I’m not a foodie…actually I am a very picky eater. So on my blog, I don’t give my opinion about local restaurants and eateries in the Brookside/Waldo area. However, the meal my husband and I had at Plate last week was so absolutely delicious –just have to write about it.

As you may have heard, Plate opened several months ago at 6201 Oak St in Brookside. It’s difficult to get a reservation–they don’t subscribe to Open Table. You have to call, leave a message, and hopefully get confirmed for the date and time you want. We got lucky–there was a cancellation for 2 at 6pm on Saturday night.

The atmosphere is cozy, comfortable, and can get a little noisy when the place is full. We were seated at the table closest to the kitchen–watching every dish that left the counter. Our waiter, Morgan, was efficient, sincerely friendly, and knowledgeable about each dish and where the food items come from (Green Dirt and Camp Lido farms, Flavor Trade, Paradise Locker Meats, Ibis Bakery to name a few). This place could easily be so pretentious but it’s not. You can tell the staff is working very hard but enjoy serving the customers. Owners Andrea and Christian Joseph were there, helping out the servers, checking dishes and greeting guests. (They also own and operate Season+Square, the gourmet food and gift shop next door).

So what did we eat? We started with an appetizer featuring a roasted garlic bulb, pomodero sauce, sheep cheese and arugula pesto served with grilled bread. This was followed by a small salad of greens, radish, candied orange peel, almonds and figs. I was so enamored of the fresh pomodero sauce on the appetizer that I ordered the house made pasta with that same sauce (tomatoes from Powell Gardens) and my husband had the braised pork shoulder over pasta. Every bite was…just so fresh and bright and flavorful. Using the local ingredients makes so much difference (Andrea boasts there is not a can opener or microwave in the kitchen!). For dessert, we shared a caramel bondino (not sure of the spelling of this Italian word): a thick pudding with a smear of whipped cream on top of a dark chocolate cookie crumble. (The menu posted online is a little different from what we ordered from; items do change on a regular basis depending on the season).

The portions here are not huge–especially the garlic appetizer and salad. We wanted more! The entree portions, we felt, we just the right size. You probably won’t leave with leftovers, as you will want to finish it all at the table. Plan on a two hour meal–service is attentive, but you can’t rush this type of quality food so expertly prepared.

Finally, showing their pride in Brookside:  your bill is delivered in  a copy of The Brookside Story book, where you can write comments about your meal in the margins!

Make plans to dine at Plate. Or, at least stop by the bar for a drink and a couple of small plates. It’s another excellent locally owned Kansas City restaurant that you will want to support. I’m already looking forward to my next meal there!