Although restaurateur Forbes Cross will always be best-known for his wildly popular 1980s neighborhood grill concept, Michael Forbes Grill in Waldo, he's opened (and closed) nearly a dozen restaurants since then -- mostly in the suburbs.
Cross is getting ready to open a new restaurant, his first downtown operation, next month.
His last suburban operation was in Lee's Summit: Forbes Woodfire
Grill, on 291 Highway, which he described as an "upscale barbecue and
grill." He didn't reopen the venue after a fire nearly destroyed the
location eleven months ago.
The new restaurant is slated to open in four weeks at 528 Walnut, in the historic corner storefront last occupied by Dos Hombres Mexican Restaurant. Cross is calling the venue Hickok's Southwest Bar & Grill. He says the menu combines upscale Mexican (shrimp guacamole, steak enchiladas, cumin-chicken burritos) with Angus burgers, salads, wraps and soups.
There's a Mexican bar and restaurant directly across the street -- Thirsty's -- but Cross thinks there's plenty of business for everyone. "We're focusing more on food," he says. He also expects Hickok's to serve a wide variety of specialty cocktails.
The joint isn't open yet, but the menu is already posted on the front door. It shows an array of multi-ethnic starts, ranging from fried pickles to barbecue chicken nachos and chili cheese fries. Among the 14 burgers are a Santa Fe topped with queso, onion straws, guacamole and fried tortilla strips. The "Loaded" burger isn't terribly different: onion straws, smoked jalepenos, queso and pork carnitas.
Some of these Southwestern dishes were served at Cross' only other Mexican concept, the late Red River Cantina, which operated in south Johnson County seven years ago.
Cross won't be open on Sundays, at least not at first. "We have to get a gauge on what downtown business is like on Sundays." He's also toying with the idea of serving Mexican-style breakfasts on Saturdays, the busiest day in the River Market.
"I'm glad to be downtown," he says. "It's really happening there now. I think it's a neighborhood with a lot of potential for a new restaurant concept."
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My son and I had lunch earlier this week at Hickok's. I had the salmon salad accompanied by the beer cheese soup. The presentation was spectacular and the taste even better. The service was A+ from the hostess on. The large portions help make this wonderful dining experience a good value as well. We will definitely be revisiting frequently.
Let me start by saying I am always enthusiastic about trying a new place out to see if I like atmosphere and worth putting in my rotation. I do have a major hang up with hair and it was found twice tonight on the rim of my glass and on my plate two different donors just sickening.... followed on each occasion with a smirkish attitude as if I wanted something for free which is a shame because I basically liked the atmosphere, I did purchase a drink but could not bring myself to try a replacement in the food dept. If you frequent this area there is a good selection of places to eat and drink and usually I like both. Good Luck and I hope they really think about the Hair net suggestion I cooked for a resturaunt as a teenager and was always concientious about what I prepared and how i served it. I am sorry to say this my last review.
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