textures and tastes. Krause's food is not conceptually overwrought, and therein lays its elegance. He knows what good is, what "fresh" and "ripe" mean. Krause's finesse is a consequence of a scholarly approach and attentive practice. On an afternoon visit, in an immaculate and blissfully quiet kitchen, I found Krause peeling onions. If you cook, there are onions. Sous-chef Dana Hangauer was grinding spices in the pantry. How many Hangauers are there, anyway? White china hemispheres stacked atop the reach-through testified to Krause's eye for presentation--this is a man who sauces his souffles tableside. The onions Krause was peeling were cippolini: small, flat white onions harvested in August in Italy. Krause's cippolini would eventually join pearl onions and wild Oregon Coast mushrooms in the night's risotto. The Krauses are voracious art collectors and the walls of Krause Dining display pieces from their collection. And the fine art on the walls bleeds to the plate: A lobster, tomato and corn bisque--with a crouton of brioche graced with good lobster butter; gigantic scallops encrusted with macadamia nuts, seared, with a coconut-chile broth and a curried carrot puree; and beef carpaccio, molasses-marinated, with a mustard-parmesan mayonnaise. Krause is in control of his food. Everything fits in lockstep; each garnish, every flourish: essential to the whole. And it has soul; the food is respected. Bar business is encouraged. Try the antipasti. Juices for cocktails served in glasses that look and feel like art are freshly made. Krause's wine is economically priced: "I'm interested in selling wine, not hoarding it". How's business so far (nearly two months open)? "Busy." And Pachamama's coming in right across the street with 150 seats? "Spirited competition breeds creativity," Krause nods. "We could all do well." Krause Dining seats 50 in the dining room, 20 in the bar. Open Wednesday through Saturday at 5 pm, often sold out. Call (785) 838-9830 to reserve, or to make catering arrangements. "We're open 'till we leave," Krause smiles. Usually, on the weekends, they're closing around midnight. And Krause Dining always sends you off with a treat. On the afternoon I visited, Molly Krause was making profiteroles. Pachamama's "There were many reasons for making the move downtown," Ken Baker said as he stood at the corner of 8th and New Hampshire. "Visibility, primarily. We got tired of being ignored out in the hinterland. I spent too much time and tons of money on promotion and advertising. I want to concentrate on other things, on food and cooking, on evolving a restaurant." But even in the hinterland, it's a busy life. It's the thick of wedding season and the holidays loom ahead. Two upcoming wine dinners are well-booked. Advance reservations of farewell parties are coming in. Baker wants to hit the tape running. "We'll transfer service from here to the new place after the first of the year," Baker said in a phone call from the [Pachamama][2]'s kitchen, pans clanging in the background. "It's possible to move sooner, but we wanted to have the holidays here, undistracted, with our friends." "Movin' on up" is one of the most difficult feats of restauranting. Ken Baker is on a well-designed attack. Bo March of Elements Design/Build showed me around the new Pachamama's. "Organic, flowing, shifting, changing:" are words March used frequently on his tour. In 2000, March designed and built the Prairiefire restaurant (724 Mass, now [Thai House][3]), and has since renovated 901 Kentucky (the stainless steel cornice), designed and built [Signs of Life][4] (722 Mass), and made renovations for both Round Corner and the Carnegie Library. "See that color swatch on the wall over there?" March pointed. "That's called 'Sage'. That's the exterior color. I know I'll hear a few things about that." 'Sage' is greenish-yellow, a hue of particular vibrancy; 'Sage' was born to excite comment. It's all part of the plan. Design elements forthcoming--a corner tower, for example--will tie the new facade together. A patio seating 40, enclosing a side entrance for late-night service, will run nearly the length of the new Pachamama's northern perimeter. Inside the building are many micro-environments. "The Don's Booth," March calls an area just past the vestibule, soon to be highlighted by "the beautiful wall". Baker will again have his wood oven, his command post, located near the entrance of the restaurant. On the north side, lined with picture windows, is the "Main Room". At the center of the space (7162 