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Providing Convenience

Filling Station is a local chain with three locations. Currently, they are found in Westport, Midtown, and the location we visited in Mission, Kansas. Touting themselves as a “Coffee Garage” it is obvious what type of business the building used to hold. The large windows and open floor plan are a perfect fit for its new purpose. The Saturday morning we visited the sunshine was glowing through the huge southerly facing windows. This natural lighting makes the space quite inviting and comfortable. It certainly makes us want to linger over a cup of Joe and some conversation.

Minimal Menu

The menu at the Filling Station is minimalist, but don’t let that influence your opinion of the quality. Obviously, they have the hot drinks area well covered, but also offer up some interesting juice combinations. How about a cucumber, mint, and apple juice? Too minty, well then order up a sweet potato, pineapple, and lime juice for a tasty treat. These 16 oz. drinks are a great addition to the morning and offer a healthier addition to our coffee routine. Don’t be surprised to find a line at the shop, but it moves pretty quickly.

Satisfying Start

We like to find coffee shops that include some delectable bites in their offerings. Filling Station has a handful of dishes designed to help jump start the morning. Our choices the morning we visited were breakfast burritos, quiches, bagels, yogurt parfaits, and a selection of pastries. Crystal is a huge fan of quiche, so I already knew where she was heading. They have a rotating selection and this day she picked one with bacon. I had to sample a bite (For the sake of the article!) and it had a nice firm texture with good flavor. I didn’t eat much crust, but Crystal ensured me that it was well made. For my morning start I chose one of their scones. This one had a combination of cranberry, almonds, and chocolate chips. It was a quite delightful flavor combination with plenty of each ingredient in each bite. With our bodies fueled up, we were prepped to head down to the Merriam Farmers Market for some shopping. Our search had been fruitful, and now we have another nice breakfast stop to add to our list. What other great coffee shops would you like to see us feature?

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A Busy Morning

With the event preparing to begin, the area was pretty busy. We made our way in to Third Space Coffee, and found the place buzzing with customers. The first area we came upon was a comfortable seating spot with a modern wall fireplace. The stark white walls were a perfect backdrop for the dark wood and leather furniture. Comfortable seating is certainly the theme throughout the space, as we would soon find out.

The unexpected crowd made the morning hectic for staff, but they were still smiling when we made our way to the counter. After explaining the purpose of our visit, we discussed some of the breakfast specialties that the locals normally order. Even though we had started our day with some coffee at home, we were willing to make a sacrifice for the purpose of the article. (Okay, it’s not much of a sacrifice for coffee lovers.) We ordered a couple of lattes, as well as our breakfast dishes, and then went to find seating.

Space Abounds at Third Space Coffee

The restaurant has a variety of seating areas, and just as many chair options. In the middle of the back portion of the room is a large wooden table. This is large enough to seat eight, but there are also smaller groupings. Along one wall is an area that has tables with booth seating on one side, and chairs on the other. This was perfect for us, and we claimed our stake. While we waited for our meals, I took the opportunity to explore in more depth. A small children’s area is stocked with toys to keep small ones occupied. Out the back door I discovered a second story deck with more comfortable seating. This place has lots of options for their guests.

I heard my name called out, which meant that our drinks were ready. The guy who prepared the lattes told us that he had only been doing this for about four months. We were quite impressed with the beautiful appearance, as well as the over-sized cups that the drinks are served in. After taking some pictures, we headed back to our table. Just as we sat our drinks down, they called us back to pick up our meals.

Hearty Starts

When we asked about the favorites there were two dishes that ranked high with the locals. The first was the Biscuits and Gravy. This can be ordered as a half or full order, which is the difference of one or two split biscuits. We decided to go with the full order, since we wanted to get a solid start. The gravy had a nice texture, and the flavor was good. It was not too heavily salted, and complimented the biscuits. We each ate one of the biscuits, which were quite filling.

Our other dish was the Breakfast Bite, which is what they call their sandwich. The version we chose had egg, bacon, ham, and cheese. This was all piled on some fresh wheat bread. The flavors blended well without any one being overpowering. This sandwich can also be ordered as a veggie version, but we like the protein for staying power. As we dined, we watch the steady flow of customers come through the door. It was interesting to see how organized the staff seemed to be, as they churned out order after order. Soon we had finished our meal, and we were ready to start our shopping excursion. Outside we discovered a wide array of boutiques, and our breakfast supplied us with the energy to finish our list.

