In Culinary News: Innovating Dining with EV Grab & Go

Located in the heart of Kansas City, a new evolution of the dining experience is taking shape. The former establishment of the Michael Smith Restaurant is undergoing a transformation at the hands of owners Michael and Nancy Smith to become an exciting culinary concept, aptly named EV Grab & Go. The initiative aims to bring a unique offering to the current dining landscape, setting it up as an intersection where convenience meets gourmet.

Emergence of EV Grab & Go

The Smiths, distinguished in the culinary world, having the prestigious James Beard award to their name, previously ran the Michael Smith Restaurant at its prime location on Main Street. Following the opening of their modern Italian restaurant, Farina, in 2019, the couple left the former restaurant as is. It was primarily used for hosting private parties and as an additional seating spot for their Mediterranean tapas outlet, Extra Virgin.

Now, the duo has decided to breathe new life into the property, transforming it to align more harmoniously with the vibrant and colorful interior of Extra Virgin. The aim is to give it a true likeness to its “sexy sister restaurant” that sits next door.

The EV Grab & Go Offering

A noticeable feature of the redesign is the inclusion of a new ‘grab n’ go’ market, devised within the remodeled premises. The initiative utilizes the still intact Michael Smith Restaurant kitchen to create an array of quick-to-pick, easy-to-eat dishes.

Known as EV Grab & Go, it will stock a range of sandwiches, soups, salads, and heat-at-home dishes, curated from both Extra Virgin and Farina. The selection is focused on dishes that make the journey from restaurant to home well. Highlights include dips, spreads, salads, lamb skewers, duck meatballs, and marinated olives.

Additionally, the offerings will include a rotating roster of pastas and sauces, vinegars, olive oils, fresh cheeses, almonds, anchovies, steaks, fresh herbs, and cocktail ice, curated to elevate the at-home dining experience. The launch of the venture is expected this month.

Revolutionizing At-Home Dining Experiences

In essence, EV Grab & Go seems to pivot on a concept that straddles the line between restaurant dining and home cooking, providing a unique hybrid of both worlds. By offering a collection of intensely flavorsome and easy-to-prepare dishes, it seems poised to change the way Kansas City residents perceive and experience culinary delights.

With the pandemic accelerating the shift towards at-home dining, ventures like EV Grab & Go serve as a testament to the innovative transformations that restaurateurs in Kansas City, and around the country, are implementing to adapt to this shift, while still maintaining the charm and quality of dining out.

By bringing the best of their award-winning establishments to the confines of one’s home, the Smiths are setting a new standard for the future of the dining industry and serving as an inspiring example for their peers.