square feet, with approximately 150 seats), lies the "Wine Room"--"sculptural furniture and Italian lights," says March. The wine room flows east to the bar, where a sinuous swath of crushed blue terrazzo embedded with fiber optics will make your cocktail shimmer with light. The bar, accessible by the side door, will take on its own character with time--Baker mentions "a late-night menu, events, and music." And the menu? Baker's still sketching, but look for lots of small plates. "I've got notebooks full of things," says Baker. "I'm staying focused on the home restaurant for now. But the increase in volume at the downtown place will make for a whole new ballgame--lunch in particular." Pachamama's much-lauded service, Baker assures, will maintain its high standards of knowledge and decorum. When the day comes, Pachamama's entire crew will shift from the home base to the new location. He already has the home base staffed and ready to host private functions as soon as the change is made. Even Pachamama's logo is getting an update. "I could move the food, I could move the crew," says Ken Baker, "but I couldn't move the sights and sounds of Pachamama's. I had to make something new." Lagniappe - There's lately been much praise for the biscuits and vegetarian gravy at [Aimee's Coffeehouse][5] on Mass. - [Vermont Street BBQ][6] goes into the Guinness Book of Records for the world's largest finger-painted mural. - The formidable [Godjilla][7] enthusiastically touts [Hayes Hamburger and Chili][8], a newcomer to the Orchard Corners at 15th and Kasold. Hayes is open 24 hours--by my count, Lawrence now has two all-night eateries. - Robert Krause gives thumbs-up to [J&S Coffee][9] at 6th and Wakarusa. "When I pick up fresh [coffee] beans for the restaurant, they're usually warm from the roaster. Joe Farthing is a scientist, a wizard--that's what a good coffee man should be." [1]: http://www.lawrence.com/places/krause... [2]: http://www.lawrence.com/places/pachamamas_new_world_cuisine/ [3]: http://www.lawrence.com/places/thai_h... [4]: http://www.lawrence.com/places/signs_... [5]: http://www.lawrence.com/places/aimees... [6]: http://www.lawrence.com/places/vermon... [7]: http://www.lawrence.com/blogs/godjilla/2005/jun/15/openalready/ [8]: http://www.lawrence.com/places/hayes_... [9]: http://www.lawrence.com/places/js_cof...
and 9 others
Comments
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scary_manilow (anonymous) says…
Hayes is disgusting. Worst service ever. Tiny, undersized portions, and the plates come out in spurts-- One person at your table finishes their meal before another one even sees their food. Typically, I love the "understated sevice" vibe at a greasy spoon-- Bit this is friggn' ridiculous. Never seen so many tables up and leave in one sitting, I swear. thumbs down!
frankdormat (Frank Dorsey) says…
I'm willing to put up with a lot for good diner grub. In fact, sometimes mediocre service and questionable cleanliness add to the atmosphere. This said, I had one of the worst dining experiences of my life at Hayes recently. The server was completely aloof. I don't expect a lot from a server at a diner. Ideally they are 80 and call me 'hon.' But this server at one point actually got into a fight with another 3 feet from our table about whether some food was ours. Despite our protestations that said food was not ours, the second surly server insisted it must be, and dropped the burger on our table. More food gradually trickled out with no rhyme or reason. There were seven people in our party, so if a single order of fries was delivered, we supposed it could have belonged to one of our meals. During the middle of this drawn out train wreck, two girls walked in and we warned them to run away and not look back. It turns out they weren't there to eat, but to ask for their money back on a take out order that took 45 minutes longer that the predicted 5 minutes, and then was completely wrong.
After enduring this for much longer than any human should, especially given the hungover state most of us were in, my friend Maggie and I decided that since neither of us had gotten any of our food, we would just walk to the other side of the strip mall to Ruchi Indian Restaurant. It was superb and washed the terrible taste left in our mouths by Hayes "Shamburger" (as Maggie has dubbed it.)
If you really want top-notch diner fare, drive to Topeka to Bobo's Diner. Top-notch!
lazz (anonymous) says…
Sadly, my experience mirrors Frank's in haphazard service and bizarrely disgusting food.
