Whether it’s for business or a short vacation, Kansas City makes for a great destination. Why not eat some good food along the way? This week, Lunch with Liz covers the food adventures I experienced during a recent weekend trip.

I stayed just off the Plaza at a great hotel in Westport, The Q Hotel and Spa. For those of you going on business, I hear they usually have a good business rate during the week. What really directed me to this hotel was the breakfast. They offer custom omelets and Belgian waffles in the morning. Bacon, onion and green pepper omelet? Don’t mind if I do. The amazing breakfast ended up tiding me over until mid-afternoon, which makes things good on the pocketbook.

For my mid-afternoon lunch destination, I chose Whole Foods Market. If you’ve never been to one, it’s definitely an worth checking out. The store is a foodie’s dream. If you’re into high quality, not over-processed, delightfully flavorful and natural foods, Whole Foods is the way to go. Options range from deli and cafe selections to sushi and taco bars. They’ve got the kind of salad bar to make any Dillons wish they were a cool kid. Right next to the salad is usually a selection of hot soups to choose from. Also, seafood lovers, if you venture into the seafood section in the store there are usually more fishy soups to choose from as well.

I ended up with a Lemon Herb Chicken Breast and a side of assorted roasted vegetables for a total of $6. Amazing. My lunch date chose the Curry Chicken Salad and Almondine Green Beans for just less than $6. Such a tasty meal for two under $15 = pure amazing in my book. We finished off the meal with assorted Virgil’s soda: cream, root beer, and real cola.

After lunch, we decided to venture around the store. Walking through the aisles, almost each section had something to taste test. It was like having a second round of lunch around the store! Let’s just say that if I find coconut milk ice cream anywhere in the ICT, it’s going in my freezer.

After eating in mid-afternoon it took us awhile to get hungry again, but we opted for Boozefish Wine Bar in Westport, which offered a nice selection of appetizers to choose from. The bar was nestled right next to several other shops; if you aren’t looking for it, you might miss it. It held a quaint and cozy atmosphere- not the typical feel when I hear “wine bar.”

I have a little obsession with bruschetta and hummus, so when those are on the menu I tend to be drawn to them. We chose the hummus sampler with three kinds: black olive, basil & artichoke, and original. The bruschetta was a different recipe than I’m used to but still hit the taste buds nicely: a plop of mozzarella atop a crusty bagette slice with pico de gallo to finish it off. We also had glasses of St. Gabriel ‘07 Riesling Mosel, to pair with the appetizers.

We rounded out the progressive dining day with cheesecake down on the Plaza at The Cheesecake Factory. It’s always a treat to get dessert at this restaurant since I don’t get the pleasure of it here in Wichita. Even if you aren’t a cheesecake eater like me, there’s still a great menu of other desserts to choose from. If you do plan on dining there, be sure to allow some time to wait. During the weekends, the wait can be well up to an hour.

What are your favorite places to dine while in Kansas City?

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2. [eat] Lunch with Liz: DK Kitchen
3. [eat] 10 More Fantastic Wichita Lunch Spots
4. [eat] Lunch with Liz: Watermark Books & Cafe
5. [shop] Alternatives to Dillons