Dish & Drink KC: A new Crossroads location for Café Corazón, tropical tacos and cocktails, and a burger joint to debut in Parlor

Café Corazón’s new location in the Crossroads. // Photo by Liz Goodwin

Café Corazón opens second spot on Southwest Boulevard

A new tenant in the Crossroads is offering the people of KC a taste of unique Latin flavors.

Café Corazón has opened a second location on Southwest Boulevard, a sister venue to its original café in Old Westport.

The coffeehouse specializes in Latinx coffee and espresso drinks as well as Yerba Mate, a traditional herbal tea often consumed throughout South America.

Patrons can sip and nibble on their items of choice while enjoying plentiful natural light and colorful paintings and murals from local artists.

Their extensive menu includes the Mocha Azteca—made with Oaxacan chocolate, a combination of cocoa nibs, cinnamon, peanuts, and topped with homemade whipped cream—and a Churro Atole Latte featuring blue corn pinole from Wichita, Kansas’ Pinole Blue.

The Dulce de Leche latte and pop tart from Café Corazón.

I went with the Dulce de Leche Latte, which was kissed with the perfect amount of caramel flavor and just sweet enough.

I enjoyed it with one of the pastries on display—a homemade pop tart that was topped with the shiniest rainbow sprinkles I have ever seen. They caught the light in the café just right, practically begging me to say, “I’ll take one of those.”

If you’re in no rush to leave, you can also sample one of the flights on the menu. Choose the latte light with the Dulce de Leche, Churro Atole, and Horchata varieties, or enjoy the mocha flight with the Spicy Mayan, Sevilla, and Mocha Azteca.

The café also offers a good selection of smoothies and smoothie bowls. The Cielo Azul—made with blue spirulina, banana, and mango and topped with an assortment of seeds, granola, and coconut—is particularly eye-catching.

Café Corazón in the Crossroads is located at 110 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108. It’s open from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Its Westport location, located at 1721 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO 64111, is open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Tiki Taco serves tacos, burritos, blended drinks and more. // Photo by Liz Goodwin

Tacos, burritos, and more from Tiki Taco

This taco joint on 39^th Street may technically be in the Midwest, but it operates on island time.

Tiki Taco is serving tiki-themed fare including tacos, burritos, nachos, and more. Offerings include street tacos galore with classics like al pastor, baja shrimp, or even breakfast tacos with your choice of protein.

If you’re in charge of feeding a crowd, you can also order crunchy taco packs with your choice of chicken or beef. You can choose from a six or a 12-pack depending on the headcount and hunger levels.

There are also more inventive tacos such as the Korean beef—topped with pico, cucumber, and Korean barbecue sauce—and the Thai fried chicken with cabbage and jalapeño slaw.

I sampled the Chimi, one of many burritos on their menu. It’s a big flour tortilla that’s filled with your choice of protein, shredded cheese, and baja sauce and then deep fried to a crisp. It’s pretty simple and greasy, which can hit just the right spot when you’re in the mood. The burrito is served with sour cream, but I highly recommend adding one of the housemade salsas on the side. Mix the condiments together for maximum flavor.

If you’re looking for something a bit more sophisticated, go for the KC burrito. It sticks to the basics with a choice of protein as well as guacamole, sour cream, and cheese, but it also has the option to add curly fries. Fries in a burrito? Sign me up.

There are also plenty of shareables to enjoy with company. I had to order the chips and queso, as is required for me whenever I see it on a menu. The texture is a solid 10 out of 10 and reminiscent of Velveeta in the best way. The chips are also sturdy enough to support a solid dip, so they get major points for structure.

Whatever you choose to eat, there are plenty of drinks to wash it down with. The joint is known for blended drinks, which transport you to the beach if you close your eyes while sipping.

I ordered the Poco Picante—a blend of blanco tequila, triple sec, jalapeño, lime, basil, and coconut cream. You’ll love it if you’re on a health kick as it resembles an alcoholic green smoothie with a slight spicy after taste.

If you are looking for something sweeter, I would suggest the Lava Flow. It’s a piña colada with strawberry puree and gives a creamy punch of sugar that satisfies anyone’s sweet tooth.

There are also plenty of non-blended cocktails, including the Tiki horchata made with rum and the Frida Kahlo with vodka, passionfruit, lime, mandarin syrup, and soda water.

The walk up window is available for those on the go if you don’t have time to dine in—although you really should sit and enjoy the colorful interior.

Tiki Taco is located at 1710 W 39th St, Kansas City, MO 64111. It’s open from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday to Saturday. It’s closed on Sunday.

Sliders from Slideshow, a new burger joint set to debut in Parlor. // Courtesy of Danielle Goldberg.

Slideshow, a new burger joint, to take residence in Parlor

An Edgewater, Colorado eatery is making its way to Missouri, and it’s serving up gourmet sliders.

Slideshow will be opening on the second floor of the beloved Parlor food court, offering burgers and an assortment of fries seasoned and loaded to palatable perfection. The restaurant plans to open March 12, pending a few details and final checks, so keep an eye out on their Instagram for updates.

Their menu will include a plethora of pint-sized burgers, which you can order separately or mix and match.

Offerings include the OG—a smashed beef patty with American cheese, the classic vegetable accompaniments of lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle, a a smothering of burger sauce.

There’s also a jalapeño popper-themed burger made with herbed cream cheese, roasted jalapeño, crispy bacon and Thai chili sauce.

For lovers of sweet and savory, a fig and goat cheese slider is also on the menu. It’s made with fig and onion jam, goat cheese, arugula, and truffle mayo. If you like pineapple, they’ve also got a Hawaiian pulled pork slider made with slow-roasted pork, island barbecue sauce, and grilled pineapple.

Whatever you choose, be sure to pair it with one of their many styles of fries. You can go plain and simple or get the timeless truffle variety with parmesan and parsley.

If you are craving more, there are the pulled pork fries with cheddar and ranch, the Korean barbecue fries with garlic sauce and Kimchi, or the OG fries with American cheese, burger sauce, and caramelized onions.

Slideshow plans to debut March 12 but keep an eye on their Instagram for more specifics on their opening day. They will be located on the second floor of Parlor at 1707 Locust St, Kansas City, MO 64108. All Parlor restaurants are open from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Sunday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Parlor is closed Monday.