Though the hamburgers aren't to my taste, I could see how somebody might like them. But the fries were soggy and the chili ... um, boiled white beans topped by an ice-cream scoop of GREASY hamburger ... without the slightest hesitation, I can say it was the most disgusting looking bowl of ... food ... i've ever been served. Can't tell you how it tasted because I wasn't that brave. As Frank reports, food was brought to the table willy-nilly. And without knocking the place too hard, I just had a realization while ... er, "dining" there that we don't need a quirky North KC tradition because we already have a quirky Lawrence tradition of our own that serves terrific burgers, good chili, hot fries, good sandwiches: Bucky's. It's just that we don't call it a "diner" and it's not open 24 hours. But it is next to the park...
Tom, your reporting and writing on these fine restaurants are again inspirational. I hope there's sufficient market in Lawrence to support them both heartily. Wish I could do more to help the cause.
Dazie (Aileen Dingus) says…
Curious Tom- how'd you review a restaurant at 8th and New Hampshire that isn't open yet?? The only new one that's really there is "Mirth" in the space formerly occupied by Nova.
If you go- try the gorgonzola potatoes or the Mediterranean pizza. *swoon*
The gelato is still there, a hold over from Nova. The perfect way to finish a great meal.
Farmers_Daughter (anonymous) says…
Having spent many years in all aspects of the restaurant business, I gave Hayes three chances, figuring that maybe they would work out some bugs as time went on, even though several family members had already had their BAD experiences with the place.
First time, took 30 minutes to fry a tiny little burger and fries, with two other tables in the place and a "no more than 10 minutes" promise. Fries were cold when I got them, amd the burger made the Wendy's Jr. look big. The bowl of chili (if that's what you call it!) was disappointing and flavorless, and not what most people consider chili.
Second time I ordered a fried burrito with chili on it, and got cheese, along with fries all over the bag from the little boat they were supposed to be in (and covered in cheese from the poorly wrapped burrito). Chalked it up to late eve/tired staff, even tho the place was nearly empty and tables waited to be bussed.
Third time was a carry-out order of burritos, one plain, one with chili (for the hubby), and a double burger. Both burritoes were very cold in the middle, barely edible, and again came out with cheese instead of chili. The double burger was a single patty, when I asked about this they said that all burgers have one patty, they just smash more meat together for a double and a bit more for a triple.
Suffice to say I will not return to this establishment, nor will family members who waited an hour in a nearly empty restaurant, nor the relative who waited a half hour as the only customer only to find out his order was lost/never turned in. They were among what sounds like WAY too many walk-outs.
lazz (anonymous) says…
Not for the first time, but I'm totally lost --- Dazie, where/what is "Mirth" in the "space formerly occupied by Nova."
Gorgonzola potatoes and Med. pizza sound great! But I can't think of where you're talking about ....
Dazie (Aileen Dingus) says…
8th and New Hampshire- across 8th from the Sand Bar, between KoJo's and the tattoo place...
It used to be Cyber Nova Internet Cafe, but John sold it. It is now Mirth Internet Cafe, with an expanded menu and a different (but still good!) vibe.
lazz (anonymous) says…
Excellent! I'll give it a shot. Thanks.
bwoodard (Bill Woodard) says…
Yup, Hayes has not been able to recreate the quirky charms that make (or at least made) the NKC one a hit with me. Service is ridiculously spotty, and as everyone has noted, the food takes for fricking ever, and is delivered haphazard to the table. I, too, gave it three tries, figuring they needed to iron out the kinks. But as Lazz notes, we already have some pretty fine Lawrence traditions for burgers and such. Love me some Bucky's, and across the river, Johnny's Tavern still makes one fine burger. Not to mention the new kid on the block that's supposed to open this week, Local Burger.
beatle919 (Marcy McGuffie) says…
So, I guess my Hayes experience was not unique? Ugh...I was NOT impressed with that place. The food was sooo frickin' greasy. I only ate a few bites and felt incredibly nauseated the rest of the night...
The service was ok tho. But that won't bring me back!
anne_francis (anonymous) says…
Haven't been to Hayes, but agree with frankdormat on Bobo's in Topeka. Hey Tom, how about a trek to Topeka for a review of some classic diner fare?
