Story by Dave Eckert / Intro photo courtesy of Prima Facie
I was struck by a back story I heard not long ago of how a new Crossroads restaurant selected its name. It was an interesting and unique tale that I will share with you in a bit. But, that story left me wondering how many other cool and heartfelt named food-related businesses I could unearth. It didn’t take long to find several.
Let’s start with good friend, Craig Adcock, and Jude’s Rum Cake. “My wife’s mother, Jude or Judy, is an incredible baker. One year, I think it was 1997, she asked me what I wanted for her birthday. I told her I wasn’t really into sweets, but I had a great bottle of rum and I wondered if she could make me a rum cake? Turns out, she found a family recipe, baked one for my birthday, and the rest, as they say, is history,” Adcock shared.
Photo courtesy of Jude’s Rum Cake
Adcock began catering as a side gig from his job at Sprint. He needed the occasional dessert. Jude’s Rum Cake it was! Before long, Adcock was making rum cakes and shipping them all over the country. Later, Adcock took a retirement package from Sprint and dove headfirst into the rum cake business. That business became Jude’s Rum Cake, a name he stuck with from that birthday beginning. “When I went out on my own, I had some people tell me I should name it Craig’s Rum Cake or something else relating to me. But I always said, ‘No, it’s always been Jude’s Rum cake, it always will be.” Adcock said.
To learn more or purchase the best rum cake you’ll ever have, visit judesrumcake.com.
From rum cakes to meat, my next stop brings me to McGregor’s Butcher and Bistro in south Overland Park. Owner Mike Gregg shared the story behind the name. “We are honoring our Scottish roots-Clan MacGregor, which has quite the history. The MacGregor name was banned by King James VI in the 17th century. The King was tired of the MacGregor’s poaching his deer, so he not only banned the name, but made it legal for people to kill a MacGregor. As you can imagine, most of the MacGregors left Scotland. Gregg’s part of the clan landed in America, and he wound up in Kansas City. “I tell everyone I am reclaiming our name!” McGregor exclaimed.
Photo courtesy of McGregor’s Butcher and Bistro
In opening McGregor’s Butcher & Bistro, Gregg and his wife, Phyllis, combined the two things they love the most-a wonderful meal and a lively conversation. I’ve had both at McGregor’s and recommend the butcher shop and the bistro highly.
To see what’s up at McGregors, check out mcgregorsbutcherandbistro.com.
From its delicious debut, I wondered what the name of the Parkville eatery Prima Facie was all about. I learned it was a legal term, and that the husband half of the husband and wife owners was a lawyer. Okay, but why a term that 99-percent of the public never heard of? “It is a Latin legal term meaning ‘at first sight’ or ‘first impression.’ We have always believed that you only have one chance to make a first impression, and we strive to put our very best forward every single day,” shared Heather Versfeld.
Versfeld says people love hearing the story of how and why they named the restaurant, Prima Facie-a story she tells every day. “It’s also fun to show them our cocktail list, featuring drinks named after legal terms: Subpoena, Not Guilty, Flight Risk, Plea Deal, and Voir Dire, which is French for “speak the truth” and, in legal terms, refers to the process of vetting a jury. It always brings a smile to the faces of patrons and servers alike,” Versfeld told me.
For more about Prima Facie, head to primaparkville.com.
Photo courtesy of Lilico’s Taverna
Finally, the story that launched this article. In The Crossroads, there’s a new restaurant, not yet a year old, specializing in Spanish tapas, called Lilico’s Taverna. I went there for Happy Hour with a friend recently, met the owner, Shawn McClenny and his wife, Carolina, and heard the inspiring back story of the name. “Lilico’s Taverna is a celebration on two fronts. Lilico was my dad’s nickname. He emigrated to the United States from Cuba in 1962 and began a second life here. So, Lilico’s Taverna honors him and his will, spirit, and journey. But it also refers to a second chance for Shawn who was told in August of 2023 that he had six months to live. Opening this restaurant was his rebirth, so Lilio’s Taverna it was,” Carolina shared.
A picture of Carolina’s father proudly hangs on the wall behind the bar, so his presence is always felt here. And, though he’s no longer with us, Shawn and Carolina say Lilico would have loved his namesake restaurant. “It just fills my heart, and when it’s really happening, you can just feel him in here. You could always tell when he walked into a room because he brought this level of energy and enthusiasm with him that everyone could feel,” Carolina recalled.
