Xroads James Beard District

[bobbyhawks]

ugh why Port Fonda. That place is not good.

I disagree. I'd be interested in hearing what exactly was straight up not good food-wise.

[kucer]

ugh why Port Fonda. That place is not good.

Agree, JB. The only time I've gone back was for the Hatch Chili Fest they put on which was fun.

[JBmidtown]

ugh why Port Fonda. That place is not good.

I disagree. I'd be interested in hearing what exactly was straight up not good food-wise.

The pork is always tough and dry, everything is bland and over priced. I'll stick with El Camino Real.

[brewcrew1000]

We have such an amazing Hispanic food culture in this metro, why would I need Hipster Mex? Port Fonda and Taco Republic are 2 places I'll probably never go again because I'd rather embrace our amazing Hispanic food culture from the ones who actually lived there, not ones who studied under Rick Bayless (PF) or follows trends (TR)

[WSPanic]

It's fine not to like something and to say why. But to say "Everything sucks" at a place you obviously don't go to is just a shitty thing to do. Again, I'm not saying you have to like anything about it, but basically you're saying that anyone who has ever liked any food there is wrong and has terrible taste. Which basically means - in my mind - nothing you say is credible.

[JBmidtown]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[KCPowercat]

Is Novel not eligible yet?

[bobbyhawks]

It's fine not to like something and to say why. But to say "Everything sucks" at a place you obviously don't go to is just a shitty thing to do. Again, I'm not saying you have to like anything about it, but basically you're saying that anyone who has ever liked any food there is wrong and has terrible taste. Which basically means - in my mind - nothing you say is credible.

Bingo. The auto-hatred for things perceived as "hipster-friendly" is a bit annoying. I get just as annoyed with "precious" and pretentious service, but it is amazing how many people I know love to talk smack on PF without having even been there or just trying it once (and ordering tacos). I also don't think it should matter where Patrick Ryan is from or his ethnicity if he cooks good food. We have Japanese cooks doing amazing French, and Mexican cooks doing amazing Italian in the US. I feel like the "white people can't cook Mexican food" syndrome is an extension of the "white people can't cook BBQ" syndrome which disappeared a few decades ago with Okie Joe's and others joining the scene. If people think that PF serves bland food, then I don't know exactly what they are ordering. Maybe just tacos? I'd recommend giving it another try since I've never had tough, dry, or bland pork at PF, but it sounds like you made up your mind before you ever went inside.

Edit - I respect that others have different taste and that PF may not be for everyone, but the comments came off like someone hated the very idea of PF more than anything specific about the actual food they have tried there.

[flyingember]

I feel like the "white people can't cook Mexican food" syndrome is an extension of the "white people can't cook BBQ" syndrome

The cooks don't matter, it's the front of house staff.

Listen to this podcast, it's better than reading it.
http://freakonomics.com/podcast/is-it-o ... o-episode/

[brewcrew1000]

Edit - I respect that others have different taste and that PF may not be for everyone, but the comments came off like someone hated the very idea of PF more than anything specific about the actual food they have tried there.

But the food is only one aspect of a restaurant to me. There are many other factors that go into a restaurant like the Ambiance, Service, pricing and I think those all suck at PF, I do like the food at Port Fonda but the overall product is very lacking for me so I don't bother anymore. You can have amazing food but if all the other stuff sucks is the restaurant worth going to? Also, at a place like Port Fonda where it has grown, does Patrick Ryan even cook there anymore or does he just run things?

Look at the Port Fonda facebook page. You cannot even see the user reviews on the page for the KC one, that leads me to believe that others are having shitty experiences and they are doing absolutely nothing to fix it and they are hiding the shit reviews from the public page. If you go to other restaurant facebook pages you can see the star rating and user inputs. Same story for Port Fondas Yelp page, overall they love the food but the price point, noise and service all give them bad ratings.

[chrizow]

i don't particularly care whether someone likes PF or not, but most of the criticism i hear is that PF doesn't have their cheesy gringo-mex favorites. whether you like the ambiance and vibe or not, the place is cooking from a pretty respectful place and incorporates some interesting ingredients and traditional techniques.

sure, i like $1.25 tacos at el camino real as much as the next guy, but to me PF is just a totally different place. (it's also kind of annoying and cliche for folks in 2017 to be like, "but i can get great cheap mexican in KCK!" gringo taco-tourism is fine but let's not pretend we're anthony bourdain over here) ponak's is a totally different place from el camino real and PF too and i love it to death. the cazuealitas, chilaquiles, menudo, etc. at PF are legit and delicious. also, unlike a place like el camino real, you can get awesome tequila and mezcal, cocktails, etc. love it or hate it, PF is at least original in the KC market and brings an interesting product and angle to the table. there is nothing else like it.

as far as "value," that's in the eye of the beholder. again, i love cheap KCK mexican eats too, but to me going to PF is more like going to Room 39 or the Rieger or something in terms of ingredients and preparation (although it's a lot louder in there!). sometimes it stings to pay $50 for a couple chimichangas and margaritas, but damn if that shit isn't tasty. there are many, many much poorer values in this city imo.

[bobbyhawks]

Nicely stated, Chriz. Everyone has their different weighting in what is important to them in a dining experience. To me, I rank cleanliness and food/drink way way way above service and aesthetic, and I've always had great service at Port Fonda. 90% of Yelp reviews I read are based 90% on service, and I ignore all of those types of reviews (also any reviews tied to restaurant week). Reviews are helpful in scoping out new restaurants, but I also find that a lot of "bad service" reviews are by people who are generally a--holes to begin with. In all my years of living in KC, I've only had a handful of experiences (service-wise) that would result in me never returning to a restaurant. Even then, the "never to return" is almost always also tied to crap food. The bartenders at Port Fonda have a ridiculous knowledge about mezcal and tequila, and the servers always know 100% of the menu and give great recommendations. It may seem overly trendy to some that they are listening to loud rap music, and that their servers are tattooed younger folks wearing Baldwin, but the food and service have always been great for me.

[chrizow]

yeah we've always had neutral-to-great service at PF. not saying folks can't have an "off" night there, but the staff seems well trained and professional overall.

[rxlexi]

Ah, this back and forth about Port Fonda makes me reminisce about the good ole days of the "KC Scene" page before Yelp ruined everything. Miss the many rag reviews of new restaurants and bars.

Really enjoy reading these well worded, nuanced opinions, on both sides.

[chrizow]

yelp is the fucking worst.

[JBmidtown]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[earthling]

James Beard Foundation tour hitting only 10 cities, closing out with 2 days in KC...
https://www.jamesbeard.org/tasteamerica

[earthling]

Michael Smith opening another Xroads restaurant, in old Kemper gallery space...
https://cityscenekc.com/award-winning-c ... estaurant/

[KCPowercat]

But MS basically shutting down. Net win though I'd say.

Need a dessert /pasty/coffee type restaurant in crossroads. Give people on a date anotjer destination to go after dinner.

[kcjak]

I've never been a big fan of Michael Smith or his restaurant (felt more like a retirement home the couple of times I went) and this statement from him in the article pretty much sums it up for me: 'Sometimes you forget you want food to be delicious.'

I hope he finds his mojo again with Farina and I'll certainly give it a try, but a shame the current MS on such a prominent corner on the streetcar line will end up as an event space.