Ambience or irritation? That is the question.
On this week's Central Standard Friday, the Food Critics turn it up to eleven, and give their input on how a restaurant's atmosphere should affect a patron's mood.
Charles Ferruzza of The Pitch and Fat City Blog, Emily Farris of Feed Me KC, Mary Bloch of Around the Block, and Chris Becicka, of Ingram's Magazineweigh in on the ever-hot button issue of restaurant ambience.
Restaurants and notes from today's show:
Chris Becicka:
Port Fonda | 4141 Pennsylvania, KCMO
-Trendy, fun, Loud, but Entertaining
Pork belly
- sopa, carnitas tacos
The Jacobson | 2050 Central, KCMO
-Can hear people, lost of different apps, great hamburger
The Opera House | 500 Walnut
- Food court-ish, bakery in one corner, bar coming soon, can get what you want and sit wherever you want. Chelsea Williams is now baking there (from The Prospect and Chez Elle), her signature cookie, "The Wicked Girl Scout," best chocolate mint cookie, huge, Sweet dreams cookie
Mary Bloch:
Cooper’s Hawk | 4686 Broadway St - Old 810 Zone space | (816) 531-1500 | chwinery.com
- Based in Illinois
Brunch Webster House | 1644 Wyandotte
- Shrimp and Grits
- Brioche French toast
- Best reuben I’ve ever had - corned beef was really thick
Emily Farris:
Cooper’s Hawk
- got handed bubbly
Affare | 1911 Main Street | (816)298-6182 | affarekc.com
- Contemporary German Cuisine
- Happy Hour: Monday - Thursday 15:00 - 19:00
Charles Ferruzza:
Anton’s
- Noisy, but not aggressively so
V ivalore | 10815 E Winner Rd, Independence, MO 64052
- across from Englewood Cafe
Callers/Emails
Place for Christmas Dinner in Westport:
- New Peking
Chris -- what is too loud?
Too loud if a person’s voice has to be raised to be heard by someone three feet away
Sue -- in Lenexa
Louie’s on Saturday night, so loud it was deafening
Cool, packed
Kevin in Mission
Three important notes:
1. Some famous restaurant owner 1 ingredient for successful restaurant: noise level
2. Hard finishes, surfaces fit perfectly (less expensive, contemporary)
3. Viscerally we must respond positively as a group to this - that energy, created by that noise
Katherine in St. Jo
Noise level contributes to confusion, consumption, doesn’t let you identify with the food you’re eating
Chris B. reports that the increase of noise in restaurants might be occurring because it's more profitable. When a restaurant was 72 dB peopled ordered of 2.6 drinks on average and finished in 14.5 minutes. When a restaurant was 88 dB customers ordered on average 3.4 drinks and finished faster in just 11.5 minutes
Alan in KCMO
- Chipotle - music too loud to place your order
- PF changs plaza weekend too loud to have a conversation
Good quiet restaurants:
- Affare
- Chaz
- Lydia’s
Rick in KCMO
Called to ask what is being done to protect the works from excessive noise.
David in Independence
- Ophelia’s - nice, quiet restaurant
Roger
- Eden Alley
- Basement of Unity Table, tables very spread out, nice place to have a conversation
Cafe Europa
- Very decent, low noise level
Jim in KCMO
- Californo’s - nice quiet place to have a meal
- Emily says too loud if you’re next to the live music
Martha in KCK
- Grand Street Cafe, nice quiet place
- Chris: Bar tables are narrow and you can sit across from each other and hear each other
Molly in PV
- Too loud: Tassos in Waldo (Charles: That’s the vibe)
- Charles: People go to Tassos for the over the top atmosphere
Danny on Facebook
- Cafe Trio is a quiet place, usually upstairs
Pete
- KC Banned smoking to protect employees, maybe city should start looking at dangerous noise levels
Last word: Place you’d go for a quiet meal
Thai Place - Emily
Pizza Bella - Mary
JJ’s - Chris