Swing (Jan-Dec 1945)

63 PORTS OF CALL IN KANSAS CITY (Continued from Page 1) . . . 4^ ^oo<£ CONGRESS RESTAURANT— 3529 Broddway. A rangy lounge turns into a dining room on the other side, where you'll find food j.hipped up by Buster Rohovit who used to be at the Athletic Club. They serve a good hearty salad. You may recognize Floyd, the colored waiter and a landmark here. Bill Caldwell at the keys is by way of bcoming a permanent fixture, too. He plays piano and organ at the same time with considerable ambidexterity. Pete Pearson, the manager, says, come Victory, there'll be colored lights over the bar again, and the horn o' plenty will change color every few minutes. And again you'll think it was that last one you drar.k! DUFFEY'S TAVERN— 213 West J2th. "Where you don't "meet the elite' but you eat." It says here. You also drink. You also listen to Joe Hamm, Whitcy Hayes, and Little Buck Buctner break into a ballad at the drop of a night cap. "Just another night on 12th Street, folks!" That will be Joe's voice rising above the general din, making everybody at home. He and Whitey knock themselves out in song at the various tables, with' Lola Rardin playing a patient accompaniment. She used to be with Major Bowes. Little Buck will sing a tune, warm your heart, light your cigarette, and make you believe a mellow stupor is the glow of genius. You'd never believe he's old enough to have a college-age son. He is, and he does. Duffey's have their own barbecue pit, and the town's tallest bartender. He's six-footseven. There's nothing subtle about Duffey's, but as the sign says, "Gentlemen will behave. Orhers must." • FAMOUS BAR AND RESTAURANT—121/ Baltimore. Since Jim Lee, the place has been redecorated and remodeled. Harry Turner, the new owner, has made it a lively room, and Maurice Jester supplies an attractive menu. Try their fried chicken some time, or their shrimp Creole. Luncheons in the main room or the dining room adjoining are served from 11:30 to 2:30, dinner from five till ten. Hostesses Effie Helgesen and Beulah Jester will be around to see that you're comfortably seated and promptly served. There's a bar, too, of course, if you'd rather just sit and stare at yourself in the mirrors. ITALIAN GARDENS— HJO Baltimore. Lay end-to-end all the spaghetti served at the Gardens in the last 20 years and it would make a corduroy highway, seven lanes wide, from here to Italy and back. (Rough estimate.) Signora Teresa's spaghetti and raviola dishes pull in stage and sports people from all over, to say nothing of daily hordes of home folks, who sit in the little latticed booths under portraits of Vincent Lopez, Simone Simon, et al, or at the crowded tables, happily winding their dinner on a fork. This is a family affair, with Johnny Bondon and Frank Lepari bustling about out front, aided by nephew Ralph Bondon, and Johnny's sister 'Teresa governing the kitchens. Two sisters and a niece are back there, too, along with Elbert Oliver who does the "man cookin' " — steaks and chops. Johnny says it takes a woman's touch for sauces and meat balls. He likes you to have wine with your meals, too; it's better taste. Ordinarily. the Gardens rank about fifth in the country for wine sales. The spaghetti is on at four each afternoon, until midnite. They're closed on Sundays. JEWEL BOX— 3223 lyooii. From 2:30 till 5:30 Jimmy Townsend furnishes soothing piano obbligato for your afternoon cocktails. By night there's strawberry blond Willy Ganz at the piano and novachord above the bar. managing a skilful blend of the classical and popular (in music). He plays from 9 till 10:45, and again from 11:30 till closing, after making a quick dash for a broadcast. This is a clean, attractive little room; Ralph Fuller sees that it's kept that way. Aside from drinks and decent music, the specialty here is fried chicken and charcoal broiled steaks. Tops for the steak is $1.25. • MORRIS DELICATESSEN — — 3121 Tjoost. The most unassuming establishment that ever put out the town's best delicatessen. There's a bar, rarely busy, and a lot of booths. The clientele who have learned, return time and again to partake in silent rapture of Morris's liederkranz or braunschweiger sandwiches on wonderful Jewish breads, to bite into fat black olives, or a rich potato salad, or superb kosher pickles, to lick up the slices of spicy cold meats, and wash it all down with a bottle of beer or some fresh black coffee. If you prefer you can take the food home. This is one of the few places where you'll find real Russian pumpernickel. Morris and his two daughters take care of most of the business. And the customers come of their own accord — with good reason! • OMAR ROOM — Hotel Continental— II til and, Baltimore. No haven for Omar, the Tentmaker, but for the rest of us, a pleasant meeting-place. A good many uniforms in evidence here. Hill and Dugan make listenable music; no singing in the wilderness, however! Down a couple or three steps is a semi-circular bar with a mirrored ceiling which may give you a fit at first — if you're a strangei here, yourself, or have had one too many. Jack Armordale, the chief barkeep, used to be at the old Chesterfield. (Remember?) If you can't find it yourself, ask Mr. Hutchinson to show you the mural of Khayyam underneath the bough, painted by Rex Werner, a Kansas City artist. PLAZA BOWL — 480 Alamedj Road. Smartly south side, the Bowl offers recreation, food, and drink — all in attractive surroundings, smooth and modern. Most mornings find young Country Club mitrons bowling away pounds and depressions, while Sunday mom