KC is actually made up of several neighborhoods, each with enough dining, shopping and activities to keep a person busy from now through the end of the year. But what makes my three favorites unique is their blend of influence from Old World families that settled in the area hundreds of years ago and New World immigrants who have moved into the area over the last decade.
In the last part of the 19th century, Eastern European immigrants settled in a strawberry patch not far from where the Kansas and Missouri rivers meet. When devastating floods forced them to higher ground, Strawberry Hill was born. Today, many associate this area with the wonderful Povitica bread made by the Strawberry Hill Povitica Co. Founded in the heart of the district in 1984, today the bakery is located in Lenexa, and its 10 flavors-English walnut and cream cheese are my favorites-are sold at bakeries across the metro and shipped throughout the US.
Yes, Povitica is great, but there’s so much more to discover in Strawberry Hill-including more sweets. From 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays between September and June, the Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center serves authentic Slavic desserts alongside tea and coffee. While there, explore the museum’s 30 rooms of artifacts including clothing, toys, furniture and jewelry from Croatia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland and elsewhere. I love studying all the photos of families that settled in Strawberry Hill in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Rumor has it that the museum is haunted. Originally built as a home for the Scroggs family, who lived there for 32 years, it was transformed into an orphanage by the Sisters of Saint Francis of Christ the King after the flu epidemic of 1918.
Ghostbusters should be on the lookout for a red-headed woman wearing a red dress, circa 1940, who asks visitors, “Where’s the house of the priest?” If you can get to the third floor, which usually is closed to the public, a male apparition might try to scare you back downstairs to the ladies’ parlor where his photo hangs.
Much less spooky but no less entertaining is the museum’s Croatian Day Picnic on Saturday, June 4. The Tamburitza band Hrvatski Obicaj will be performing, and all kinds of Croatian food will be served.
On tap this month is another popular Strawberry Hill festival honoring Polish heritage. Held Saturday, May 7, from noon to 4 p.m. at All Saints Church, Polski Day begins with a parade and continues with a gluttony of Polish delicacies: 350 pounds of sausage, 1,000 cabbage rolls, 220 pounds of sauerkraut and 1,500 pierogies!
In fact, downtown KCK-one of my other favorite neighborhoods-has no shortage of festivals. If you have to pick just one, make sure it’s the Fourth Annual Cinco de Mayo celebration at Bonito Michoacan, May 5-7.
Though there’s plenty of entertainment on all three days, Saturday is the day to go: That’s when the dancing horses make an appearance in the parade. Plan to stay for lunch-Bonito Michoacan serves some of the best menudo and lamb stew in the metro area on Saturdays and Sundays. The last time my family went, the lamb stew was so good my 4-year-old niece couldn’t get it into her mouth with a spoon fast enough. She finally gave up on decorum and resorted to a straw.
Bonito’s tacos, either. I prefer the lamb and the discada, an amazing mixture of spiced beef, pork, bacon, hot dogs and ham. Wash everything down with a horchata. It’s creamy with just the right amount of cinnamon, and the large size will set you back less than $2.00.
Another downtown taco spot, El Camino Real offers something I’ve been looking for since a trip to Mexico last year. The tacos al pastor are filled with pork marinated in chili sauce and roasted with pineapple. They’re deliciously close to the ones I had in Acapulco, and the tortillas are made to order in house.
Though this spot is a bit out of the downtown corridor, the sandwich is a wonderful mess of pork, mayo, lettuce, avocado and tomato on a soft, white bun. Douse it with the green salsa, radishes and other condiments the staff brings to the table. The sauce has quite a kick, so be judicious if you’re sensitive, but the flavor is unbelievable.
The Armourdale neighborhood offers more can’t-miss Mexican cuisine. Follow the delicious scent of grilled chicken to the tiny restaurant on Kansas Avenue, El Pollo Rey. The staff does just one thing, but they do it better than anyone else. You can get a whole chicken, half chicken or chicken wings, and it all comes with tortillas, pickled onions, soupy beans, rice and salsa. I personally don’t bother with the rice and beans; they just take up space in my tummy that is better saved for the best chicken I’ve ever had.
Reyna’s Mexican Bakery is just a few blocks away from El Pollo Rey. Not only does it serve up have dozens of varieties of Mexican cookies and sweet breads, if you get there early enough on the weekends you can buy a dozen tamales for dinner. There are plenty of places that sell tamales in KCK, but Reyna’s are my favorite: They’re always fresh with just the right masa-to-meat ratio.
However, Armourdale is touched by the Old World influence that pervades Strawberry Hill, as well. That’s evident at Bichelmeyer Meats-one of the best butcher shops around. Bichelmeyer serves up everything from a whole cow to 12 different kinds of sausage. Orders are custom cut, and the staff is always quite willing to take a few minutes to answer questions.
From Latin flavor to Eastern European charm, months’ worth of discoveries await in Kansas City, Kansas. Start your search with these three neighborhoods for some of the best food, entertainment and festivals, and you won’t be disappointed.
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