Hop on over to HopCat for some March Madness Fun!
HopCat, Westport’s newest bar and eatery, is a hip cross between tiki-bar and sports bar and the highlight? Craft beer. Specifically, local craft beer. HopCat may not be a “local spot” (there are Hopcats across the United States) but one thing they do well: feature the best local craft beers!
HopCat’s “Local 30” menu features 30 craft beers/ciders from across Missouri and Kansas. All on tap and served in a fancy glass- it was a perfect way to spend a warm afternoon in KC, watching basketball and cheering on local teams. We sat on the rooftop bar- one that resembles the traditional tikibar, but covered enough to protect from the sun. It’s a staycation destination- you just might feel that you are close to the beach, drinking local Missouri beers. We tried the “Wheach” from O’Fallon Brewery in Maryland Heights, MO (STL) and it was perfect for the warm weather- light fruity American Wheat with Peach. If you like fruity, also worth trying: The Rasberry Jam, a tart, but refreshing Weisse with fresh rasberry puree from Tallgrass Brewing Co. in Manhattan, KS. This is a beer place- not a lot of wine on the menu, but for our gluten-free friend, we tried the MCintyre Blackberry Hard Apple Cider from St. James Winery and the French-style Sparkling cider from KC’s own Cinder Block Brewery. Both great additions to the Local 30 menu!
The food was perfect. Our favorites: the blackened tilapia tacos and the grilled chicken tacos- both served in flour tortillas with fresh pico or slaw, again perfect for our mini- staycation in KC. And, the Crack Fries- we had heard about the crack fries as the restaurant gave away “Free Crack Fries for a Year” to many local patrons at their grand opening. They are exactly what they sound like- delicious, addicting fries that are battered in light beer before they’re sprinkled with black pepper seasoning. Some people order extra toppings, like cheese sauce, jalapenos and onion, fabulous next to one of the 100 beers they have on tap. 
Word (or at least Facebook) has it that TikiCat, a tiki-inspired bar underneath HopCat will open April 14th. The hidden gym is meant to be a small getaway from reality- tiki inspired bar with specialty crafted drinks straight from a beach menu- mai tais, daquiris, planter’s punch, etc… served in authentic tiki-like mugs and surrounded decor: sounds like a great way to beat the heat this summer. Hopefully we will see some of our favorite #local distilleries provide the liquer!
#drinklocal #supportlocal #promoteKC