RubyVroom (Chala Roberts-Fife) says…
I grew up in Topeka (unfortunately) and my family has gone to Bobo's Drive-In for as long as I can remember. It is one of the few good things in that town. I always order a steakburger, onion rings, and a piece of apple pie.
monkeywrench (Tim vonHolten) says…
all in all, a good first day. local burger already has a leg up over lawrence staples like zen zero who have never gotten out of the first day funk of rotten service and low-quality food.
i ordered the elk burger and the mustard herb potato salad, and my friend orderd the buffalo burger, the progressive potatoes, and the not in kansas anymore salad. we split everything and traded so we could get a better cross-section.
as we were waiting to order (in a very long line that moved along at an admirable clip), i noticed the portions seemed alarmingly small. but, my friend and i reminded ourselves, portions at most burger places are for fatasses who eat far more than they need (like me), and that the local burger portions were probably more sensible. that turned out to be true of the burgers (more later), but the sides were, in fact, insulting.
let's get one thing out of the way. i understand the importance and expense of local, small farm, quality meat. except for occasional, ill-advised trips to one of the local shitburger emporiums, i eat organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised, hand-massaged, kindly read-to, hugged-kissed-tucked in at sleepytime meat. another thing i know is that even if a potato is picked with white gloves by an angel, it is still cheap. dirt cheap. which brings me back to the sides at local burger.
i can't tell you how excited i was to try the "progressive potatoes." air-baked! healthy french fries! i was verily salivating at the thought of daily visits to local burger. but when i got my meal, it appeared that the harried but pleasant staff had accidentally given me a tray that a previous customer had left behind after filling up on their own enormous basket of starchy fantasy fries. there were about 8 small wedges of potato next to the burger. tasty, soggy, tiny, tiny wedges. picture two average-sized red potatoes, slightly larger than golfballs, and cut them into wedges. then pay $2.25 for them. there you go.
on to the potato salad. in spite of the mustard, sherry vinegar dressing, and fresh herbs, it was completely void of flavor. that's all i can say.
except that $2.25 is too much when you can get the king of french fries at free state for just over a buck. yes, yes, i realize they are not progressive, but damn, are they good.
to be continued.
monkeywrench (Tim vonHolten) says…
now, back to the meat of the matter. both meats i sampled were very tasty. without sounding like some sort of meat sommelier, i'll just say that the buffalo had that very buffalo-like quality of being dense and juiceless, without being dry. the flavor was subtle, but let you know you were eating something other cow. that is not to disparage the workhorse of mammalia, the good-natured, delicious moo moo, always first in my heart and arteries. oh yes, bossy, again will i eat thee. um, sorry. the elk was juicier, and the flavor was even more subtle, and therefore had an even harder time competing with the bun.
the bun on both sampled burgers was a dense, whole wheat variety, a little on the dry side, and more competitor than compliment to the meat. it was like robin williams in, well, anything: an unwelcome intrusion. and not good enough to justify that intrusion.
although you've elevated the garnishes (garni?), they are still lettuce, pickle, onion, and tomato, and could be included if asked for. if it's cost or waste you're worried about, you may be surprised how many people would forego the produce due to the delicious meat choices. then again, those pickles were fantastic. and 50 cents is not that big a deal.
but $1.25 for a slice of cheese? that's a big deal. stop it. it's just ridiculous.
thank you local burger, for your ambitious idea. i think you've got something special, and the timing is great. the next time i head in i hope my colon is cleansed by the healthy eating options, and not by the pricing.
quinn (Patrick Quinn) says…
I am suspending the 2005 competition and awarding vonHolten the Best Band Name from a Blog Post Award:
Meat Sommelier
That can't be topped. Please drive safely on yr way home.
liz (Liz Weslander) says…
Tim, that was very entertaining. I think you may have missed your calling.
invisiblenez (anonymous) says…
About Hayes - I have to say that the fights the owner gets into with his employees are like watching a soap.
I work there (but only on weekends in the mornings) and I am looking to find another job because I'm getting treated like crap. I work my butt off and the others employees just wait for me to do everything and I am tired of picking up other people's slack. Another thing - the first day that I worked I had absolutly no training.
PotSticker (anonymous) says…
yes Tim, you can go ahead and quit your day... err I mean night job.