The Awards Keep Coming

Multiple area restaurants receive new recognition, a new streetcar arrived last week, and a new Mexican restaurant comes to the Plaza.

February 05, 2024

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Food & Drink

The Awards Keep Coming

Helix Architecture

Happy Monday, Kansas City! This year’s Distinguished Restaurants of North America(DiRōNA) list is officially here and several Kansas City restaurants made the list.

  • Classy & Fancy: Founded in 1990, DiRōNA was established to identify and honor exceptional restaurants that provide an extraordinary dining experience.

  • Table for Three: This year’s list welcomes three new Kansas City staples to the list. Farina, Lidia’s, and Wandering Vine at the Castle were all given the distinction and can proudly display the DiRōNA symbol on their doors.

  • Been There, Done That: The three restaurants join Jasper’s Italian Restaurant and 715 Restaurant as DiRōNA designees in the area. Jasper’s was the first restaurant in the area to receive the designation in 1993.

Curious about who else made the list? Check out this year’s full list of 98 restaurants from across the US.

Development

Brand New Whip

KC Current

The first of eight new streetcars that will inhabit the new expansion to the streetcar route was delivered last week.

  • Progress Over Perfection: After completing about two-thirds of the new streetcar route by the end of last year, city officials say that this is another significant step towards the completion of the project by next year.

  • Brand New Whip: The eight new streetcars will bring the total fleet to 14, which should be enough to allow riders to cover the 3.5 miles being added with ease. The southern loop will connect Union Station to UMKC’s campus.

  • Down By The Water: Along with the extension south, the streetcar is also adding a 0.7-mile loop that will connect the River Market to the Berkley Riverfront and CPKC Stadium. That northern addition is expected to be open by late 2025 or early 2026.

The new streetcars will undergo testing for functionality and safety over the next year. City officials say the KC Streetcar Project is on schedule to be completed by 2025.

Opening

Mexican, Like You’ve Experienced

Little Hacienda

After the closing of Jax Fish and Oyster Bar, a new authentic, central Mexican restaurant is taking its place on the Plaza.

  • Growing Dreams: Fidel Gomez is the owner of two Mexican restaurants in Branson, Missouri named Little Hacienda. He is now taking his cooking to the Plaza with T’ähä Mexican Kitchen.

  • My Mouth Is Watering: T’ähä Mexican Kitchen will feature recipes from Gomez’s hometown of Hidalgo, Mexico. He says the menu will feature moles and traditional dishes like barbacoa, where meats like lamb, goat, or beef are slow-cooked inside agave leaves.

  • A Fresh Perspective: Gomez is excited to bring flavors from home, saying that “people know about Oaxacan food and the cuisine on the coasts. We think we can bring something new to the KC food scene by reexamining the culture and indigenous food traditions from central Mexico.”

Gomez says they are hoping to have T’ähä Mexican Kitchen open by April. Planned hours will be 11-10 pm Monday through Saturday, and 11-9 on Sundays.

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