La Bodega
703 Southwest Boulevard
Kansas City MO 64108
Phone: 816-472-8272
On the Web at www.LaBodegaKC.com
Tapas menu: $3.95 - $11.95
Lunch menu: $7.95 - $9.95
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
If you are looking for an out-of-the ordinary lunch experience, La Bodega on Southwest Boulevard is a wonderful option. La Bodega specializes in Spanish tapas, which are hot and cold appetizers made from a wide variety of meats, vegetables, cheeses and seafood. In the United States, tapas have evolved into a cuisine of their own-diners order several selections and together they make up a meal.
While La Bodega has a regular lunch menu featuring salads, sandwiches and other entrees, four of us visited recently to check out the lunchtime tapas as a change of pace. The full tapas menu is available at lunchtime by request.
The first rule when you are ordering tapas as lunch is to order more than one selection per person. Servings are small and it will take a few extras to make a decent size lunch. For our party of four, we chose six tapas.
The second rule of tapas dining is that you need to allow enough time to savor each selection. Our tapas were served to us one or two at a time, making for a fun and leisurely dining experience. Each was beautifully presented.
The first tapa to arrive was the Esparragos y Salmon Ahumado ($8.95). These are chilled asparagus spears wrapped in smoked salmon. The asparagus was perfectly cooked and came with a delicious horseradish sauce.
Next we tried the Croquetas de Jamon y Queso ($7.95). Unusual, but really tasty, it consisted of ham and cheese blended together and deep-fried into five bite-sized dumplings and served with red pepper aioli.
The Calamares de Queso y Chorizo ($7.95) soon arrived and was made up of breaded squid filled with goat cheese and chorizo mousse. Also deep-fried, it is served with an ancho-lemon aioli. Undoubtedly the word "chewy" is running through your mind as you read that this dish involves squid. Surprisingly, that is not the case at all. It was cheesy, tender and really quite good.
Among our favorites was the Queso de Cabra al Horno ($6.95). This excellent dish is a goat cheese spread baked in tomato sauce with fresh basil. It is accompanied by toasted garlic bread.
The Pincho de Pollo y Chorizo ($7.25) arrived next. These small kabobs featured marinated chicken and bite-sized pieces of sausage. Served with a garlic cumin aioli, they have a delicious, spicy Middle Eastern flavor.
The sixth and final tapa was the Solomillo con Cabrales, which is grilled beef tenderloin crusted with Spanish bleu cheese. Without a doubt, this was the biggest crowd pleaser. The tenderloin and bleu cheese was a fabulous combination. This choice was a bit of a splurge (market price of $11.95) but it was well worth it.
We then moved to the dessert portion of our meal, which was a real treat. We chose the chocolate flourless torte ($5.95) and the pear tartlet ($5.95). Both were fresh, homemade and delicious.
The atmosphere of La Bodega is best described as festive and funky. The walls are bright orange with drawings of bodies floating across them.
Huge plate-glass windows stretch across the entire length of the dining room. Outside seating is available on the sidewalk amidst huge potted plants. It is a restaurant that exudes a wonderful, positive energy, yet at the same time never makes you feel rushed.
The service at La Bodega was exceptional. Our excellent waitress, Hilary, was attentive and friendly and kept the tapas coming without a break.
La Bodega is one of those unique places that not only is great for hanging out with coworkers, but also is a wonderful spot to take a client. Tapas dining is not just about food, but is also about leisure and unhurried conversation. What better way is there to get to know a client than over a succession of interesting and delicious appetizers?
I highly recommend that you check out the tapas at La Bodega. You will not be disappointed, and neither will your clients.
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Lunch hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Half-price tapas available during Happy Hour, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Smoking section inside and at outside tables.
Rating: Working Lunch, Impress a Client, Friday Fun.
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