Dish & Drink KC: Eclairs at Enchanté and nachos at Juan Jose’s Taqueria

Passion fruit eclair at Enchanté. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Pastries made from scratch at Enchanté

Antique books and picture frames complement Enchanté’s partially exposed brick walls. Located right across from the historic Warwick Theatre, the bakery maximizes the light academia aesthetic. 

Bouquet is too small a word for the enormous gathering of dried flowers suspended from the ceiling. The gorgeous wooden display case has delectably decorated pastries like lemon curd tarts and bourbon brownies.

Iced lavender honey latte at Enchanté. // Photo by Lauren Textor

My lavender honey latte was served to me in a crystal goblet, and my eclair was plated on patterned china and topped with an edible flower.

When I bit into the dessert, I was met with the tangy, unexpected taste of passion fruit filling in perfect ratio to the sweet outer dough. 

While the coffee is similarly dressed-up and delightful (Hello? Crystal goblet!), Enchanté is definitely a bakery first and a café second. Its small, intimate space means that it’s not the most peaceful long-term study spot. It’s better suited for a quick meet-up with friends or a brief opportunity to stuff your face. The wide windows facing out toward Main Street also make for great people-watching. 

Enchanté is located at 3934 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64111.

Assorted Tacos at Juan Jose’s Taqueria. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Juan Jose’s Taqueria is crave-able

I picture the titular owner of Juan Jose’s Taqueria as a simple man. Above the restaurant’s straightforward menu listings is a simple slogan: “the best food.” 

Mexican food has a reputation for being affordable, but Juan Jose’s takes that to the next level. Each of the menu items (tacos, tortas, nachos, quesadillas, and taco salads) is $10, heaped with fresh toppings, and served on a paper plate. 

Pastor Nachos at Juan Jose’s Taqueria. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Every item comes with the choice of meat: pastor, asada, chicken, carnitas, chorizo, buche, birria, tripa, milanesa, lengua, or cabeza de res. 

If you’re ordering the tacos, I suggest you mix and match. The pastor is crispy and a little greasy in the best way. The chewier birria is having a moment in KC, and if it’s possible for meat to be trendy, then this is it. The asada and chicken are classically and consistently delicious. 

The nachos are a mound of warm, freshly-made chips with your choice of meat, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, and jalapeños. It’s Friday night binge-watching food, and it’ll make you want to curl your arms and body over it so no one else tries to steal a single bite. 

Juan Jose’s Taqueria is located at 13220 W. 62nd Terrace, Shawnee, KS 66216.