Dish With Gish: Parkville is a destination for delicious food and other delights

Parkville is known for antiques shops, art galleries and Park University — but on a recent day trip, I discovered it’s also a food destination.

After arriving downtown at 10 a.m., I stopped to fuel up at Parkville Coffee, 103 Main St. The shop roasts its own coffee beans and has a rustic vibe, with exposed ceiling beams and local art on the limestone walls.

After ordering an almond milk latte ($4.95) and half a fritatta sandwich ($4.75), I snagged a stool by the sunny front window. The sandwich was made to order with eggs, cheese, artichokes and Farm to Market Grains Galore bread.

I took my latte to go and wandered a few doors down to The Middle Kansas City. The boutique at 109 Main St. sells KC-themed apparel and posters, and owner Michael Hollaway recently added a “foodie” section stocked with Meat Mitch barbecue sauce, Wood + Salt rubs, Boys Grow ketchup, Kansas City Canning Co. jams and more.

The Middle also sells T-shirts that say “Eat Local” and “Drink Local” — for babies, there are onesies that say “Locavore” or “Free Range Kid.”

Next, I strolled south to Old Town Sweets & Antiques, 7 Main St., a candy shop specializing in old-school taffy, fudge and candy bars. I was tempted to buy Big League Chew, shredded bubble gum that I loved as a kid, or a Zero bar — caramel, peanut and almond nougat coated in white fudge. But I left with a chocolate- and peanut butter-covered pretzel ($2.50).

After snapping a selfie with a Mark Twain sculpture on a bench off Main Street, I ventured a quarter mile north to The French Bee Bakery, 404 East St. The bungalow has butter-yellow walls and a glass case filled with beautiful treats such as vanilla bean scones, lemon and apricot bars and French macarons in flavors such as Sicilian blood orange and green tea-pomegranate.

I ordered one of The French Bee’s lunch specials, avocado toast ($8.25). The open-faced sandwich consists of French bread sliced in half and topped with mashed ripe avocado, sliced hard-cooked eggs, black pepper and chia seeds. The best part is the house-baked bread, with its delicate, crusty exterior and soft interior.

After finishing up at The French Bee, I buzzed back downtown, where I perused jigsaw puzzles at Peddler’s Wagon Quilt Shop and photography at Northland Exposure Artists’ Gallery.

By early afternoon, I was hungry for more, so I climbed a set of narrow wooden stairs to Cafe Des Amis, 112  1/2 Main St. The French bistro is located on the second floor of Parkville’s oldest business structure, built in 1844.

Owner Guillaume Hanriot, a native of France’s Champagne region, greeted me at the door and offered a table by a large window overlooking Main Street.

Hanriot recommended the Salade de Saumon Fume ($10.50), topped with salmon cold-smoked in-house over smoldering beechwood and rosemary. The salad was one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen, with pink slices of soft, smoky fish draped over baby greens, and half a lemon cut in a geometric tulip shape. Salty capers and creamy dressing complemented the salmon.

I also sampled a few bites of the Quiche Lorraine ($9.50), two flaky-edged golden triangles studded with bacon and house-poached ham.

As I left, Hanriot told me about the nearby Parkville Nature Sanctuary. A short hike sounded perfect after the day’s indulgences, so I followed Hanriot’s directions and parked near the track on Park University’s campus and followed a trail through the woods, past a creek, to a waterfall that looked like something you’d find in the Ozarks.

After snapping a few more photos, I returned to work in KC. Later that afternoon, I found one last macaron in my purse — a sweet memento from a beautiful spring day in Parkville.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 8:28 AM with the headline "Dish With Gish: Parkville is a destination for delicious food and other delights."