Scott and Gina Gottlich founded a full-service restaurant management company called Fruition Hospitality. The couple, best known for their restaurants The Second Floor and Bijoux, is stepping up their efforts at 18th & Vine BBQ. They’ve freshened up both the food and bar menus, tightened the talent in the kitchen, and upgraded service. The restaurant is still dedicated to Kansas City-style barbecue, but they’ve added family-style dining options and more chef-inspired dishes.
Matt Dallman remains in charge of smoked meats. “Traditional Kansas City barbecue will always be a part of the menu options for those interested in a pure barbecue experience,” Scott says. “However, the collaboration between myself and Matt gives us the opportunity to combine talents and knowledge of a chef with a self-taught pitmaster to push the boundaries of what can be accomplished with smoke and other barbecue techniques.”
You can expect to see new salads, pasta dishes, roasted salmon, and smoked lobster thermidor. The Whole Sha-Bang is a family-style dinner that serves four to six people and includes three starters, three full servings of barbecue, three sides, and three desserts for $135. The Roost (upstairs bar) remains a lively live music spot as well as a private event space. Brunch is offered on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
