I'll Have a Belgian Quad. Shaken Not Stirred

Mrs. Monkey and I both share September as a birthday month. Yay Virgos! To celebrate, we managed to hand off the kids to different friends and family so that we could have a proper grown up dinner. Some place where you're not handed a box of crayons with your menu. I already kind of knew where I wanted to go, but upon recommendations from KC Wort Hog and Bull E. Vard, it cinched it. We were going to 1924 Main for dinner and then down to the basement for drinks at Manifesto.

I am a total arm-chair foodie. I watch a lot of the Travel Channel, FLN, and the Food Network, but I am unable to get out and experience the different foods I see on TV. That is the experience I was looking for. That was the experience I got at 1924 Main.

We started off with some drinks. Mrs. Monkey ordered a Ginger Rickey. It was very crisp and clean, perfect for hot weather. It was garnished with house-made candied ginger that was delicious. The sharp spice from the fresh ginger was kept in check by the candy sugar. I ordered a Chimay Blue. The Fates were teasing me, because it was served in the same Delirium Tremens glass that was denied me at the Flying Saucer.

For food, we both went with the 3 for $25 option, which is a hell of a deal. You get to choose any three items on the menu from the different sections. The menu is broken up into four sections; Snacks/$5 , Starters/$8, Supper/$16, and Sweets/$6. So yeah, that's a hell of a deal. I went with the Snack/Fried Green Beans with aioli and toasted garlic, Starter/Smoked Tomato Soup with crayfish hush puppies, and the Supper Sirloin with sweet potato fries, chipotle onions and blue cheese. Mrs. Monkey went with the Snack/Smoked Pork Toast with pickled onions, Starter/Mixed Greens with goat cheese fritter and smoked tomatoes, and also the Sirloin.

A lot of the ingredients were very common, but the way in which they were prepared and presented took it all to a whole other level. I mean, green beans? It doesn't get any more common than that. But they blew my mind. It was fried in a light tempura batter that added a crispness like French fried onions, without the onions. Then the aioli and the garlic added a wonderful tartness.

Same thing with the tomato soup. This isn't the Campbells soup your mom served with a grilled cheese sandwich. The texture was thick and verged on chunky. The smoke flavor enhanced the acidity of the tomato.

Finally, the sirloin. Kansas City is a steak town. You can go to a dozen different places to get a good steak. This was a great chunk of beef. So tender you can slice it paper thin. The chipotle onions and blue cheese added sweet and sour that mixed with the savory bloody beef perfectly.

By the time we had finished our meal we were full, but not stuffed. It's very easy to overeat while dining out in KC. I think that may be part of our "Cow Town" mentality. A lot of places want you to eat the whole cow. But here, the portions were perfect. I had intended to take some pics, but I was too busy having a food orgasm. But dinner was over, it was time for drinks

Our server guided us to the back of the restaurant and the stairs that do down to Manifesto. We had our reservations in, so no wait for us. The stairs are steep and narrow, which is common for an old building like this. Luckily there is a sturdy hand rail to hang on to. Through the curtains and down the hallway Manifesto appeared. It was dimly lit by scattered tea lights and low watt incandescent bulbs. In the back there were the notorious half moon booths, but we decided to sit at the bar so we could watch the shaking action first hand.

As we settled into our seats, Brandon the Bartender/Mixologist introduced himself with a handshake. I told him "Bull E. Vard" sent me, to which he gave me permission to "whip it out". I knew right away I was dealing with a Kool Kat. Brandon advised us of the house rules and once we were properly educated it was time to get our drink on.

Mrs. Monkey ordered first. She had mentioned that she likes pumpkin ales, so Brandon offered the Winter in Buenos Aires.

Winter in Buenos Aires - Velho Barreiro Cachaca, Cinnamon Bark Honey Syrup, Lemon Juice, Roasted Butternut Squash Puree, Shaken, Up, Grated Nutmeg

The sweetness from the cachaca and squash was mashed against the citrus of the lemon. The nutmeg added a pleasant aromatic layer.

I had shown my hand and Brandon pegged me as a beer guy. I then played a wild card and put him up to a challenge. I asked him what he would recommend to someone who likes Belgian beers. He was quick to respond with a proper follow up question, "What kind of Belgian? Light and spicy like a Pale, or dark and malty like a Quad?" This guy is good. Let's go Quad. Brandon came back with a Smokin' Choke.

Smokin' Choke - Applewood & Peachwood Smoke Infused Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon, Grade B Vermont Maple Syrup, Cynar, Peychaud's Bitters, Stirred, Large Rock, Orange Twist

He nailed it. It is boozy from the bourbon but the smoke and sweetness from the syrup balances it out. The bitters and orange twist clone hops bittering. It is a slow sipper and reminded me of a Boulevard Sixth Glass.

Next for Mrs. Monkey was the Napoleonita, the Manifesto take on the French Martini.

Napoleonita - 10 Cane Trinidad Rum, Trennel Cassis, Pineapple Juice, Shaken, Up, Flamed Green Chartreuse Mist

Switching out the Chambord from a traditional French Martini with the Trennel Cassis adds multiple layers of flavor. It was also cool to watch the aerated Chartreuse flame up in the glass.

Since Brandon had met and exceeded my challenge for a Quad, I thought I would have another go and challenge him to a Double IPA. This turned out to be a much harder task due to the complexities of hops bitterness. His first attempt was with a Brothers Perryman.

Brothers Perryman - G-Vine Gin, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Campari, Stirred, Large Rock, Flamed Orange

Here's where one of Manifesto's best rules came into play. If you do not like the drink that was made for you, they will replace it. They are not going to make you spend $11 on a drink you don't like. Brandon warned me upfront that this is a very bitter drink, and that was what I was looking for. Or so I thought. I had in mind a Double IPA, and the Brothers Perryman was just not it. The orange was not the right angle to clone an IPA. Perhaps if it was done with grapefruit? Without any reservations, Brandon came back with a Girl From Cadiz.

Girl From Cadiz - Fresh Mint, Dried Juniper Berries, Lemon Juice, Hendrick's Gin, Lustao Fino Sherry, Shaken, Collins, Rocks, Dissected Lemongrass

While not a Double IPA, it was spot on for a Wit. This was very fresh and light citrus flavor, with spicy herbal notes from the mint and juniper. Very refreshing and clean. It made me think of what would happen if juniper berries were used instead of coriander in a Wit.

The last drink of the night for Mrs. Monkey was a Tempest.

Tempest - Gosling's Black Seal Rum, Ginger Syrup, Lime Juice, Shaken, Collins, Large Rock, 5-Pepper Infused Tequila, Candied Ginger, Lime Wheel

That ginger and lime juice combo is so crisp and clean. They make their own ginger syrup, which a by product is the candied ginger. I could eat handfuls of that stuff. So good. The peppered tequila, which is applied with a dropper, adds a small spice kick in the finish.

We had so much fun that night. Great food, great drinks, great atmosphere. Even a bunch of sorority dinks throwing a bachelorette party couldn't kill the mood. Brandon offered to go over and remind them of the house rules on yelling, but we were having too much fun making snarky remarks. More than one of the classy ladies sitting at the bar said "That's why I never joined a sorority." We are wanting to come back as soon as possible. Hey, our anniversary is in October! I'm calling the sitter now.