Powell Gardens welcomes Chef Michael Foust, chef/owner of The Farmhouse Restaurant in Kansas City, as the new operator of Café Thyme. Known for his seasonal, local fare, Foust is bringing his signature chalkboard menu to the café where he offers a selection of soups, sandwiches and salads for lunch.
The Farmhouse’s farm-to-table, tip-to-tail philosophy continues at Café Thyme. Foust sources most of his ingredients from local farmers, ranchers and bakers. Hanging on the walls of both restaurants is a chalkboard listing the providers and what each contributed to the day’s menu. This spring, Foust will add Powell Gardens to the list. He has access to herbs, fruits and vegetables grown in the Gardens’ 12-acre Heartland Harvest Garden, the nation’s largest edible landscape.
“What appeals to me about Powell Gardens is the ability to teach how our food gets from the garden to table,” Foust says.
Guests can walk through the Heartland Harvest Garden and see hundreds of edible plants growing. At Café Thyme, they can taste some of those ingredients prepared in a variety of dishes for a reasonable price. Most lunch selections will be less than $10.
The seasonal menu will change based on availability of quality ingredients. This month, guests can choose from several sandwiches, including a Reuben with house-made corned beef and braised cabbage on marbled rye, a grilled vegetable sandwich on Parmesan-crusted bread, a club with chicken, turkey, bacon, roasted tomatoes and provolone on sourdough, and more. All sandwiches include a side of house-made chips and pickles. The soup is curried squash and apple, and the salad bar features colorful mixed greens with house-made dressings. The kids’ menu includes a PB&J with peanut butter, Missouri pecans and local blackberry jam, corn dogs with freshly made sausage, and a grilled cheese sandwich that appeals to kids and adults alike.
Café Thyme is open from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday through Sunday in March and Wednesday through Sunday in April. Check powellgardens.org for the latest menu.
