Flavorsome Finger Foods – McClain’s Market

For decades, the McLain family served the locals in and around the Waldo area. Three generations of the family-operated this local bakery, delivering pastries, bread, and cakes to eager customers. There would often be long lines waiting for their chance to snatch up some of the goodies. When the McLain family sold the business in 2001, they made sure it remained in the hands of a Kansas City family. 13 years later the bakery would change hands again and is now in the loving care of the Hirlemans. After gaining the trust and respect of customers, they have been able to expand their operations to more locations. We dropped by the McLain’s Market in Shawnee to sample some of their flavorsome finger foods.

Eye Candy

The newest addition to the McLain’s family is their Shawnee location at 5833 Nieman Road. For years we would pass the OK Garage, which previously occupied the building. When the new bakery opened in the summer of 2020, we knew it was just a matter of time before we visited. Photos from our friends on Instagram made everything look so enticing. We made our visit on a cool winter day, just before Christmas. The warm interior space was a welcome change from the cold winds outside. Our first stop was to order our lunch from the counter near the front door.

Simple Spaces

Once that was accomplished, one of the staff members helped us find a seat. It is likely that seating will be less structured after the pandemic, but for now, they are insuring correct social distancing. Our seating gave us a window view of the outside and afforded us plenty of light on a cloudy day. On our way in the door, we made note of the oversized covered patio that includes some games. This will make a perfect getaway on warmer days. They also have a drive-thru, which we are sure to utilize in the future. The menu includes some flavorful finger foods that would work well for our breakfasts on the go. This is something we are always scoping out, so we are prepared when the travel season arrives.

CCS (Chicken Salad Sammie)

In short order, our meals were delivered to our table. The plans for the day were to have a light lunch, before heading out for some Christmas shopping. Crystal chose their Chicken Salad Sandwich, which is made with roasted chicken, cranberries, almonds, cream cheese, and Monterrey Jack.  The addition of spring mix, tomatoes, and carrots add some crunch inside the slices of multigrain bread. The addition of chips on the side rounded out her lunch.

Grilled Cheese & Friends

With a slight chill still in my bones, I decided that some soup may work wonders. The menu called out a Grilled Cheese that looked quite appealing.  The McClain’s twist on this flavorful finger food is to include tomato and arugula with the Havarti cheese.  They serve it up on toasted sourdough and include a tangy Tomato Bisque for dipping. This combination really hit the spot and chased away what little chill was left.

Sweet Samples

During our visit to the counter, we made note of the case filled with sweet treats. In the name of research, we will often sacrifice our waistlines, so that we can sample the available desserts. They have small bites made with cheesecake, flourless cake, and brownies. With so many choices, we finally just pointed and wished for the best. Each one was so delectable, and being so small we figured they shouldn’t have too many calories. After all, we have never shied away from calorie-filled treats.

Flavorsome Finger Foods

Adding a new coffee shop and lunch destination to our city’s inventory always thrills us. If you have followed along for any length of time, you know we love our morning cups of joe. McClain’s market serves up Sway Coffee, which was founded by the same people who own the restaurant. We like that they keep it local, as this helps bring a little more pride in ownership. While some may only think of Kansas City as a past home of Folger’s Coffee, we know that there are some other fantastic roasters hidden around our town. Be sure to check out more Kansas City restaurants that we have featured. Who knows what treasures you will discover.