Date Nights: Exploring the letter R in KC

“R”eady for another date night? If so, check out these great ideas!

Room 39

Room 39 is an unassuming, cozy and quaint restaurant located on West 39th Street in one of Kansas City’s funkiest neighborhoods. We went there for lunch on a recent Saturday, and I had their VGB (veggie, grain, bean) burger, which was absolutely delicious—cooked perfectly and right up there with the best I’ve had anywhere. And the sautéed veggies that I got, instead of fries, were amazing. My husband thought so too. Not sure what all they put on them, but they were very tasty. My husband got fruit with the meat quiche of the day, which was of the cheeseburger variety. filled with hamburger, jalapeño and cheddar. Wow. It was a huge piece of quiche! Fluffy eggs and flaky, buttery crust. And all for just 10 bucks. The service was excellent and personable, and I personally loved the fact that they give you water without ice.

Road Trip

R is for road trip! On a bright sunshine-y day, we decided to head up to St. Joseph, MO, for a little day trip. We started off with lunch at Jake’s Steakhouse downtown. It’s a fun, casual spot for great burgers. The fiesta burger with jalapeños, pico, tortilla strips and queso was amazing! After that, we decided to get a little exercise, so we wandered around their downtown and saw some fun artwork. Then we headed over to Krug Park, which has trails, a waterfall, historic buildings and a small castle. It’s a great place to while away an hour or so. Our next stop was Kris & Kate’s Ice Cream, which is in a giant pink and white ice cream cone. We had read lots of good reviews, and their ice cream did not disappoint. On our way back to KC, we stopped off at Jowler Creek Winery in Platte City. This is one of our favorite wineries. They have pretty scenery, an amazing patio and huge white, heated tents.

Riverdance

Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish music and dancing. Back in March 2018, we got to see them at the Kauffman Center. Then we had plans to go see them again in the summer of 2020 for their 25th anniversary season. Due to COVID, that performance was cancelled. Riverdance, though, was able to do a few shows at the beginning of their 2020 season, one of which was done in Dublin and filmed. It’s available to watch on PBS Passport. As is characteristic of Riverdance, the music is mournful and melodic and lively. The dancing is energetic, expertly choreographed and nearly perfectly synchronized. For their 25th season, Riverdance was reimagined. It is now filled with bits of tango, hip hop, ballet and folk dancing and a whole lot of tap, and there is more of an emphasis on song and instruments. While I will say it was better in person, it was still a joy to watch the live show on video.

Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives with her husband in Kansas City. They enjoy regular date nights and love trying new restaurants and activities.