KCRag Forum

....I went there for the first time a few days ago. We had a really nice lunch, good food and service and a nice place to visit.

If anyone's Mom or sis, etc is coming to town during the holidays, it might be a good choice. There were an equal amount of men and women there, but I think its appeal is maybe more for the women.

Different tastes though. They have a bar at the kitchen that has 4 seats. I wanted to be seated there to watch the kitchen staff, but the rest of my gang whined that we were seated too close to the kitchen. I'm sure they have chef's table or something there sometimes.

The floral gallery across the street is great too. Dan Meiner, if I remember correctly.

What about it is more attractive to women than men? The hunky male dancers?

KCMax wrote: What about it is more attractive to women than men? The hunky male dancers?

MAN!!!!!!!!!! I missed them . Webster house is a white tablecloth (even for lunch) restaurant that is in a restored old schoolhouse which is also an antique store and a venue for receptions, etc. Maybe I'm wrong, but my hubby wouldn't like it as well as I did. And most of my friends enjoyed browsing there more than I did. Different strokes you know.

I've eaten there a few times and agree it is mighty tastey.  Great food & desserts. The only thing that isn't fun is having to browse around at all the "stuff" that is for sale after lunch.    They have two main eating areas. A main dining room  and then a really neat old room that has a huge bar and really grand woodwork throughout. The kitchen sits in between.  I believe the Helzbergs were major contributors in getting the place renovated.  Definitely a great place to have lunch over the holidays.

My great grandmother on my dad's side worked there doing something or other back in the fifties.

Worked where?  The Webster House has only been open a few years.  I love their crispy fried spinach, don't know how its done.

moderne wrote: Worked where?  The Webster House has only been open a few years.  I love their crispy fried spinach, don't know how its done.

Uh, yeah, worked there, in that building anyway. I don't know if it was always called Webster House.

Was a schoolhouse until the 1920's or '30's and then was occupied by by various businesses.  If your GG is still on this earth I bet she would be amazed to see it now.

It is an awesome restoration for sure. A beautiful old building skillfully done with modern conveniences that are subdued so that you dont' notice.

  And some of the nicest restrooms in town.  Don't see many restrooms where I would like to curl up and take a nap.

A wonderfull place for groups/families of varied ages.  Especially women.  Huge mounds of worthless crap to view and form opinions on are everywhere.  Mother, daughter, college friends and grandmother can bond as they browse, bringing their well-developed bourgeois tastes to bear on items as varied as hand-made halloween decorations, antiques mirrors that no longer reflect anything from 50% of their surface area, many different types of candlesticks, and numerous other usefull items handily over-priced so as to allow for competitive displays of profligacy.  Meanwhile the men can have a drink upstairs at the bar and unwittingly discuss cattle prices and the Republican conspiracy to put an end to tort-law as several days' wages are dropped on pot-holders and christmas wreathes below.

The food and service really are excellent, however.  I especially recommend the duck.

moderne wrote:   And some of the nicest restrooms in town.  Don't see many restrooms where I would like to curl up and take a nap.

I saw a partied-out young man splayed out on the urine-soaked floor of the Brick's men's room last weekend who would beg to differ with you on this point.

I said it was more of a chick place. Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks so.

FYI: Webster House has an awesome happy hour:

half-price cocktails and beers.  all wines $5/glass and $20/bottle.

$3 Happy Hour Menu
* Sweet potato and crab hash - wilted ruby chard, shaved watermelon radish, rosemary pistou
* Braised veal cheek - on butter-seared basil spaetzel
* Shrimp Po' Boy on brioche or Croque Monsieur - two for $3
* Webster House gorgonzola cream - served with gold potato chips
* Lemongrass diver scallop - chipotle + sweet potato puree, coconut broth
* Bamboo rice risotto - creamed leeks, portabello sticks, tomato oil
* 8 oz. grilled steak burger - emmenthaler swiss cheese, balsamic tomatoes
* Seared prawn - tomato chutney, fried green tomato, beurre blanc
* Truffled crab puffs - grilled zucchini, veal demi glace

$3!! 

beautiful space too, great bar.  sure, it's a bit of a "ladies who lunch" place, but i think they are trying to appeal to a younger set as well.  do check it out.

Wow!  Have you tried the food?  A little recessioning does wonders for happy hour deals...

AJoD wrote: Wow!  Have you tried the food?  A little recessioning does wonders for happy hour deals...

no, but my gf did and said it was quite good.  we're going to try and go this week. 

I had no time they were even open in the evening.  Do they do an actual dinner service?

LenexatoKCMO wrote: I had no time they were even open in the evening.  Do they do an actual dinner service?

yep!

happy hour:  Wed-Sat, 4:30-6:30
dinner:  Wed-Sat, 5:30-9:00.

the dinner menu sounds good too:  http://www.websterhousekc.com/documents ... ufeb09.pdf

i think WH needs to do some sort of marketing blitz to communicate that WH serves dinner, has an awesome happy hour, and isn't just for ward parkway housewives anymore!

chrizow wrote: i think WH needs to do some sort of marketing blitz to communicate that WH serves dinner, has an awesome happy hour, and isn't just for ward parkway housewives anymore!

You will have to report back on how straight male friendly the joint is - I too had always heard it was the sort of place you went with a big floppy hat and floral print dress to visit about gardening. 

Thanks for the tip chriz, I haven't been there in a long time.  The place is primarily patronized by Mission Hills women with stretched, overly made up faces but the food is of good quality.  The flavor used to be on the mellow side but it looks like they are getting more adventurous with waking up the mouth.  Will have to check it out.

checked out WH for happy hour on saturday.  (yeah, the happy hour is on saturday too!)

we ordered the veal cheek, the po boy/croque monsieur combo, the sweet potato crab hash, and risotto.  we also shared a dessert, which was full-price ($6). 

the veal cheek was ok - a nice-sized serving of very tender meat and pasta on a plate.  like gourmet hamburger helper or something.  not great, but worth $3.  same with the hash - okay but not great.

the risotto was very tasty though.  the po boy and croque monsieurs were tasty and small (maybe three bites each) but well worth $3.  a couple next to us ordered the scallop and the prawn and they looked very good. 

i also saw a steak burger go out and it was a normal sized burger and looked very tasty - again, especially for $3. 

as for the atmosphere, i thought it was totally fine.  the bar area is very nice.  it has a GREAT view of the PAC.  the staff was super friendly.  the other patrons basically consisted of moneyed older folks, but i thought that was fine.  i'd rather do happy hour dining amongst the uppity ward parkway set than the re:verse or kona grill set.  i definitely didn't feel that it was a "feminine" place.

also, it's fun to look at the insanely expensive antiques downstairs.  shockingly, there are some items that are pretty normally-priced, so WH is actually a viable shopping option in the Crossroads for those who can't afford $6800 lamps (yes, they had some).