Dish & Drink KC: ‘Girl dinner’ at Percheron, plus new Caldwell’s Burgers

I Dip, You Dip, We Rip at Percheron // Photo by Sarah Sipple

Whether or not he intended to, Chef Aaron Wells-Morgan knows girl dinner. 

If you’re not in on internet-speak, girl dinner* is a concept that has reached public vernacular recently. The specifics vary based on personal preference, but a good working definition of girl dinner is any low-effort meal that sounds good at the moment, even if it’s scavenged and nonsensical. The other conceptual staple is that it is fully independent. Girl dinner takes no one else’s opinion or tastes into account. 

My own girl dinner is usually a fridge-cleaning mashup of a variety of textures: a cup of broccoli, half a handful of pistachios, three mini peppers, one chamoy peach ring, ten Wheat Thins, four air-fryer chicken nuggets, fifteen snap peas. While some are content with nostalgic butter noodles as their preferred girl dinner, mine is marked by variety. This usually involves scrounging the fridge and pantry–then patting myself on the back for not going out to eat. I’m practically making money, I lie to myself.

And all that money saved via pantry-raiding girl dinners? Now it can be spent on girl dinner with friends. At Percheron where Wells-Morgan is the Executive Chef.

The new summer menu at Percheron, the bar on the rooftop of Crossroad’s Hotel, continues the established pattern of Mediterranean inspiration. Spices like harissa and sumac, plus bases of hummus and lamb, draw the menu towards a fresh and unshy palate. 

The build-your-own-mezze menu is featured front and center. I Dip, You Dip, We Rip is a customizable feature with twelve dips and four “rips” for a mix-and-match appetizer or meal. Starting at $21, one can select three dips and one rip. Rips include Bagel Spiced Challah, Sesame Matzah Crackers, Gem Lettuce Cups, and Crudité. The variety and customizable format bring it to the girl-dinner realm.

The option featured above is the whole shebang. $64 gets you all dips and rips, and by my estimates, it could easily feed three people as a primary meal, or four to five people if you add in another dish to share. I split it with one other person and we barely made a dent. On a night out with three other friends, that brings this full gorgeous platter down to $13 per person before tip. Add in a cocktail like Coco Ananas ($14), and we’re still within a reasonable price point for the nice rooftop atmosphere. 

Paired with the matzah cracker, the Lutenitsa dip was the first to go. As in, we devoured it. Basically a red pepper relish, the dip had a slight kick to it. At our table, we referred to it as a Mediterranean salsa, but to be more specific, it is a Bulgarian dish. 

The other two dips that were the first to be emptied included Marinated Persian Feta and Piyaz. The feta was a bright and smooth, salty companion for the toasted challah, while the Piyaz, or Turkish white bean dip, was summery and light when scooped on a gem lettuce cup.

The dips that had the most left when we finished were the Couscous and Avocado Labneh. The whipped avocado dip had a more intense flavor than the rest of the platter combined. There was nothing wrong with it, but the shocking contrast in flavor had us reaching for other dips.

I Dip, You Dip, We Rip as a dish, is an accurate summation of Percheron and its new menu. While the food is fresh and thoughtfully curated, it is far from stuffy. From the names on the menu, the colors in the dishes, the handheld elements, the alcohol slushies… it all points toward fresh and fun. A high-quality menu that is happy to remind you that it’s here for a good time: girl dinner, date night, or whatever else brings you to the swanky rooftop patio.

*Disclaimer for my fellow overthinkers: Food has no gender, nor does this pop-culture meal concept. 

Percheron resides on the top of Crossroads Hotel at 2101 Central St, Kansas City, MO 64108.

Fancy Chicken Sliders, Caldwell’s Classic, Fries, and Potato Salad at Caldwell’s Burgers // Photo by Sarah Sipple

Caldwell’s Burgers is the latest member of the Guy’s team. 

When the Guy’s Broadway Bodega location wasn’t going as planned, it was closed and some resources were reallocated to open Caldwell’s Burgers inside River Bluff Brewing at River Market. This model has worked for Guy’s before, proven at the Guy’s Deli location inside Kelly’s in Westport.

In contrast to the pizza-forward menu at Guy’s Deli, Caldwell’s Burgers focuses on, well, burgers. Burgers, sliders, and a couple of side dishes form the small menu at the order window inside the River Market brewery. 

On an afternoon walk around downtown and River Market, my family group ordered a variety of dishes from Caldwell’s with brews from River Bluff Brewing to wash it down. My choice was the Fancy Chicken Sliders ($10) and Potato Salad ($4).

Cutesy brioche slider buns held crispy chicken cutlets that made up most of the mass. Those were topped with cheddar cheese, Fancy Sauce, shredded lettuce, sliced red onions, tomato, and a pickle. This is simply one of my niche soapboxes, but shredded lettuce is superior for tacos and most handhelds.

Grabbing Guy’s chips as a side is a no-brainer. Same with fries, which were fine here at Caldwell’s. But I took a chance on the potato salad. Thankfully, it had the balance of vinegar and mellow sweetness that I prefer, and I will absolutely be ordering it again.

River Bluff Brewing makes a non-alcoholic hop drink, called Hop Water ($3). The sparkling Motueka hop-infused water is lightly flavored with lemon and lime. It is not only alcohol-free but also calorie-free. 

I wasn’t expecting it to taste like beer, but something closer to big-brand sparkling water like La Croix. Had I leaned more toward beer, I would have had a less dramatic reaction. In fact, I hope the brewers didn’t see my face after my first sip. It would likely have been perceived as offensive. 

The sparkling aspect was there, as was the earthiness. A minuscule hint of citrus helped lift the flavor from its damp ground. I adjusted my expectations and created an entirely new category for it in my mind. After a few more sips it turned out to be a nice, effervescent complement to my dinner, though I did not finish the entire glass.

Caldwell’s Burgers is inside River Bluff Brewing at 201 Main St, Ste 101, Kansas City, MO 64105.