Kansas City’s foie gras and French fare would meet Julia Child’s standards. Pour yourself a glass of champagne, preferably from Ca Va, and we’ll show you how to enjoy French food, drink, and antiques all around Kansas City.
French Culture in Kansas City
The first documented French visitor to Kansas City was Étienne de Veniard, Sieur de Bourgmont, who was checking out the lower Missouri River. French fur traders soon followed.
Fast forward to an influx of French chefs that Ms. Childs would be delighted to cook and dine with, including Kevin Mouhot and Romain Monnoyeur, chefs of Westport Cafe, or Chef Mano Rafael of Le Fou Frog.
Kansas City is more French than most know. In fact, Metz, France is one of KC’s 13 sister cities. Ever since the French settlers moved to the Quality Hill area in the 1800s and other Frenchmen brought their culinary and hunting skills.
Today Kansas City has world-class French art, bistros, restaurants, cathedrals and fountains. If you need more reasons to tour these French finds in Kansas City, consider Foie Gras is an aphrodisiac, according to Australian blogger Richard Cornish.
“A seared lobe of fresh foie gras is a mark that one can afford the best and is an obvious signal that one sees oneself as an alpha human. The smooth fat melts like butter on the tongue and has a delicate animal fragrance that sets one up for a night of pleasure.”
KC’s Best French Restaurants
The favored French dining rooms in Kansas City are Café des Amis, Aixois Bistro, Le Fou Frog and Café Provence. All feature French dishes inspired by the cuisine of Provence, the Southern province of France where garlic, tomatoes and olive oil are the primary ingredients.
Aixois Bistro
251 E. 55TH ST.
Kansas City, MO 64114
This post was conceived at Aixois Bistro over a cappuccino and almond croissant. Foie gras didn’t sound good at 10 a.m. Aixois has a friendly staff and fabulous outdoor patio that instantly transports you out of America and into a French state of mind.
Le Fou Frog
400 E 5th St.
Kansas City, MO 64106
Order a Foie Grais Frais at Le Fou Frog for $22. The chef at Le Fou Frog makes his foie gras by searing Hudson Valley Foie Gras then adding a veal demi-glace, with coffee extract, macadamia liqueur, vanilla mango and raspberry coulis.
Cafe des Amis
112 Main St.
Parkville, MO 64152
Enjoy a salade de foie gras at Café des Amis just 10 minutes north of downtown for $16.50. The French restaurant overlooks the quaint riverside town or Parkville it infuses romance the evening. Prepare to pucker up.
Cafe Provence
3936 W. 69th Terrace
Prairie Village, KS 66208
At Cafe Provence, which opened in 1993, you can enjoy Saute de Foie Gras au Pain d’Epices. Its chef prepares it with pan-seared foie gras, date bread with French spice, pear reduction and serves it for $19 as part of the dinner menu. Prepare to kiss before or after your meal because Café Provence has been listed as one of the 100 most romantic restaurants in America the past three years in a row.
If you want a French dessert or appetizer to go, drop by Café Provence’s sister store, The French Market located at 6943 Tomahawk Rd, Prairie Village, KS, in the Prairie Village shopping center. You can enjoy home-made soups, salads, sandwiches and crepes or call in a take-out order to enjoy at home.
Other French restaurants on the block, include downtown’s Charisse or Westport’s quaint Westport Café. Owner, Aaron Confessori opened Westport Café in 2012 and we’re sure glad he did.
Charisse
1006 Walnut St. Suite 202
Kansas City, MO – 64106
No Foie Gras, but you can enjoy duck wontons during happy hour for $5 or a 4-course meal topped off with crème brulee for $48.
Westport Café
419 Westport Rd.
Kansas City, MO 64111
Westport Café is one of my favorite French restaurants. It lives up to its name of being a modern Parisian bistro with craft cocktails. You can’t go wrong ordering the hamburger, Steak Frites, Westport Café Burger or a house margarita, really.
Kansas City’s French Antiques
Sisters Teri and Gwen own French by Designs and import antiques and collectibles from the South of France. You can browse their French finds in the Bottoms Up Antique Market in the West Bottoms at 1300 W. 13th the first Friday and Saturday of each month.
The Pear Tree
303 E 55th St.
Kansas City, MO 64113
Owner Cindy Barnhill of The Pear Tree has been thrilling Kansas City homeowners and decorators for 16 years with her charming country French and English antiques. If you have a passion for gardening, decorating or entertaining, this Crestwood shop is a must-see.
The Pear Tree doesn’t serve foie gras, but you leave with a European fur or painting.French Press
No trip to Kansas City is complete without a coffee press and croissant. Here are just three places to savor a French press done right.
Parisi Artisan Coffee
30 W. Pershing St.
Kansas City, MO 64108
Get a jolt of historic magic inside Kansas City breathtaking former train station. Parisi Coffee offers art in the cup in the form of cappuccinos, espressos and fresh baked goods such as its lemon, blueberry, white chocolate chip cookie.
Chez Elle
1713 Summit (at 17th St)
Kansas City, MO
Chez Elle draws you in with its outdoors speakers playing French music and seals the deal with its crepes and French press coffee.
The Filling Station
2980 McGee
Kansas City, MO 64108
Bring your laptop, eat a rosemary walnut scone, drink two liters of French press and write your first novel. This former Standard Gas filling station fuels your day with liquid sunshine (a carrot and citrus based smoothie) or a French press with a punch.
KC’s French Organ Festival
The French Organ Music Festival takes place annually on the fourth Sunday in August at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, which was started by French missionary Father Benedict Roux in 1833. When the cathedral opened it was the tallest building in Kansas City.
The cathedral is known as the “gold dome” Cathedral and sits prominently at the corner of 11th and Broadway in downtown Kansas City. The dome is covered in 23-karat gold leaf.
The festival draws professional organists and musicians, as well as enthusiasts and those who are curious about organ music and French music. Hear a taste of the festival now.
Are you craving French food and French kisses in Kansas City? Where is your first stop and why?
Join us later in May to learn at least 7 French things you didn’t know about Kansas City that have nothing to do with foie gras.
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