The Boot

Alas, The Boot has closed:
And what a pity it is, as it was a great place! The meatballs — in several varieties, and slathered in your choice of sauces — were superb! The Missus had been there previously with her girlfiends and we decided to take a chance that we could get in on their last night for one more snackerel…
We’re hoping to see it resurrected in another venue!

I have been to The Boot several times now and have not had one bad experience! The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and has a trendy eclectic feel to it. I love having a place to show off to people that is not like any other restaurant in the Westport area. They have amazing cocktails served in Mason Jars (how cute is that?), a perfect Happy Hour menu with a wide range of gourmet choices, and a wine list that pairs well with anything on their menu.
The service has always been wonderful, attentive, and knowledgable. This is a wonderful place to come relax at the bar or have a large party to enjoy dinner with. We had the Classico Meatballs, Papperdelle Pasta, and Short Rib Ravioli. All three were so delicious! Plus they are all on their HH menu for cheap! Im so glad to have locally owned restaurants here in KC and this is by far one of my favorites!!! Go there you can NOT go wrong!!!

The Boot was our final stop for Restaurant Week this year and I have to say, we were pretty pleased overall.
We started our 3 course meal with oysters (for the hubby) and a truffle pasta dish. The hubby thought the oysters were excellent but was bemoaning the fact that he only got three. My pasta dish was ok. The noodles were perfectly al dente, but the sauce was a bit boring. There really was no truffle flavor, or much flavor at all. This was the low point of the meal for me.
For entrees, we got the short rib and the trout. The short rib was good and incredibly flavorful but a tad bit dry. The flavor reminded me of the short rib dishes that were popular back in the 70s, or at least in my childhood home. The trout was nearly perfect. There was just the right amount of crispiness and it was moist with a lovely flavor. Unfortunately, the fillet did still have some bones in it, but otherwise, it was simply fantastic.
For dessert, I had the amaretti ice cream dish. It was a lovely almond flavored ice cream topped with a warm decadent chocolate sauce. Mmmmmm. The hubby had the pumpkin cake. He wasn’t as pleased with his dessert because he, previously unbeknownst to me, is a cake purist. He wanted his cake light and fluffy and full of sugar. This cake is dense and only lightly sweet and is full of raisins.
Our waitress was attentive and the food was brought with perfect timing with never a long wait between courses.
On the negative side, we weren’t impressed with the ambiance. The place has a sort of rustic industrial vibe which might be appealing to some, but just didn’t feel warm and inviting. The seating wasn’t terribly comfortable and they played techno pop music at a volume that was a little too loud to be ignored.

I am so glad a dear friend introduced me to The Boot. It is one of my favorite places to get a cocktail. It’s not on their menu, but I order their Pimm’s Cup and it’s incredible. They use crushed ice, and top it off with candied ginger… yum!
Their pizza is to die for also. During their Happy Hour I usually order a pizza and a couple meatballs (chicken) and it’s under $ 10. Plus, I it’s such a large portion I can usually make 2 meals out of it.

The fusili carbonara is phenomenal, and lives up to the hype:
It’s super al-​dente, and it has great flavor with the guanciale, a really tasty type of Italian bacon. There is an egg yolk on top, which you mix. Worth a trip just for this.
For dessert, I tried the Amaretti semifreddo w/​warm chocolate sauce:
They use house made vanilla frozen custard, topped with crushed amaretti cookies. It’s good, but does not quite live up to the hype. It’s worth trying once.
I don’t recommend the highball with Mata Hari absinthe and root beer: too medicinal:

