By Kathy Feist
Watts Mill Plaza at 103rd and State Line Road attracts a lot of shoppers to its anchor tenant Cosentino’s Price Chopper. But lately this area has been bustling with the opening of exciting new restaurants and entertainment businesses.
Since 2019, the retail center has been home to the Comedy Club of Kansas City, which brings in national talent. In November, Fowling Warehouse turned the former Ace Hardware store into a bowling-with-football sports bar concept. On weekends, one can find a cover band performing at Southside Grill. Soon, three new restaurants and a jazz club will round out the list.
Mexico Lindo KC
The word “lindo” in Spanish means cute or pretty. One glance at Mexico Lindo KC’s eye-catching sign hints at what to expect when you enter the former Cacao Restaurant space (formerly Applebee’s), at 1046 W. 103rd St.
The once turquoise-colored interior has been replaced with brightly painted orange and yellow walls accentuated by Mexican artwork, murals, some antique furniture and large televisions. One mural-filled wall serves as a homage to Kansas City, especially the Chiefs. Colorfully designed talavera Mexican tiles cover the bar situated in the middle of the restaurant. Surrounding it are hardwood tables with plush brown cushioned booths. With new gray slate tiles on the floor and a state-of-the-art sound system in the ceiling (for recorded Mexican music), Mexico Lindo KC gives off a lively energy that also lives up to its name.
Behind this work of art is owner Jose Gutierrez. Originally from Guadalejara, Mexico, Gutierrez moved to the states in 1999 and began work as a dishwasher in Utah. By 2007, after a move to the Kansas City area, he opened his first restaurant, Casa Mexico, in Belton. A second Casa Mexico in Independence opened in 2015 and a third in Blue Springs in 2018.
With his fourth restaurant, Gutierrez decided to go with a different concept and new name. While Mexico Lindo KC will have much of the same menu items as its sister restaurants, it will be somewhat a step above. “Some ingredients will be of a higher quality,” says Gutierrez. The carne asada for instance will be prepared with an outsized skirt steak, a more tender cut of beef than the oft used inside skirt steak.
Popular menu items from reviews of Gutierrez’s other restaurants include warm tortilla chips and homemade chunky salsa, rice cooked with tiny bits of vegetables, and seafood chimichanga made with real shrimp and crabmeat as well as choripollo, carnitas, fajitas, soft tacos and tamales. Fast and friendly service is also given high marks.
Gutierrez is happy to show from where all the food will be delivered: a kitchen filled with all new equipment.
Mexico Lindo KC plans to be officially opened by March 23 without a liquor license, which is pending. “I love everything about south Kansas City,” says Gutierrez. “But the permit process, not so much.”
Wingstop
For Fowling Warehouse fans where liquor is served but not food, the opening of Wingstop may be a welcomed opportunity for carryout to the fun center.
Wingstop opened on Wednesday, March 13, in the former Subway sandwich shop at 1120 W 103rd St. The national chain serves bone-in and boneless chicken wings in a variety of flavors as well as chicken sandwiches and fries.
Area Coach Dylan Caywood, in the role as district manager, emphasizes that Wingstop is healthy fast food–and sometimes not that fast.
“It takes us 13 minutes to cook the chicken, 18 minutes for boneless,” he says. “We don’t have a warmer. We make them fresh after you place your order.”
Caywood says the chicken is delivered fresh, never frozen. The ranch and bleu cheese dressings, sauces and fries are prepared in house. On the day prior to opening, his employees were busy cutting fries and preparing the dining room for customers. A large truck was unloading fresh meat and other items into the kitchen.
While set up primarily for carry-out, the Wingstop has a small dining area that carries the retro aviation theme found throughout the franchise. A Wingstop mural on the north wall makes for good selfie photo opportunities.
Exclusive Jerk Bar & Grill
It’s been a year since Exclusive Jerk Bar & Grill registered as a new restaurant opening in Kansas City. The Caribbean-themed restaurant has recently shown some promising activity with a new metal sign above the door of the former Panera Bread location at 1128 W. 103rd St. A peek inside the windows still shows very little activity. When open, the restaurant will serve Caribbean jerk chicken, fish, tacos and pasta made fresh daily.
The Bad Cat
Dustin Kaufman, owner of the Comedy Club of Kansas City, saw an opportunity when Happy Dragon closed its southernmost dining area, a corner space facing the comedy club. He could envision his customers, fresh from a jolly experience, needing to extend the night among friends. “I felt the area needed a late night alternative to the general sports bar theme,” he says. So he came up with Bad Cat, a jazz club open until the wee hours of the morning, as late as 3 a.m. if the liquor license will permit.
Bad Cat is expected to open four days a week starting in May. In addition to alcohol, cold plates such as charcuterie options and hummus platters will be served.
More importantly is the live jazz for which Kansas City is known. “I just want good jazz,” says Kaufman, who regularly hires jazz bands for the Comedy Clubs’ New Years Eve parties.
Currently the space is an empty shell. “It will be nice,” he assures. “A jazz club with a little sophistication to it.”
Kaufman feels the rise of new restaurants and entertainment outlets at the retail strip could only benefit the surrounding businesses and create a popular destination. “The Watt’s Mill Entertainment District!” he proclaims with a laugh.
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