Text 39858, 96 rader
Skriven 2010-07-08 12:28:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: KC BBQ 3 384
====================
Having been mostly sated, we continued on our almost-random
way and miraculously without benefit of address or directions
found ourself at Christopher Elbow's, the chocolate mecca. We
also found that some friends who are convinced that Lilli and
I are having an affair (SFWACTLaIAHaA - not true, despite that
thought being mutually somewhat agreeable - some people still
believe in some sort of sanctity of marriage) had preceded us.
I splurged on a hazelnut disk ($3), good chocolate whose
natural nuttiness was enhanced with crushed hazelnut brittle
- but the brittle itself had little distinct flavor. Also
one each of the Persian (marzipan and spice), tequila lime,
and jasmine tea truffles, all yummy, though the tequila one
was of white chocolate - I should have been tipped off by
the white shell. And tasted the famed fleur de sel caramel
(I've had almost indistinguishable at lower price elsewere,
but here the texture of the caramel was perhaps preferably
drippy) and the hazelnut and I think mocha drinking
chocolates, both unbelievably rich, the former very
flavorful. Not too sweet, either.

Pix can be found on the Web of the hot-looking water faucet
in the bathroom.

We continued on to Union Station, which disappealed to us
for a number of reasons: 1. parking costs money; 2. it's
just like any number of large public buildings in any
number of cities turned into mall-type retail or mixed-use
facilities; 3. there was a wedding and/or reception going
on, and a lot of the real estate was cordoned off. So
casting about for someplace to see, we checked out the top
of the nearby hill and its National World War I Museum and
Liberty Monument. We bumped into the SFWACTLaIAHaA group
again and were jocularly accused of stalking them. Nice view
from the grounds - we didn't go to the top or inside.

River Market beckoned, but when we arrived, parking seemed
to be at a premium, and an afternoon of shopping didn't
seem worth the effort, so we parked a ways away and checked
out the riverside. We found a peculiar bridge over the
railroad tracks with an elevator at the end, which led to
the Riverfront Heritage Park - mostly a bike trail but with
pedestrian amenities as well. It was definitely a work in
progress but shows some promise. I grabbed Lilli's hand and
intoned, we'll always have Kansas City. We both dissolved
into childish laughter.

We dawdled a bit and as a result showed up at LC's as others
were finishing their food. What's this with my friends' being
early to things? Okay, I should have gotten the burnt ends,
which are said to have been gorgeous. Instead, I ordered
fatty warm brisket with light sauce. And the order didn't
come and didn't come. The rest of our crowd started to leave
and be replaced by other crowds. I asked Lilli to exert her
charms and find out what had happened to our food. Well, it
quite simply had been forgotten. So the cook rushed out an
order - extra lean cold brisket with no sauce. Peuh. There
was no particular reason to stick around, so we ate rapidly
and incompletely and high-tailed it to the next stop, Big T,
where again everyone had eaten, but this time we were early
enough to receive a tribute - ribs from my friend Brian and
burnt ends from the SFWACTLaIAHaA axis at the round table in
the corner. I found the ribs a bit on the salty side (what? no
beer on tap?) and the burnt ends on the less burnt side,
but both were tasty. Didn't bother with sauce here.

I ended this leg by getting stuck in the bathroom for five
or ten minutes, during which time I was not missed.

It was whispered that Arthur Bryant's was supposed to happen
at 6, rather than 7 as originally planned. We couldn't
believe our ears at the change so decided that we'd heard
wrong. Lilli wanted to show me this funky little neighborhood
called Westport, which she'd enjoyed in the past. It seems
to be in decline, or flux, or something; as we strolled
around, we found a distressing (or gratifying if you are
inclined to think that way) piece of evidence of change -
abandoned taverns with for rent signs. How can an Irish pub
go out of business, I mused to myself. We were about to
give up (Lilli suggested half in jest that we crash happy
hour at the Embassy Suites down the road), when we stumbled
on a cute pedestrian passage with a bar, an ice cream place,
and another bar. All right! The nother bar was a little
outside place, and we inquired about draft beers, especially
Boulevard Amber, which I'd been getting accustomed to. No
draft, but what we could do was go upstairs to the indoor
bar (called Californo, in case anyone cares), pick up a
couple to go, and sit there outside. Turns out both places
and the function area across the walk are all part of the
same establishment. It was getting a little cool, and so
the staff set up a gas radiant heater for us: this was
somewhere between amusing and disconcerting, as they clearly
had no idea what they were doing. I asked if we should be
concerned lest we be blown up, and the answer was negative.
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