Ted owes Jane one.
I’d probably never have set foot
in Turner’s Ted’s Montana Grill if I had
not read Fonda’s autobiography, My Life So Far
(Random House, $26.95). But when she wrote how Turner
channeled his interest in bison into an upscale-casual
restaurant chain and praised the bison chili, which
is on the menu, I figured I’d check it out.
I’m glad I read the book and just
as glad I checked out the chain that Ted built. The
Kansas City area has three Ted’s (at Zona Rosa,
the Legends and at 135th and Nall). There are more than
35 nationwide, serving dandy, traditional fare.
Turner and his partner George McKerrow
Jr. (who started the LongHorn Steakhouse chain), have
made good use of their wealth and built manly places
that feel solid and steady, with a burnished wood bar
and comfortable booths. Even the bathrooms are expansive
and classy.
But the crowds don’t come to ogle
the fine tile work and mahogany paneling; they come to
feast. And this menu is built around the pleasures of
the flesh — burly cuts of bison and certified
Angus beef, slabs of cedar plank salmon, beer can chicken
and three breeds of sandwiches (beef, bison and chicken)
in 66 permutations.
These juicy cuts are custom-cooked and
paired with several steakhouse-style sides — including
creamed spinach, garlic mashed potatoes and fresh-cut
French fries — and basic desserts such as homemade
cookies.
The meats would rival any legendary Kansas
City stockyard steaks of yore. The 9-ounce bison tenderloin
filet and the bison cheeseburger were beautifully grilled,
dangerously juicy and sweet. Almost 80 percent of the
bison comes from Turner’s ranches, which total
almost 2 million acres in several states, according
to manager Tim Roumas.
The 14-ounce Delmonico rib-eye was expertly
cooked.
I should have ordered up and gotten the
tenderloin again. The salmon had a beautifully seared
surface and an interior that was modestly infused with
smoky flavor from the cedar plank.
The salads, appetizers and sides were
just as good. I loved the BLT ranch dressing and the
egg less Caesar salad, which had a nice anchovy punch.
And the chili cheese fries were a pure
gluttonous delight. Some chunky bison chili was spooned
over hot-from-the-fryer fries. The grated Cheddar melted
as soon as I stirred it into the chili.
Among the sides, there wasn’t a
miss. The fries and garlic mashed potatoes were full
of pure spud flavor. The Parmesan creamed spinach was
rich and gooey but tempered by the iron twang of the
greens.
Aunt Fannie’s yellow squash casserole
is as homey as any found on a Thanksgiving Day family
buffet.
Besides the great food and service, folks
should patronize Ted’s because of its environmental
philosophy: Menus are printed on recycled paper, no
plastics are used (except for the recyclable to-go containers),
and soft drinks are served in glass bottles. On the
food side, nothing is pre made or prepackaged, and there’s
not a microwave on the premises.
When I paid the very reasonable bill and
pushed back from the table, leftovers in hand, I wondered
why all upscale-casual chains couldn’t be this
fine — and responsible.
About the wine list.
In the summer cocktail mode, I sipped
Montana margarita with my bison. The marg is a bracing
mixture of 1800 tequila, Grand Marnier and a fresh-made
sour mix. It had a well-crafted sweet/tart balance,
with just enough ice to chill the drink but not water
down the flavors.
During my second visit I paired the Cline
Ancient Vines Zinfandel with our table’s salmon,
beef and bison. It was a lush, but not blousy, Zinfandel.
With its tempered alcohol content and plush tannins,
the Zin worked well with all the meats.