It was a month ago yesterday that Cafe Trio closed at 3535 Broadway and started the move 10 blocks south to 4558 Main. After five years it had simply outgrown its original space, something that's not likely to happen at the new location, which is three times as large.
But looks can be deceiving. Upon first walking in, it appears to be a small, cozy fine-dining establishment with a couple of booths along the wall and a piano tucked into a corner. Then you walk through the back door to a brand-new covered deck that can seat 30, and its adjacent smoking section, which can fit another 25. A walk upstairs reveals two rooms that can be curtained off into three rooms and can accommodate 100 more people. A closer look at the bar area reveals it has seating for another 20 or so.
The new Cafe Trio officially opened this past Monday. It maintains the intimacy of the old location, just on a grander scale.
will find chef Leon Bahlmann's menu still carries all the favorites with some additions such as calamari appetizers, monk fish, a couple of new pasta
dishes and ahi tuna. They'll probably even find
the same waiter serving the food. General Manager Robbie McGowan says
the entire staff stayed on during the move. "I know it's extremely rare
for that to happen in a restaurant move but this is the best staff in
the world and they stuck it out for a tough month. Then we
had to hire more. Because of the size we've doubled the staff."
director Greg Morey says that while the space is upscale, the vibe will stay irreverent. "We want people to have fun. That
they can come in any night and there is something going on. We will
have different local artists on the wall, music Tuesday through
Saturday, music on the patio Wednesday nights. Eventually readings from
plays, who knows. The space is very open. We can move chairs very
easily."
The restaurant will serve lunch, too,
sometime after July 4, McGowan says. It will also be open on Sundays. Starting Father's Day, it will serve
a Sunday low-key menu of burgers, bratwurst and drink specials
throughout the summer.
Not content with simply opening, Cafe Trio is
already having its first party: a week-long fifth-anniversary
celebration culminating on the summer solstice. (More on that next week.) In the meantime, McGowan says he's just trying to make
sure everything is in place. "It's still a work in progress but
oh, isn't it great?"
Trio's kitchen is open 5-10 p.m.
Monday through Thursday and 5-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The bar
area, called the Starlet Lounge (hence the pictures of the '30s
actresses) will stay open to 11 p.m. or later (it has a 1:30 a.m. liquor license). The phone
number is 816-756-3227 and its Web site is CafeTrioKC.com.
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