2506 Holmes Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
816-605-1967
HELLO@THEANTLERROOMKC.COM
https://www.theantlerroomkc.com
Hours
Monday- Tuesday Closed
From Wednesday – Sunday
5pm – 10pm
Info
In Kansas City, Missouri, Leslie and Nick Goellner operate the popular neighborhood affluent hipster restaurant, The Antler Room. With an eye on the overall perspective, the team is taught to make everyone feel at home, whether they’re there for a quick snack and glass of wine at the bar, a romantic dinner for two, or a night out with friends.
My colleagues and I arrived just in time for the nightly opening. Upon entering the establishment, you are greeted pleasantly unless you have not made a reservation in advance. In this situation, you will not receive a warm welcome. Although though the restaurant accepts walk-in customers, the host appeared annoyed that we required a table to seat four. In order to circumvent this matter, they should decide whether they will only serve walk-in customers or those who have made reservations. In addition, you will be greeted by a painting depicting the jackalope that has become the signature eye-catching trademark.
The Food
You will be served on small plates that are designed to be split among the other persons seated at your table. It is suggested that you place an order for eight to nine different dishes for a gathering consisting of four people. We ordered seven different dishes and two of the one we thought we would like the most.
First Dish: Cucumber, smoked salmon, avocado, tahini sauce, buckwheat lavosh, rose vinaigrette.
The cucumber was refreshing with the salmon and, coupled with the tahini, offered some light solidity to the plate. The rose vinaigrette also delivered flora umami like undertones. The buckwheat lavosh did not contribute anything to the platter, in my opinion.
Second Dish: Nori Shokupan, almond romesco, smoked mussels, kimchi powder, chives.
We ordered two of this dish, assuming it would be our favorite. While this plate was delicious, it was not our favorite. The smoked muscles were smaller than anticipated but still delivered a flavorful punch thanks to the kimchi powder. The almond romesco had a harmonious combination of almond, peppers, and tomato. I frequently encounter establishments that add too much bread to their remesco. The Antler Room managed not to do so. They had come to please… Indeed, they did. Everything was served atop Nori Shokupan, a milk bread that offered a sweet touch and served as the plate’s unifying component. I was searching for more of the muscle flavor. Overall, I will reiterate myself and say this was a delish dish.
Third Dish: Gnocchi fine herb bavarois, chili crab butter, crab, chili threads
I’ll just come right out and admit that I have never succeeded in making crisp gnocchi. This dish DELIVERED expectations with its texture. In a remote valley, the herb bavarois was swaying in the breeze. The herb bavarois was a nice complement to the chili threads and butter because of its brightness and creamy herbaceousness. The one thing that my palate was searching for was the crab; it seemed to be absent.
Fourth Dish: Duck & Kale Tortelletti, chicken egg yolk, fennel pollen, chives
My first bite transported me to a rustic Thanksgiving with a fine-dining twist. The combination of fennel pollen and duck produced a flavor that was sweet, fragrant, and rich. After that, cracking the yolk was not only entertaining, but it also resulted in a sauce-like richness that did not fall short of expectations.
Fifth Dish: White Miso Marinated Cod, sushi rice, grilled book choy, mushrooms, smoked trout caviar, dashi.
Mushrooms, fish, and rice: one of my absolute favorite combinations. This dish’s rice did not give me sushi rice bibs but leaned a tad more toward a congee with the wetness. Which did it some good. The grilled bok choy added a pleasant cabbage-like flavor and did not overpower. Now the smoked trout caviar was the perfect addition to the light, perfectly flaky cod. This dish was well thought out and distributed.
Sixth Dish: Pan Roasted Veal Sweetbreads, beef tallow whipped potatoes, endive, white wine mustard sauce, crouton, capers,rosemary.
I come from a more rural background, so I was hoping that some of it might carry over into my experiences here. The veal was prepared to a supreme tenderness. By beating tallow into the potatoes, a buttery flavor was achieved without the need of actual butter. This was accomplished by using tallow. Adding even more dimension to the dish and enhancing the golden hue of the potatoes. This is incredibly helpful for my low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
Seventh Dish: Seared Duck Breast, fried sunchokes, local spinach, ravigote, umeboshi plum jus.
Sunchoke!? The Jerusalem artichoke is the common name for this plant. Despite the fact that I was unaware of this, I want to consume it. It was a brilliant decision to leave out the salt and butter in this meal and use umeboshi instead of those two ingredients. The fatty features of the finely seared duck were well tempered by the incorporation of a mellow acidity into the plate in the form of a ravigote.
The menu
The menu is revised daily to reflect the availability of seasonal ingredients, influential techniques, and new global culinary discoveries. Customers have only one need for the cuisine served: it must be sapid.
Their online menu is available for your perusal. However, don’t be too shocked if the menu has been altered when you get there. This is due to their strict freshness and local availability rules.
Food Monster 
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