Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange

[moosnsqrl]

I've lamented the "loss" of Howard Hanna to the River Club for the last few years, missed Ryan Maybee's Manifesto since it's been closed, AND mourned the loss of a Crossroads restaurant since 1924 Main was shuttered.  I'm psyched that all 3 of those wrongs are being righted in one stroke, with the birth of the Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange.  They're currently hoping to have the restaurant open by early November and Manifesto will re-open as soon as the bureaucratic wheels churn out a liquor license.

I stopped by there about a month ago to chat with Howard about his plans.  I'm not very good at conceptualizing, so I just took a few pix of the "before" and stayed away for a while.  Somehow between his full time gig at the RC and Ryan Maybee's non-stop cocktail party, a surprising amount of work has been accomplished. [Pictures coming soon]

Gone are the glass block dividers that separated bar from restaurant; an actual wall separates the entryway from the window seating (riddling rack table).  A soffit has appeared over the open kitchen area, which really helps to define it and will eventually beckon diners to sit at the counter, making it a great choice for those dining solo.

The private dining area to the north of the main dining room is also getting a facelift. The retail-ish wine displays are gone and the plan is to have some large, communal dining tables and possibly live music there at times.  I really like the conviviality of dining with strangers in Europe and hope it will catch on here. It's not always my choice but I'd love having the option -- particularly on a spontaneous visit.

But enough about all of that -- the food will be the star of the show.  The menu isn't etched in stone yet but will offer something for everyone: soups, salads, a couple of classic sandwiches that aren't found often enough on KC menus (pan bagnat, and a Cuban), housemade lasagna, a flank steak, poussin (a young chicken) and a fish entree are likely. Not so ambitious that it over-reaches and all feasible within a fairly normal lunch hour.

I have high hopes for this place. Howard's cooking is always amazing; I love the building/location and you know the bar will be solid.  

[KCMax]

If you are copying this from somewhere, please cite it. Sounds cool though.

[moosnsqrl]

If you are copying this from somewhere, please cite it. Sounds cool though.

I am the author. Too much business writing has left my work bereft of personality, I guess.

[KCMax]

I am the author. Too much business writing has left my work bereft of personality, I guess.

Sorry, it just seemed like it was cut and paste from an article. Carry on!

[bbqboy]

Sorry, it just seemed like it was cut and paste from an article. Carry on!

You seem to be saying most of us aren't quite as accomplished wordsmiths? . I can vouch for M & S's food credentials.

[phuqueue]

Can't wait for this place to open.  1924/Manifesto was definitely my favorite spot in town, great drinks and Ryan and his staff are all cool people.  I've been looking forward to this for months.

[moosnsqrl]

You seem to be saying most of us aren't quite as accomplished wordsmiths? . I can vouch for M & S's food credentials.

Thanks - when I first read this (M&S) I thought of the upscale plaza seafood emporium, but then I realized you meant me.

Yes, I am just a tireless supporter of local restaurants and restaurateurs (and farmers, and food purveyors and, and, and).

And yeah, I'm just really excited about what I think is going to happen here.  And I wanted to share it. Funny, I had wanted it to be better and illustrated - I finally posted the down-graded version - just to get it out there - and Dave thought it was pilfered.  That is a rather sad indictment of the quality of posts

Totally off-topic - BBQBoye . . . heading your way next month. Looking to try someone else's local 

[chrizow]

i think it looked copy/pasted because (on my browser at least) it had a lot of weird characters and stuff in it, like when you dump text from another source into SMF and it turns quotation marks into ampersands and crap.  a fine post!

i am very excited for this place.  i feel like perhaps the KC food scene is growing again since the recession hit.  rieger hotel, westport cafe, beer kitchen, FUD, etc.

[moosnsqrl]

i think it looked copy/pasted because (on my browser at least) it had a lot of weird characters and stuff in it, like when you dump text from another source into SMF and it turns quotation marks into ampersands and crap.  a fine post!

Hmm. I work variously in IE, Firefox and Safari and didn't see any weird characters. What the heck are you browsing in, Chriz? 

[chrizow]

Hmm. I work variously in IE, Firefox and Safari and didn't see any weird characters. What the heck are you browsing in, Chriz? 

i use a browser projected by my mind.

[phuqueue]

I saw all the weird characters both on Chrome and when I went to floor 7 1/2 to observe through chrizow's mind-browser.  Looks like Dave cleaned them up now though.

[DaveKCMO]

Looks like Dave cleaned them up now though.

you're welcome!

[moosnsqrl]

you're welcome!

Thanks, Dave. I'll send out a secret decoder with the next volley.

[grovester]

I thought you had a Tourette-like syndrom where every 6th word you typed was an expletive.

[bbqboy]

I thought you had a Tourette-like syndrom where every 6th word you typed was an expletive.

Raingirl?

[trailerkid]

http://jv-foodie.typepad.com/foodie/201 ... hange.html

[smh]

I wonder if anything needs to be done at Manifesto other than dusting everything off, stocking the bar and opening the door?

I imagine that they just packed everything up and left when they closed. No idea if that was the case, of course, but it seems probable.

[moosnsqrl]

Pretty much just dusting off the cob webs, Ryan said. They intend to re-open Manifesto as soon as ink is dry on the liquor license.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I would think a few cob webs and a little dust would add to speakeasty authenticity. 

[moosnsqrl]

One of the things to like about The Rieger is its history (and its storied past, but that's another topic). I believe Howard and Ryan intend to revive a former Rieger Monogram Whiskey sign that was painted on the south side of the building.

Talking about it made me curious so I did a little digging and apparently Rieger was part of a large "family" of Monogram liquor distributors.  They sold mail order whiskey pre-Prohibition.  Funny considering how difficult it still is to get wine shipped to the Kansas side today.

I really like the look of outdoor murals/signage and hope they're able to accomplish this.