I was over-the-moon excited when given the opportunity to attend the VIP Pre-Opening event at the “new” Coopers Hawk Winery and Restaurant on the Country Club Plaza located in Kansas City, Mo. This Kansas City location will be their eleventh location. After the excitement wore down, I began to think; “What to wear, What to wear?” I decided on a simple gray Adrienne Vittadini with zippers which had peek-a-boo dress effect, black tights, and black heels. Simple!
It took thirty minutes for my date *husband* and I to find a parking space, We traveled throughout three parking lots and finally found a parking spot on lucky garage parking number four was when we hit the jackpot. The Coopers Hawk Winery is located in the old 810 Zone location at 4686 Broadway. I had to snap a picture of the event sign clearly marked closed for a private event.
Upon entry into the event, We were greeted with friendly wait staff that had the nerve to “card” me. I admit, I was flattered and was amazed when the staff could not believe I was in my *thirties*. The lower level of the restaurant is transformed into a modern wine cellar meets gift shop gallery on one side and the other was upscale bar atmosphere.
We took to the stairs to discover the rest of the restaurant. The upper level was modern, upscale and beautifully decorated. The restaurant was filling up with the who’s who in Kansas City and I was honored to be one of them. One of the wait staff informed us of the buffet which hosted some of the restaurants signature dishes which included; Maple, Mustard Pretzel Crusted Pork Medallions, Drunken Shrimp, Cesar Pesto Chopped Salad, and Chicken Gnocchi just to name a few. My personal favorites were the Chicken and Gnocchi (Click here for the recipe) the sauce was creamy, pancetta was thick cut, and the chicken was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The Maple, Mustard and Pretzel Crusted Pork Medallions was so tender you could cut it with your fork *no knife required*, its odd and unique blends of maple and mustard balanced the your taste buds with sweet and a dash of tang without having an over barring mustard flavor. The crust was ground so fine, I was unaware it was pretzels until our wait staff informed me. After we sat and nibbled on food for a short time, We were offered a drink menu and were told to order whatever we like. I am not a drinker and usually despise even the faint taste of alcohol (outside of Moscato Di-Asti). I ordered Dana’s Pineappletini which consisted of their Special Pineapple and Coconut Infused Vodka, Sparkling Wine, and Juices. The beverage had a faint hint of alcohol, but nothing too heavy for the inexperienced drinker like myself. I highly recommend it, the taste kind of reminded me of a pina-colada with a twist. I found it to be refreshing, smooth, and delightful. My husband ordered the Green Appletini and for those who enjoy the taste of alcohol this drink was poured with the receiver in mind.
We finished the evening off by being offered a assortment tray of delectable homemade desserts, which included chocolate covered strawberries, cheesecake lollipops, and truffles. I had to try one of each, So I could inform you’ll about their desserts thoroughly (and I’m sticking to it). The chocolate strawberries were made of the purest form of dark and milk chocolate and the strawberries were red and perfectly ripe, the chocolate covered cheesecake lollipop had a hard shell exterior of chocolate and housed velvety smooth cheesecake. I believe Cooper’s Hawk will give Russell Stover’s a run for their money when Valentine’s day arrives.
Congrats to Cooper’s Hawk on delivering a highly successful pre-opening event. I was impressed with the wait staff specifically Kelly who was very knowledgeable and gave fantastic recommendations on the menu for my next visit. The restaurant will give you a modern, upscale, yet casual dining experience. If you are a wine enthusiast, Cooper’s Hawk Wine Club is an all-inclusive membership where you will not only receive our winemaker’s newly released wine each month, but also enjoy many great benefits including invitations to members-only events, exclusive discounts, points on purchases, birthday rewards, and our Wine Club Newsletter with information on new wines, special events, and great recipes. As we exited the event, we were thanked and given a gift bag that included, a restaurant magnet, pen, wine glass, menus, and a complimentary wine tasting for two. I was highly impressed with my overall experience and the atmosphere. I am recommending that everyone give them a try. You will not be disappointed. They open today December 10th. It’s a perfect place to have a drink and unwind after work, the perfect date night, and night out with the fella’s or girl’s. My prediction is Cooper’s Hawk will rise to become that “IT” place on the plaza. The place will everyone will know their name. Cheers!
