Taking Care of Business

Larkspur lends itself to executive lunches.

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There are certain unwritten Rules of the Business Lunch: Be on time, turn off your cell phone, don’t forget the small talk and pick up the tab if you do the inviting. But beyond these obvious pleasantries, special attention must be paid to the actual place itself. As M.K. Fisher wrote, “Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.”

With this in mind, a co-worker and I recently invited two interior designers to meet us at Larkspur (904 E. Douglas, 316-262-5275, larkspuronline.com) on a Friday afternoon. Wichita magazine readers recently voted the downtown eatery the “Best Place for a Business Lunch.” I already knew this downtown restaurant fairly well, having eaten there many other times, but I wanted to dissect exactly what made it ideal for the all-important business lunch.

Some background: In 2000, Ty Issa purchased the drycleaner-turned-eatery from former owner Pam Bjork. Having already established Italian Garden and River City Brewery among Wichita’s premier restaurants, he aimed to make the business a place for fine dining in a comfortable setting. He overhauled the menu, added an extensive wine list and brought in musicians during the evening. Almost immediately, patrons flocked to the restaurant for business and pleasure. But what exactly attracted the business crowd?

First, there’s the location. At the corner of Douglas and Mosley, it’s centrally located, so it’s ideal for meeting in the middle. (The downside is limited parking, which can usually be solved by carpooling or parking along Douglas.) For the downtown business crowd, the eatery is within walking distance. We were meeting with professionals who both work downtown, so it was convenient for them.

The second reason—visibility—is closely related to the first. You can often see people like the mayor, media personalities and business executives around lunchtime. “It’s kind of the Who’s Who of Wichita at lunch,” says Shawna Sphar, Larkspur’s banquet and catering manager. On a recent day, I spotted Laham Development’s George Laham and Catholic Charities Executive Director Janet Pape. Such a high-profile spot brings new meaning to the term “power lunch.”

While Larkspur’s open layout allows you to quickly scan the room, it also affords intimacy. Upon entering the front door, I gazed across the dining room to see who else was there. I was able to take a quick look around the room and spot our lunch date waving me down. After sitting down, I noticed the tables were far enough apart that we could carry on a discreet conversation without the worry of others eavesdropping.

Then, there’s the service. Issa is a stickler for top-notch service, and he practices what he preaches. At almost any time, you can see him working the room and asking customers about their meals. “How many times do you go to a restaurant and not even see the owner?” says Sphar. “Ty’s presence is always here, and that’s very important to him and to customers.” Sure enough, within 10 minutes of sitting down, Issa came over to say hello and talk to our associate publisher, a long-time Larkspur regular. Likewise, our server was always attentive, taking our orders right away and filling glasses on a regular basis.

Finally, and most importantly, there’s the food. The menu at Larkspur defies categorization. It’s a blend of Mediterranean, American and Italian. To get things rolling, you can’t go wrong with the fresh crab cakes served with rosemary sauce. For the main course, there’s everything from sandwiches like the chicken croissant (my personal favorite) to entrees like the beef medallion. The signature dish is the chicken pistachio—grilled chicken topped with cream-cheese pesto sauce and pistachios. And for the health-conscious, there’s an array of salads, including the grilled salmon niçoise. The lunch menu ranges from $6 to $15, so you can eat well without breaking the bank. In total, our lunch for four added up to around $65 with an appetizer, drinks and tip. If you’re not returning to work after a meeting, there’s a list of 36 types of wine and fancy mixed concoctions made by experienced bartenders. And in the evening, you can sit in the bar area and enjoy live music. Patrick McElligott plays piano from Monday to Thursday, and other local musicians kick it up a notch with jazz on weekends.

Combined, these ingredients add up to an ideal place for conducting business. It’s easy to see why readers voted it the “Best Place for a Business Lunch” in Wichita magazine. As Lord William Stowell once said, “A dinner lubricates business.” Larkspur does just that.