Dish & Drink KC: Autumnal sips at Parkville Coffee and baked scallops at Café des Amis

The Log Lady at Parkville Coffee. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Parkville Coffee is so Gilmore Girls-coded

Parkville Coffee is the quirky local spot where you can stage your own version of Friends. 

Picture it: Your ragtag group orders a round of hot drinks from the colorful menu of fall specials. You bicker about where to sit—should you claim the trio of airplane seats upstairs, the local author book nook in the back room, or one of the tables up front? You talk one of your friends into splitting a cinnamon bun ($5) from the pastry case while you pore over a copy of The Pitch, available with other stacks of free reading material by the door. 

Parkville Coffee is nestled in a historic downtown strip below the hilly campus of Park University. It’s actually owned by an alumna of the university who started as a barista in 2012 and worked her way up. 

Mediterranean feta, fresh basil, and sun-dried tomato quiche at Parkville Coffee. // Photo by Lauren Textor

This time around, I order the quiche of the month (Mediterranean feta, fresh basil, and sun-dried tomato) with an iced Log Lady (espresso with milk, maple syrup, and a “sweet and smoky topping”). 

The quiche is a warm summer wind-down. The tomatoes are tart, chewy, and bright like a burst of sunshine. The feta adds a saltiness, balanced out by the freshness of the basil. The egg custard’s upper and side crust is crispy, like pizza. 

The coffee is smooth and rich. It’s not over-sweet, but it does lean that way due to the maple. I drink it down to its dregs, and I’m pleasantly surprised that my stomach doesn’t revolt against me later in the day. 

In addition to The Log Lady, the fall specials include the Pumpkin Pie Latte, the Cherry Pie Latte, the Pumpkin Pie Chai, and the Laura Palmer (black tea with a made-in-house lemonade that’s further sweetened with honey). The coffee is all roasted in-house with beans that are sustainably farmed, organic, and fair-trade. 

Parkville Coffee is located at 103 Main St, Parkville, MO 64152. 

Coquilles St. Jacques at Café des Amis. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Ooh la la at Café des Amis 

My server is decisive. 

When I ask her to choose between the two soups du jour (tomato goat cheese or cream or parsnip) ($6), she tells me to go with the first option. When I’m stuck between the scallops and the trout, she recommends the scallops ($14). There’s no “but they’re both really good” or “it depends on your palate.” And, as it turns out, I’m more than satisfied with my choices.

Bread with lavender butter. // Photo by Lauren Textor

The best part about going to restaurants by yourself is that you don’t have to share the free bread. In fact, the main reason why I generally prefer Italian restaurants to French is that, in my limited experience, Italian restaurants are more likely to offer you that free bread. Obviously, I am delighted when I am presented with my own partial loaf, especially because it comes with a dish of lavender butter. 

I’m also delighted by the natural lighting, quiet ambiance, fresh flowers, and friendly service. Since I’m dining alone, I bring a book with me—Rainbow Rowell’s Attachments—and devour paragraphs in between bites of my lunch. 

Tomato goat cheese soup at Café des Amis. // Photo by Lauren Textor

The tomato goat cheese soup is creamy and acidic. It’s an unusual flavor combination, but I finish the entire bowl (and, given the chance, I could probably finish the whole pot). 

The Coquilles St. Jacques is a dish of baked scallops and mushrooms in sherry wine, Swiss cheese, and béchamel sauce with breading sprinkled over the top. It’s garnished with half of a super juicy tomato. It’s served with a side salad of spring mix that has a delicious house-made vinaigrette of salt, pepper, champagne, and shallots. 

The scallops are chewy but not tough, and my only note on the thin slices of mushrooms is that I wish there were more of them. The light, cheesy sauce could have been served as soup, and I would not have noticed or cared. 

Café des Amis has been open since 2000, but the building it is housed in was constructed in 1844. The restaurant has 40 seats in the main dining area, 20 on the patio, and 50 in its back room event space. It boasts 160 French wines and drinks on its menu. 

Café des Amis is located on the second floor at 112 Main St., Parkville, MO 64152.