8th Anniversary

Ben and I celebrated our 8 years of marriage with the most perfect date night! We started off with a few cocktails at a happy hour. Headed on up to Smithville (of all places) to the most fantastic restaurant EVER! It's most definitely our new favorite! I had posted on facebook for some new recommendations and had received outstanding reviews for this place I'd never even heard of! Come to find out, The New York Times had written about it, The Food Channel has been there, and Matthew McConaughey has eaten and visited as well! The building itself probably seats around 75 people, so it really isn't very big. It's one open room with a dividing wall between the bar area and the actual dining room. And the ktichen is wide open. In fact, I saw one of the chefs taste-testing something he was preparing...just like Grandma! The real deal- no pre-made anything...everything is made right then and right there!

We had the privilege of having the owner as our server and then her husband as the head chef. He came to our table and spoke with us for several minutes telling us about his place. His story went a bit like this- The building itself has always belonged to the Justus Family. The grandfather and the father were both pharmacists and had owned the store since 1914. The grandson (who owns it now) was a painter in France for a few years, when he decided to cook under an amazing chef somewhere in France. When he came back to Smithville, he wanted to open a restauarant, but use the same building that his father and grandfather had owned. Dreams really do come true.


Everything is locally grown and used to make the most unique dishes. We had squash for an app, a salad with blue cheese and pears, a Kobe ribeye, and a mint chocolate desert. It was simply wonderful. You have GOT to try it if you're in the KC area. I ain't a-kiddin!