Ok, so this review is about a week late, but given the that the day we went was NYE I’m sure you can understand why: P.
As I wanted Italian food for NYE dinner with my boyfriend, we decided to search on Unilocal for something in the Westport area near AURA where we would be going to celebrate the ending of 2012 and the start of 2013.
When we walked in, at around 9:30 pm the restaurant wasn’t very crowded and were we able to be seated in a booth/​table in a quiet corner (a plus for me as I hate when people can walk behind me!). Our waitress was quite friendly and made awesome recommendations for dinner. Now, given that it was NYE there was a special menu (3 courses + wine pairings) if you wanted. But instead we decided to just order for the late night and regular menus.
We had oysters on the half shell (only 2), and while fresh and yummy were on the small side. I swear I’m spoiled from growing up on the West Coast and had oysters the size of my palm. We also ordered the late night cheese plate… while good, not as yummy as that from Jasper’s. But that might have something to do with the fact that it was the late night menu — I’ll see next time I’m here!
As far as dinner when we ordered the pizza with pepperoni and artichoke hearts (and cannot remember the name of this!) and the pappardelle pasta. Both were excellent. The pizza was a thin crust and definitely plenty for both of us to share. Especially since the pasta, while yummy, wasn’t quite enough to fill my stomach. Overall an excellent meal, with yummy drinks. The Kettle One dirty martini I ordered was excellent!
Overall an awesome meal, would be 5 stars, but for the cheese plate. Will make a point of returning and seeing if ordering this off the regular menu will make a difference!

So delicious and the service was great! Four people in our party — and we all ordered different things and then passed the plates for a little more variety — MUST try the pear ravioli! At first bite, it tastes like cinnamon toast crunch in a cream sauce. While that might scare of the average diner, not you Unilocalers! It was just a hint sweet with the most wonderful sauce. The pizza with prosciutto and arugula was great — just the right amount of spice.
Tried a few meatballs and the spare rib ravioloi as appetizers along with great drink specials.
Parking can be tricky, but worth the drive around the block. We also sat at a 4-​top, but the large table in the middle would be great for a group. Otherwise, be prepared to know your dining «neighbors» well.

I love the Boot. Great food, great décor. My review is for the Brunch. Clearly if you have eyeballs you can see the food is delicious and you should be eating dinner here.
First off every brunch entrée comes with a free Mimosa, Bloody Mary or coffee. I am already happy before I have taken a bite of food! The menu is a great mix of sweet items and savory items that are sure to please any one in your group. They also have totally non-​brunch items, if you are a weirdo and don’t like breakfast food.
We ordered the shrimp and polenta and it was AMAZING. The sauce was so good– lots of complex flavors and really made the dish stand out from other shrimp/​grit type dishes around KC. Also had the fabulous homemade biscuits — fluffy and warm. The french toast was delicious. Served with real maple syrup and big slices of brioche bread with a mint/​grapefruit salad on top. I can’t wait to go back and try the rest of the menu!
p.s– For Dinner the Spinaci Pizza is delicious. Who knew spinach pizza could be so delicious. A must try.

you know a place is good when you can’t wait to return! I love Italian food, but it’s one of the few things I can make well at home. what we enjoyed at the Boot I definitely can’t replicate (nor would I want to try!)
I’d heard good things about the Boot, but had been putting off using the Groupon we had until it was almost ready to expire.
we headed over there for an early dinner with our toddler. our server did a fantastic job talking us through the menu, letting us know not only what her favorites were but why she loved them. we shared the porco pizza, the porco piccante meatballs and an order of broccoli rabe. since it was still happy hour, we ordered a couple meatballs for our little guy too. our server was thoughtful enough to have them each put in different sauces.
we savored and devoured everything and definitely won’t wait so long to return!

Kicking my original review down one star for the extremely lackluster pizza.
I’m sure my opinion is puzzling to some because of the rave pizza reviews. But I ordered the Luigi… pepperoni, artichokes and parm. It was one of the most bland, tasteless pizzas I have ever had. The sauce didn’t seem to have any seasonings. I ate almost all the artichokes which were the highlight. I had one piece and that was enough. One of my favorite leftovers is cold pizza. The chill the next day made it worse.
They were out of McSorley’s on this dining experience. A huge bummer.
I would go back for Happy Hour and to have a fab highball drink or McSorley’s (hopefully on tap!). I will stick with great appetizers and pass on the pizza.

— fantastic bartender
— personable owner
— extensive and creative cocktail list
— rustic, inviting atmosphere
— recommend: short rib ravioli
— will be back the next time I’m in town to try their brunch menu as well as the meatballs

The Boot is a nice, laid-​back little place that doesn’t put on airs but sure knows how to deliver the goods! Sis, Hubby and I stopped in during the late afternoon yesterday — kind of too late for lunch, too early for dinner. No problem — except for several folks at the bar, we were the only ones in the place but still greeted pleasantly by the staff and told to sit where ever we wanted. It was happy hour and we were brought the regular menu as well as the HH specials menu. I ordered a lovely glass of red wine while we looked over the offerings. There are a nice selection of both appetizers and entrees, pastas, sandwiches and even some pizzas.
After looking over the menu and finding lots of tempting dishes, I finally settled for a Fresh Mozzarella, sliced Beets and Mushroom salad and a very flavorful Pork and Apple Sausage, served with the wonderful red sauce and a slice of beautiful old-​world bakery style Italian bread. Hubby had Spaghetti and Four (count ‘em 4) Meatballs. Hubby really liked them and I got a taste, or two, and totally agree! Sis chose Short Rib Ravioli and ordered a single meatball on the side. She was extremely pleased and said she would probably order the very same dish when she comes in again.
The Boot is now on my radar and I’m thinking it would be a great place for lunch with Dear Daughter #1 when we go to the vintage clothes place on Broadway this Friday. I think I’ll be ready for another visit by then and I may just have to get the Short Rib Ravioli this time, if I don’t get tempted by one of the other offerings first!

Let it be known that this review weighs heavy on the drinks they serve and the bar tenders that kick so much ass. Ever since R bar closed down I’ve been on a hunt for my new favorite drinking establishment. My first few visits the drinks I ordered were completely arbitrary. Some I loved, others not so much. All of the drinks were created with the finesse of a Steve Vai guitar solo. Regardless of whether I like Steve Vai (which i don’t) I must appreciate what that man does with a guitar. In short even drinks I don’t like I can appreciate the talent behind the drink.
Since then I ask the bar tender (mixologist if you prefer) to get creative. They make it, I drink it without question.
The food here is pretty good but I’ve only had it once and feel it would be unfair for me to praise or criticize on that one experience.

If you know me by now, you know I have specific standards when it comes to Italian food because it’s what I grew up eating. And pizza, well… it can be a religious experience.
Man, I love The Boot. If we were to reference *real boots,* we’re talking Louboutins.
Really, it comes as no surprise seeing as I love Westport Café and the folks are the same behind both operations. They know food. They know drink. They excel at providing stellar service and a unique experience. They consistently kill it!
So goes the generalizations. Now for the specifics:
–one of the best Pimm’s Cups I ever had (Trust me. I live in the city where the Pimm’s Cup was perfected)
–the cocktail made with spices and cream is like grown-​up cereal milk (as said by Justin E or Krysztof N, trying to attribute the analogy correctly as it’s not a Joi B original— uh, did I just refer to myself in the third person? Please shoot me).
–seriously, seriously good pizza. I will be honest and say my preference is for a thinner crust, more sauce, less cheese but that is just a preference and The Boot’s spinachi pie is really just divine in its own right!
I was considering a one-​star holdout, but screw being conservative when a place really deserves it.
The Boot is at the top of my «musts» for when I return to visit KC again!

We stopped in for a cocktail before heading next door to Westport Café & Bar for our dinner reservation… but I think our group was wishing we had just stayed at The Boot the whole time! The 2 restaurants are owned by the same group and both have an equally enticing cocktail menu, however the food coming out of The Boot’s kitchen just looked so much tastier! I tried the No. 7 Highball, Pisco, Apricot Nectar, and Chili and it was very good-​very fresh and perfect for a warm spring/​summer night. The space is just super cute and the staff all very friendly. Next time we’re in KC we will definitely stop in for dinner.

I love love love the transformation of Westport Road. Over the past couple of years, it’s really become it’s own Restaurant Row of sorts. And the latest tiny little pocket of deliciousness is The Boot.
I’ve been here three times now. Once for a date, once for a dinner with friends, and once just to sit at the bar to drink. All three have been pretty great experience.
First, let’s talk about drinks, one of my favorite subjects. The wine list is small, for sure, but I’ve found a couple of bottles I liked. Granted, I found those by just randomly pointing to something and saying «I want that!», because for somebody with my limited vino knowledge, this menu doesn’t offer a lot of assistance. I do have to say that the wine prices seem a touch high. Their beer selection is limited as well, though I like that they have McSorley’s Irish Black Lager on tap, and serve it just like they do at the mothership back in the East Village in Manhattan: two half pint mugs, side by side. I don’t know WHY McSorley’s is sold this way, but I dig.
Now cocktails, those I can speak of a bit more intelligently. They have highballs for $ 7, all just known by numbers and served in mason jars. They’re cute, but honestly beyond that I’d pass. I sampled two of them, and neither were very all that good. However, the $ 8 cocktails are pretty dang awesome. Less sweet and more booze forward, they’re what I like. Bonus points for being served with a side-​boot, rather than a side car. Extra cool touch!
The food is pretty dang good here as well. I’ve sampled a couple of the different meatball options, and thoroughly enjoyed them. Also, the pastas that I’ve sampled were pretty tasty as well. I wish I could say the specific dishes that I had, but alas they have no menu online, and I don’t always take notes. I will say that the pasta dish with the saffron (i think?) sauce was tasty, but in the end a bit too rich. I was glad we were sharing. For entrees, I recommend both the the roasted duck, and the short ribs. Both were incredibly tasty. I also had a bite of the flank steak. I wasn’t expecting much, but it was DELICIOUS. All of the entrees I’ve had are wins.
Service has been good twice, and awful once. Everybody has a bad night, so I’ll give them a pass.
The only real negative I see about The Boot is the price. Every time I’m here I drop some SERIOUS cash, and never leave feeling I quite got my money’s worth. Maybe you’re less of a cheapskate than me. I’ll still be back, regardless.

This excellent Italian restaurant, next door to the also wonderful Westport Café and Bar, is a big step up from some of the old time Italian-​American restaurants that are more common in Kansas City. Thankfully it is not necessary to listen to Frank Sinatra throughout the meal.
We ordered the trout, skate, oysters, and the mozzarella and beets appetizer. Everything was very enjoyable. Some of the dishes on the menu include butter sauce, but we had that changed to olive oil sauce. No problem. Really good.
The restaurant had only been open for a couple of weeks, when we were there, and the inexperience showed. The server provided excellent fast service, but was clearly nervous and evidently had not been trained in wine etiquette. She could not open the bottle, so had to bring it to the bartender to open. She then picked up the glass, poured wine into it, and handed it to me without putting it down on the table. That would have been OK for beer, but all wrong for wine. I then told her to leave the pouring to me, since she clearly didn’t know what she was doing. In a European style Italian restaurant, the servers should be better trained in how to serve wine. But I expect that in future weeks, those problems will be fixed.
I assume the restaurant is named after the appearance of Italy on the map.
Unlike many upscale new Italian restaurants, this one has no whole grain pasta. Perhaps they’ll include one in the future.