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We want to thank Visit Kansas City, Kansas for sponsoring our visit. As always, the opinions are our own.

A Long Tradition

For years this area of KCK had just existed. Nearby is the I-70 exchange, which whisked people East toward KCMO or West toward the speedway. Except for the locals, people for the most part avoided the area. Quietly the neighborhood has been slowly transforming. The Strawberry Hill area has a long, and storied history in KCK. Most people in the area know the Slavic connection, but fewer recognize the significance of the name Splitlog. We covered it in a little detail during our article on the Strawberry Hill Museum. (You can read more here>) Sitting near the southern edge of Strawberry Hill, Splitlog Coffee joins some other recent additions to the area. Many of you are familiar with SLAPS BBQ, which has made quite a name for themselves in the KC restaurant scene.

Bringing A New Vibe

Splitlog Coffee is housed in a smallish shop, but has ample room for what it serves. A good selection of tables are available for patrons, as well as window view seating across the front of the store. A picnic table outside offers some fresh air seating during nice weather, and a drive-thru option is available for those on the run. We wanted the full flavor of the place, so an indoor visit was in order. Our stop was on a Saturday morning, and the place was already half full upon our arrival. Couples lingered over coffee, while nearby some others worked on laptops. It had all of the markings of a true 21st Century coffee shop. The barista on duty explained the menu, as well as a little of the back ground of the business.

An Artful Presentation

The building used to house Flywheel Coffee, so the owners are familiar with the coffee business. They enlisted Simeon Bricker, an award winning barista who has local history with The Roasterie, to manage the daily operations of the business. Splitlog Coffee doesn’t roast their own beans, and instead focus on the end processes of coffee making. The majority of their beans are a Kenyan or Ethiopian variety, which they have roasted by Messenger Coffee, which is a Kansas City craft roaster. These full flavored roasts are delicious, and a great start to the day. We opted for an artistic set of drinks, so that we could let the barista show off their flair. The prices for these lattes were very much in line with what we find at other specialty coffee houses.

Perfectly Presented Pastries

Splitlog Coffee offers up a handful of food options to accompany their drinks. These are made off site, so that staff can focus on the coffee. The morning we visited the options included donuts from Hana’s Donuts, which is a local favorite from our neck of the woods. They also had a variety of scones, muffins, and assorted pastries from Sunflower Bakery. Since we were not familiar with this place, we decided to opt for their goodies. We picked out a Cinnamon Apple Turnover, and a Blueberry Scone to share. Both of these were delicious choices, and went well with our flavored drinks. We struck up a conversation with a couple at a nearby table, who were first timers to this location, as well. They were just as enamored with the quality, as we were, which helped confirm for us. We savored our choices, before thanking the staff for the wonderful start to our day. Now that we were caffeinated, and our bellies filled, we were ready to begin the next phase of exploring. We are certainly looking forward to finding reasons to swing by Splitlog Coffee again, and sample some more of their intriguing offerings. Have you visited this new KCK landmark? Let us know your thoughts on them.

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Harry’s Home Away From Home

Clinton’s building has the honor of being Harry Truman’s first job, away from the homestead. Actually, back then it was Crown Drug Store, which was a pharmacy and soda fountain. The wood and brick building was built in the 1800’s, and has also been home to a shoe store and jewelry shop. Customers from all around the nation have stopped in to enjoy a refreshing treat, while viewing the historic photographs that decorate the walls.

The menu at Clinton’s includes a wide variety of items. For those looking for a bite to eat, there are a handful of sandwiches available. These can be washed down with your favorite soda or better yet, a phosphate. This bubbly concoction is made with soda water and flavoring, and originated in France toward the end of the 18th century. Clinton’s offers almost a dozen flavors to choose from including my favorite, Black Cherry.

Clinton’s Cold Treats

Let’s be honest with each other. Don’t we really come here for the ice cream treats. Guests can go simple with a dish or cone of their favorite flavor. They offer cake, sugar or waffle cones with single or double scoops. If you prefer you can have a Phosphate Float, which has the unique beverage with a scoop of ice cream. It’s the best of both worlds. Of course, you could also choose Harry Truman’s favorite sweet treat. According to Clinton’s, he was partial to chocolate ice cream with butterscotch topping.

