Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Kansas City - Day 2 - The Foundry at McCoy's

After the Bice Bistro debacle, it wouldn’t take much for The Foundry at McCoy’s to be a better experience. What we found far surpassed our expectations.

Recommended to us by my friend Eric Milner, a Westport resident and Ukraine Trip brother, I was looking forward to the immense selection of beers and casual fare The Foundry had to offer. As an added bonus, the Westport Art Fair happening all around us made the atmosphere electric.

When we arrived, the alternatively dressed yet super friendly wait staff showed us to a table on the patio where we ordered our first round and waited for Eric and his troop to arrive. An avid fan of Brown Ales, my first choice was McCoy’s own Hogpound Brown. Brewed less than a block from where I sat, Hogpound Brown is now a very strong contender for my favorite beer ever, holding ranks with none other than my trusted favorite Newcastle Brown Ale. Mindy chose McCoy’s Blackberry Lager and though I’m not a huge fan of fruit beer, the taste was very crisp and refreshing.

Soon, Milner and our new friends had arrived and before we knew it, it was time to order more beer and something to eat. Though I was tempted to stick with a good thing, I chose not to order another Hogpound and instead opted for an Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. Let me tell you this, you have not had a stout until you’ve had Old Rasputin. Even the head was dark.

After some thought I chose to order one of The Foundry’s house pizza’s called “The Bruce Lee” and Mindy went with the ultimate of bar foods, the “Serious Nachos.” Before we knew it our food had arrived and we could dig in.

Though I’m pretty sure Bruce Lee “the legend” was of Chinese descent, Bruce Lee “the pizza” was straight out of Thailand, but what it lacked in cultural accuracy it more than made up for in taste. Topped with curried chicken, Thai peanut sauce, mozzarella, provolone, red onion, carrots, sweet chili sauce and toasted peanuts, the Bruce Lee was a roundhouse kick to the pallet. Only Chuck Norris could serve it up better.

As for the Serious Nachos, I don’t believe I’ve ever eaten a more accurately named appetizer. The Serious Nachos were piled high with pork carnitas, black beans, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, jalapeños and green onions. Though typically served with black olives and sour cream, we opted for no olives and the sour cream on the side. Regardless, there was no end to the flavor. Mindy was able to eat about 1/3 of the plate which left me and the rest of the table to finish it off. Within a couple minutes, there was nothing left and after polishing off the last of the Bruce Lee and Old Rasputin, I leaned back in my chair and melted in a food induced ecstasy.

If you find yourself in the Kansas City area and craving Urban flavored bar food with an artsy twist, The Foundry at McCoy’s is your destination. With their alcoholic milk shakes, themed salads and baja tacos just to name a few, The Foundry’s menu should be diverse enough for even the pickiest eater.

I look forward to another weekend visit with Milner and another trip to The Foundry, if for no other reason than to have another Hogpound Brown.

The Foundry at McCoy’s

Overall Rating – A

No comments: