Jasper's Restaurant

I love food, and it's making me fat. I can't help it though. When you have restaurants like Jasper's in the area, how can you NOT eat at them?! It had been years since I had last dined at Jasper's, so it seemed like the perfect choice for my turn to host Dinner Club. A quick review of the menu at www.jasperskc.com proved to be a bit of a surprise. The average entree price was $19.99 (includes salad). I'd estimate a $5 increase in the last five years or so, and I was worried we were exceeding the club budget. However, the food is so good, it's totally worth it. The cute young guys who wait on you hand and foot? Well worth the increase!

The five of us met on a Thursday night. Upon approach, Jasper's Restaurant and its adjacent Marco Polo's Italian Market is unremarkable - part of a strip mall in a fairly run down area at 103rd and State Line's Watts Mill Shopping Center. However, once you step inside, you see the quaint ambiance of a traditional Italian fine dining restaurant. We were greeted quickly, and were shown to our table in the middle of the dining room.

Wine first, of course. Three of us tasted a flight of reds (Cab, Chianti, and Pinot Noir) before settling on the Pinot. Another at the table had a Chardonnay, and another stuck with soda. Once we took recommendations from the waiter, we chose our entrees. Sadly, I might have been the only one not to go with a recommendation, and ordered the Pollo Alla Marco Pollo (Chicken breast filled with ham, cheese, and spinach in a tomato basil cream sauce) because that's what I had always ordered in the past. While delicious, let's face it...it's breaded chicken filled with savory cream cheese. I ordered it for the tomato basil sauce, and asked for extra to take home with the leftovers I knew I would have.

The rest of the girls dined on FETTUCCINI CON PANNA E PARMIGIANO, TORTELLINI ALLA ROMANO (minus the peas!), PETTI DI POLLO ALLA PIEMONTESE (Breast of chicken with cave mushrooms, Vernaccia wine, and capers), and CAPELLI D’ANGELO ALLA NANNI (Angel hair with mushrooms, Prosciutto di Parma, peas,cream, spicy tomato and grated Parmagiano cheese sauce). I had the pleasure of tasting the PETTI DI POLLO ALLA PIEMONTESE and wow, melt in your mouth good. And the Spicy tomato and grated parmigiano cheese sauce from the Nanni? The same as my beloved sauce from the Marco Polo! As much I enjoyed my dish, next time I'm branching out for sure.

For dessert, we sampled three from the extensive dessert collection. Our waiter rolled the cart out and we chose
Cioccolatta di Tartuffo, Torta Coconuta, and because "someone" had a "birthday", a Strawberry Borghese cake. Yum, yum...that's all I can say!

Enough about the food. I cannot say enough about the service. What a bunch of cute young guys! Oh, I mean, what a bunch of talented and attentive waiters!! Upon hearing my praise a few days later, my Father-in-Law used the word "pandering" to describe them. I'll take it - they know how to make their customers happy! The highlight of the evening was a personal visit from the Chef, Jasper Mirabile, Jr. We needed a picture for the blog, so he graciously posed with us, then excitedly ordered us a round of his new Blood Orangecello. He brought out the oranges they use, and proudly displayed how dark and lovely they were. *I say this kind of tongue in cheek, because I know nothing about the "cello" making process, nor blood oranges, but I appreciated his passion.*

I am happy to have introduced some of my friends to a new restaurant that I hope they will one day return to. Jasper's has a long standing Kansas City presence, and with this last visit, it might have moved to the top of my list!


Things you need to know:
Reservations suggested but not required. Online reservations through their website are available
NO split checks, or multiple payment methods


Jasper's
1201 W. 103rd Street
Kansas City, MO 64114
816-941-6600