The buzz is that Megan and Colby Garrelts are considering opening a second restaurant in Kansas, far south of their highly acclaimed Bluestem  in Westport, MO. Rather than take the plunge, they have wisely chosen to tip a few toes in the water first. The Garrelts have taken over the management of Trezo Vino in Leawood’s Park Place.

When Trezo Vino opened, I  thought it was fabulous. I still remember the scallops atop French toast, accented with figs and truffle butter. While the small plate concept worked at first, the menu slowly underwent so many changes that the restaurant lost its identity and consistency.

Enter Colby and Megan. In short order, they have restored Trezo Vino to its former glory and the restaurant is once again packed at all hours.

I was there recently for Happy Hour, when a reasonably priced and delightful menu is available from 5-7 pm. As a bonus, it was a lovely early fall evening, ideal for sitting outside at one of the umbrella tables.

Fortunately, one of my favorite lounge appetizers can still be ordered, and is better than ever. Tuna tacos grace a number of menus these days, but I can’t think of any better. I could  make a meal of them, and often do. They come brimming with diced tuna and spicy slaw, and are cleverly nestled on a mound of guacamole.

Several pizzas and flatbreads are also offered: the only difference between the two is the size–the flatbread is larger. I’ve tried several of the toppings; the one with the grilled chicken, peanut sauce and jalapeno slaw is my favorite. Though the Margherita pizza has plenty of fresh mozzarella, I prefer a basic tomato sauce to having chunks of tomatoes on top.

French fries with truffle oil are nice, but not exceptional and, though the crab cakes were full of crab and light on filler, I thought the remoulade that accompanied them was a bit bland.

Mussels and bruschetta round out the lounge/patio menu, but go into the dining room and the selections really show off Colby’s creativity and skill. Reading the fall menu has me reaching for the phone to make a reservation.