In my opinion it's just OK for the value. Nothing that thrilled me enough to ever want to go back to though I agree the place looks much better than previously.
I find it hard to take seriously a comment with baby changing tables in screaming caps. Surely Debbie Gold is owed better than that. My one beef with your review, Charles, is that the ostensible link to the menu leads to Crackle, a movie review site. Maybe next time, since I'm drooling at the thought of a steak dripping with bone marrow butter.
My family and I tried to eat there over Memorial Day, and we couldn't because they didn't have any high chairs. They should not advertise that they are good for kids when they don't have the ability to accommodate them. I would like to eat there, but I guess they don't want me to.
No changing table? I'll be there tonight!
Without a website, I can't easily decide if it's worth bringing my group of 10-plus to the restaurant this weekend. Will probably choose a place I know and feel more comfortable with.
The artichoke flatbread was great! The Asian chicken salad had way too much of some kind of lettuce that was so bitter I could hardly eat more than a few bites. And the chicken in the salad was so sparse I hardly noticed it was there. But the final straw: NO BABY CHANGING TABLES in the whole restaurant, not one. You've opened a casual restaurant in Leawood and you're excluding families with infants? Seriously? I was there for lunch. My 9-month-old didn't make a peep, but when I went to change him I was honestly shocked that there were no facilities set up for this. For this reason I won't be returning to try the salmon or the burger, which both sound pretty good.
The artichoke flatbread was great. The Asian chicken salad had way too much of some kind of lettuce that was so bitter I could barely have a few bites, and the "chicken" was so sparse it was barely noticeable. Final straw: NO BABY CHANGING TABLES IN THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT. For this reason I won't be going back to try the salmon or the burger, which both sound delicious. Really. It's a casual restaurant in Leawood, and not a changing table to be found. Completely unbelievable and unacceptable.
Went this past Saturday morning. Liked it, not in love with it yet. Think it still needs tweaking. Beignets were a waste of time-tough not puffy. Breakfast entrees good but not enough pizzazz for price in my book. Understand paying for quality. Am hoping a little more tweaking will help it move into the great category.
Went this Saturday for brunch around 10am. Very minimal wait, nice atmosphere, friendly service. Food was delicious!! Glad to have another great breakfast place in westport now that my beloved Boot is gone!
It's great that the Corner is back. The food is good and the place never looked better. A little more sausage and pepper in the gravy and it would match the Corner in its golden years. But "savvy, cheery servers"? Not on our first two visits, where the items on the breakfast orders from three people were confused the first time. On the second, the waitress couldn't be bothered to take our order, then spent more time chatting with coworkers than tending her tables. It's nice to hire cool people, but they should be taught what they are there for.
I LOVE this place so far (been there twice). The loaded grits are awesome, too. Yes, it's not some place I can afford to eat a couple times a week, but that's probably better for my health anyway. Glad to see them doing well so far.
*Did NOT give the impression of someone who was a talented chef.
Although I like Tio I find her obsession with country bumpkin food terminology annoying. I remember watching her on Top Chef Masters and it was "puddin" and I felt like it did give a good impression of someone who is a talented chef. I agree completely that the use of the word "Stuff" does not belong on a menu. She needs to cut the cutesy boarding school slang and create a menu that is at the caliber of the level of chef she is. I also think it is a shame she does not have vegetarian entrees, it is 2013 and you are in the Crossroads. People are going to pass Collection right by and go to Affare, Extra Virgin or Pizzabella all excellent local choices with vegetarian options. Sounds like this place needs a lot of help to make it. What a odd choice of location.
Since when is North Kansas City a.k.a. Northtown, with the Missouri River serving as the southern border & 32nd Street as it's northern most border considered 'on the outskirts of Kansas City'? Look at map! Northtown is closer to Downtown Kansas City than Westport and La Plllaaazzahhhh!
http://kcrestaurantguide.com/html/restaura… menus coming soon
Celina Tio, I have to agree with 21Century - no web presence is a killer.
Articles in The Pitch and The Star aren't enough. There is no Collection website nor Facebook presence. The Twitter account @CollectionByTio doesn't have any information about the restaurant. Even your personal website is down.
Try Google maps, set it to encompass south downtown and search for lunch, dinner, dining, Tio, Celina and Collection - results for Collection are nada. Search Yelp for lunch, dining, dinner, downtown and Crossroads - same result. Search Yelp for Collection - a listing, with no reviews. Urban Spoon, three thumbs up, no reviews.
Great food is not enough. You need an online presence today to give Collection an opportunity to survive and to succeed. A social media person is as important to your restaurants success as a good manager or sous chef.
PS I've submitted a Google Maps request to have Collection listed at 1532 Grand instead of the former tenant.
PPS I must second Charles, lose the radio.
Ate dinner here with my girlfriend around 8pm on Saturday night. Attentive service and great food all around. Looking forward to Collection finding it's way in the downtown restaurant market. Great article as it highlighted my internal thoughts will dining and answered those questions.
Also, it does not appear that Collection has a website. That's probably hurting it a bit with the lunch crowd.
Wednesday also has the Westport Plaza Farmer's Market, at 43rd & Wyoming from 4:30 to 7:30pm.
Re: “Debbie Gold opens her Red Door Grill in Leawood”
Changing tables and high chairs? Really? That's what the comments are going to amount to here? Thanks for fueling the fire of why Johnson County gets picked on and laughed at when it comes to attempts at creativity and potentially interesting restaurant options (and yes, I am a long-time Johnson County resident). I am constantly on the prowl for small, independently owned, non-chain restaurants. I appreciate Ms. Gold's willingness to make the investment and taking a chance. I look forward to trying it.