Carmen's Cafe received a fantastic review in the September 2010 issue of Leawood Lifestyle!

By Sharmin Meadows

From the article:

The popular Italian restaurant Carmen's Cafe in Brookside has expanded and taken up residence at Park Place in Leawood.  The Italian cuisine is served up with Latin flair and the menu is impressive.  What makes Carmen's unique is its offering of tapas.  These small plates of tapas have mouth watering choices such as shrimp and crab stuffed artichoke, pesto stuffed ravioli with gorgonzola cream sauce or jumbo sea scallops to name a few.  The entrees are just as inviting, with dishes like Salmon Oscar, chicken lemonatta, a variety of spiedinis and all the classic pasta dishes you would expect.  Tapas price ranges from $6-$12 and entrees are $9-$28. 

My son and daughter joined me for a summer lunch outing shortly after the restaurant opened.  Upon entering, we were seated quickly.  With menus in hand, I could see the tough decision in front of us.  The waiter was very gracious as we had had a hard time deciding.  I was torn between ordering a few tapas and having everyone share or going straight to the entrees.

We made the decision to order entrees, but we did get an order of mozzarella sticks from the tapas menu.  My son liked the way the cheese was nice and melted inside, but not so much that it was falling out of the crust.  I ordered the lasagna and the kids shared an order of fettucine alfredo.

The lasagna had homemade meatballs, sausage, and ricotta cheese.  It was the ideal classic lasagna.  The tomato sauce was just a little bit sweet, the sausage had just the right amount of spice and ricotta was nice and creamy.  It was a great combination.  I did try a bite of the fettucine alfredo, the sauce was the real deal and not some watered down powedered mixture.  I loved the creamy texture of the sauce stuck to the noodles. 

All entrees are served with the famous house salad.  The salad had wonderful chunks of artichoke and freshly grated parmesan cheese.  Meals include Italian bread.  Carmen's also offers a variety of desserts which include tiramisu, plain cheesecake, chocolate cappucino cheesecake, cannoli, spumoni ice cream and Spanish flan.

The decor of Carmen's is absolutely charming, the bar has a long serving area perfect for waiting for a table or just to meet for a drink.  The dining room is classy and the contrast of the dark wood and the white tablecloths is elegant.  There are also wrought iron tables out in front which would be a perfect spot on a nice day to enjoy lunch, dinner, or a few tapas with friends or a romantic date. 

Whether you are looking for a place to have a family meal, a romantic date, or just a casual night out with friends, Carmen's would  be a great place to go.  Carmen's is located at Park Place at 11526 Ash Street.  For reservations or catering questions, call 913.327.7115.