Décor/​Atmosphere/​Location: Great location in the heart of Westport, easy place to have dinner and keep the night going afterwards. Love the cozy yet hip décor with exposed brick and wooden bar and tables. Very rustic-​modern. Atmosphere is again hip and young but still comfortable, a place you can relax with friends. A little small, we ended up having to have dinner at the bar after waiting for a table for like an hour. But, full menu at the bar and they let us move to a table for easier conversing for dessert.
Service: Above average-​we sat at the bar and the bartenders were great. Interactive, great recommendations on wine. Since we were nearby the staging area, we even interacted with waitstaff as they went by and everyone is cool and easy to talk to, and when we sat at the table they were quite attentive.
Food: The sausage was quite good, the Papardelle was spicy with a good amount of squid but no depth of flavor. Risotto was disappointing. Too al dente and tasted like all it had in it was salt. I felt bad for my friend, it was her first Risotto and not a good representation. Also, the portions were too small for the price. The also need more entrée choice, there’s only about five pasta dishes (this is an Italian restaurant, right?)
Drinks: Great cocktail menu, decent wine menu with decent Italian choices to boot. Loved that the bartenders would let me taste a wine before ordering a whole glass (I’m not as familiar with Italian wines and haven’t had the best track record with them in the past, so I was a bit apprehensive). Large pours. I’d rate the drinks above the food here.
Prices: Reasonable, if they gave normal restaurant-​sized portions. For the size of the entrees currently its too pricey. Wine and drinks are pretty affordable.
All in all, I loved the atmosphere and will be returning for that and the drinks. Dinner was meh, but I’d be in for trying some other options and see how they come up.

I got here for lunch this last Wednesday. Sign is not up yet (should be here in a while… it’s going to be painted on the brick and it has to be over a certain temperature a certain number of days in a row, etc.) but you can find it right next door to the Westport Café (same ownership).
You feel warm and welcomed when you get inside. They have an 18-​top in the center of the restaurant, which sort of sets the tone for the homey-​family type feel of the place. The menu complements that. Daniel H. put up some photos of it and you can see it’s very straightforward and unpretentious.
There are all sorts of good things on the menu, but I can only tell you about the few things I had…
I had the short rib ravioli. The Boot makes all of its pasta (except its ravioli — they send the filling to Cupini’s, who «raviolizes» it for them) on site. This process is labor intensive, but the difference in the taste of fresh pasta is distinctive. I also had a bite of the Krizman’s Italian sausage. It was bursting with flavor and tasted like they had just made it that morning.
It was lunch, but when I was told my by dining companion that the semifreddo had amaretti cookies mixed in, I was in. It’s served with some warm chocolate sauce on the top. It won’t last long on your table. :-)
I washed all that down with a glass of nero d’avola. Amanda, our waitress, was great.
Go to The Boot not because there are so many Italian restaurants in town. Go because there are so few genuinely good ones.

The Boot opened up last week on Thursday, February 9, 2012 according to our waitress which was probably why this place had no sign in front. I walked by it trying to meet up with 7 other Kansas City foodies. lol
There were a lot of people eating dinner but it could have been the size of the restaurant. I’d estimate that it could hold up to 60ish people though I’m probably wrong. They also had a bar with a few stools around. It was really cozy and the atmosphere felt like it was a good place to eat some pasta and sip on wine. I almost felt like I shouldn’t take pictures of the food but I did anyways. Nobody said anything but I’m pretty sure a couple of people were looking at my DSLR camera.
Everybody at our table ordered something different from the antipasti to the entrees. I can’t remember what everybody ordered but I’ll do my best to label the pictures. I ordered the Hand-​pulled Mozzarella w/​Beets + Mushrooms ($ 10) for an antipasti and also the Fusili Carbonara ($ 12). I also ordered Leffe beer or something but I’m not sure since I got the same thing as somebody else at our table. Just a FYI… the waitress told me that the Fusili Carbonara were good (if not popular) as well as the Spice Glazed Duck.
The Fusili Carbonara was delicious but I don’t think my portion was big enough. =P We all passed our food around to try everybody’s dishes and a lot of them were pretty good. For the antipasti, I thought the Hand-​pulled Mozzarella w/​Beets + Mushrooms were okay but the Short Rib Ravioli was probably my favorite one. Try it!
After we all finished our food, we decided to order one of everything ($ 5 each) on the dessert menu. Again, we passed it around to try everything and I think everybody would agree that the Amaretti Semifreddo w/​Warm Chocolate Sauce was the best out of the four. I recommend the Amaretti Semifreddo w/​Warm Chocolate Sauce or the Crisp Apple Fritters w/​Ricotta + Almond.
I think this was a good place for some Italian food.