Chef Stan’s Place

Who knew I'd have one of the best meals of the year in a tiny town in Kansas? Chef Stan's Place is housed in a restored church, and features a paired down menu of brunch and lunch items. And when I say paired down, I mean there are literally five options to choose from, plus three desserts. There's also a soup (whatever Stan feels like making that day) and a salad (a house salad with spring lettuces, bleu cheese crumbles, tomatoes, corn and pepperoncinis). Everything is made by Chef Stan himself, and made with local ingredients -- sometimes harvested right from the garden that he keeps out back. Quiche is a popular choice here and always on the menu, so I had to get that. Stan likes to change up the flavors of the quiche, and when I visited, it was a Mediterranean quiche, with feta and greens. The crust disintegrated in my mouth, it was so tender.Also on the menu was an egg salad sandwich, served face-up on a thick, toasted slice of sourdough bread; a grilled cheese; ravioli; and a pulled chicken sandwich.For dessert, I was told that the Magic Cookie Bars are the thing to get, and my dining companion got one. It takes like 15 minutes to make (Stan bakes them fresh), but they are worth the wait. The Magic Cookie Bars are a cookie crust layered with chocolate chips, shredded coconut and topped with chopped walnuts, all baked together with condensed milk. They're rich and gooey, and definitely something that can be shared with the table.I also had to try the lemon tart, which was bright with just the right amount of lemon in a shortbread crust. And because I couldn't just taste two of the three desserts offered, I also got a chocolate chip cookie for the road. It was a great choice. Chef Stan's Place is a small and intimate restaurant, but casual and comforting. While I was there, a series of regulars came through -- either to dine in or get something to go. The server knew them by name. If you visit, you definitely want to dine in and stay a while. This is a simple and beautiful restaurant, with views out of the church windows of the lovely prairie outside.

Amazing gourmet food in a tiny town in Kansas! It's in a restored church. Wood stove, horse shoes, herb garden, and amazing wide open vistas. Chef Stan will treat you like you've been friends for years. Well worth going out of your way to have a fantastic meal. Menu is simple/limited. Many vegetarian options. Hours are limited. Check their Facebook page for open hours.

Quiche in the heart of cattle country. Sounds crazy, I know, but that's what I ordered and thoroughly enjoyed for lunch today. Followed it up with a beautiful lemon tart. Chef Stan's place is elegant in its simplicity, the perfect scale for what it is. The concept and execution are brilliant. It is so counter intuitive that it might actually make it. Especially if Chef Stan can continue to execute at such a high level. Kudos to Chef Stan!!