Well now I’ve done It. I brought up the specialty ice cream treats. I guess the only thing to do is carry on down that sugary road. Customers have the choice of a good old Banana Split, which comes with all of the trimmings. We have the tendency to test the specialty sundaes, which include a Grasshopper, Smores, Peanut Butter Hot Fudge or even a Nutty Turtle, which Crystal tried out on our recent visit. I was feeling a little fancier, and chose the Tux, which comes with a scoop each of vanilla and chocolate ice cream. Toss in some marshmallow cream and hot fudge, and you have a delightfully special treat. At the end of our visit, we departed with good memories, full bellies, and a desire for some water. Do you ever have an overwhelming urge for a drink of water after your sugary treats?

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A Pre-visit to Poppy’s

Poppy’s Ice Cream sits just off of the main drag, which is 3rd Street. The steady stream of people with ice cream cones treats highlighted the existence of a shop. It was not difficult to follow the trail to the door. In front of the shop they have a few chairs and tables for customers wishing to enjoy a sunny day. During our visit there was a little nip in the air, so we decided to partake of our purchases indoors. We had planned to visit them later in the evening, but I wanted to get some daylight photos. It also gave me a chance to scope out the variety of sweets they carry. While I clicked away with the camera, Crystal ordered up a hot beverage to keep her fingers warm while we toured the downtown. We walked away knowing that within a few short hours we would be tasting their frosty offerings.

We returned to Poppy’s Ice Cream later in the evening to claim our self-promised rewards. While looking around, I took note of the building interior. Like some of the other buildings in the area, this appears to be an older industrial shop that has been renovated into retail use. The excessively high ceiling is covered in ornate pressed tin tiles. Exposed brick, pipes, and duct-work add to the age-old industrial feel. It certainly gives the place an old-time vibe. Before settling down to a bowl of ice cream, we first like to explore any other options. We noticed a glass display case on the side, and found it contained an assortment of candy treats. These are brought in from Chip’s Chocolate Factory, which is one of our favorite stores in Crown Center. Since we have sampled their wares on multiple occasions, we decided to focus this visit on the colder sweets.

So Many Choices

In the Poppy’s freezer cabinet, we discovered eight flavors of ice cream, and four of sorbet. The flavors rotate, and all are homemade. The menu allows customers to order a variety of frosty delights. These include concretes, shakes, sundaes, and scoops. Banana splits come in normal size, and a special Jungle Split version with eight scoops of ice cream. Talk about the potential for brain freeze. Scoops can come served in bowls or hand rolled waffle cones. The cones can be dipped in chocolate, and topped with sprinkles. For what I thought would just be an ice cream shop, this place takes customer choice to the max. We taste tested a few of the flavors that they had in stock, before finally deciding on our desserts.

We were able to speak with the owner, and discovered that Poppy’s Ice Cream is served in quite a few restaurants in the Kansas City metro. Some of these include; Michael Forbes, Blue Koi, Grand Street Cafe, and Pierpont’s. Since our trip included a myriad of dining and drinking places, we decided to go easy, and just ordered a couple of small sundaes. One was a Slow Sundae, which is topped with hot fudge, caramel, and pecans. The other was a Salty Brownie, which duplicates the other except for the addition of salty caramel. The other difference is that it all rests on top of a delicious brownie. The quality of these treats was superb, and we quickly realized why so many fine dining establishments have sought them out as a supplier. We now have a go to sweets shop whenever we visit downtown Lee’s Summit.

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Their price list at The Upper Crust is fairly straightforward, but on the third Friday Local Life events they offer slices at a three for $7.00 special. Lots of people are familiar with this special, so you will want to get your picks in early. They do start running out of some varieties, as the evening wanes. We have learned that you can purchase your selections, and they will hold them for you until later, but be sure to pick them up before they close.

The experience at The Upper Crust is electric. As you wait in line you find yourself struggling to decide which flavor to try on this visit. Wait a minute! With so many choices how could you settle on just one flavor? We all know that the best things in life, like pie, come in a variety pack. Order up a few flavors, and then share them.

For our choices on this particular visit we picked (from top to bottom) Blackberry, German Chocolate, and Pecan. The fillings were awesome, but the part that separates them from many other pie makers is the crust. So light and crumbly. This place is definitely worth the trip if you are a pie fan, and if you are not they just may make you one. Give The Upper Crust a try on the next third Friday for their three slice offer, but don’t forget to get there early, as they sell out fast. Pie, anyone?

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