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by Lisa Kampeter

Good vibes. That’s what I had when I walked into 612 Kitchen and Cocktails with the Prodigal Diva and the Lifetime Diva. I had good vibes about this Kirkwood restaurant on Woodbine.   It helped when we first got there and two Happy Hour Divas were already enjoying a snack and drink at the bar. It was nice when a patron shared with us his recommendations before we even got to the table. And it was really cool when the friendly owner immediately gave us his personal attention.

It must have been an “unplanned” ladies night that night as there were three other large parties of women. Which may have been why our waitress seemed slightly flustered. She was accommodating and friendly, but to some of the Divas, she struck a nerve. We had a large party, but as usual, we also had a few last minute cancellations. That messed with her table setup.

Then, when one Diva whipped out a Groupon (or coupon), apparently the eye roll from the waitress didn’t thrill her. We also requested separate checks, which understandably is a hassle if the restaurant’s payment system isn’t simple to use. It took the waitress awhile to figure out how to separate the bill.   But it’s not like our group, or more than likely, a group of our size, are the easiest with which to deal. We get it. We are divas.

The patron at the bar said to get the Spinach Artichoke appetizer. “It’s the best thing on the menu.” The Returning Diva ordered it…on her second visit to 612 two weeks later and agreed! And she’s typically not a fan of spinach artichoke dip. She especially loved the toasted “ravioli” chips for dipping.   Covered in chili, pulled pork, and cheese, the Loaded Fries were a hit with our table. The Stuffed Mushrooms were also enjoyed. The Chili wasn’t loved by all. A little too thick. A little too sweet. Just okay. And the Tomato Bisque Soup lacked a lot of flavor.

A few in the group tried the Smoked Pork Empanadas. They were on the appetizer menu so you’d expect them to be small, but they were not. They were good by themselves, but when you add the sour cream and the cumin aioli sauce, they were delicious! Another Diva was ready for a return trip just for those.

The Bourbon Braised Brisket Grilled Cheese was like grilled cheese on steroids. Definitely shareworthy and another great choice. As was the Smoked Chicken Penne. The Not-On-the-Diet-Tonight Diva took half home and loved it even more the next day. By the way, 612 is not the place to go if you want healthy options. But really, isn’t hanging out with good friends at a friendly, neighborhood restaurant healthy enough anyway?

The big debate at the end of the evening was rather the Homemade Watermelon Ice Cream tasted like watermelon or butterscotch. And there was no debating that the bread pudding wasn’t that great. I can’t remember the last time a restaurant made bread pudding that the Divas loved.

But the prices are reasonable. We could hear each other’s conversations. And the company was great. And in my book, that means my good vibes were right on.

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