Homemade Perfection
A couple of months ago, I promised that I would visit shops, markets, and restaurants while traveling and let everyone know if it would be worth the trip. I had planned a shopping trip to Wichita, so I decided to take a little side trip to Yoder.
Yoder, Kansas is a tiny town about 40 miles northwest of Wichita, just off Highway 96. Yoder was established in 1889 and quickly became the center of local Amish/Mennonite settlers. Although some of the businesses are targeted toward tourists, there are still some unique businesses geared toward the local community and its needs. The total population numbers have not changed much in the 130+ years since the town’s founding.
I have driven past the town many, many times, but I never stopped. Well, maybe I did stop at the restaurant there one time years ago when taking my dad to the VA hospital in Wichita. It was a stressful time and I’m just not sure. I know we stopped somewhere because I wanted my dad to have good food and energy in his system for what he would face at the hospital. He always appreciated going out to eat!
Well, let’s just say my side trip was so worth it! I had lunch at Carriage Crossing Restaurant & Bakery. It can be awkward to eat alone in a restaurant, but I could tell from all the pickups in the (huge) parking lot that it was a popular lunch place for working people. There were likely other solo diners. I was right. The waitress for my table was so pretty and engaging, I felt right at home.
I ordered a roast beef sandwich, which came with mashed potatoes and glazed carrots. The bread was advertised as homemade and it was so tender, as was the beef, that it just melted in my mouth. I could only eat half of the sandwich and decided the other half would be perfect for dinner. The mashed potatoes did not magically appear from a box of potato flakes! They were real potatoes and I could tell the gravy was homemade too. It was not salty tasting and there was no weird after taste. It was the same with the carrots. I love my vegetables and consider myself an expert. Ha! I could tell there was a hint of sweetness added, probably brown sugar – just a tiny amount, and they were also buttery and tender.
I almost kicked myself under the table when that cute waitress with the big dimples, talked me into a piece of chocolate pie! I kicked myself only for a couple of minutes, though. That pie was also definitely homemade. It was to die for! I couldn’t eat all of it either. Ugh, I regret leaving those last few bites!
When I went to the cashier, I walked past a cooler with plate sized cinnamon rolls. Seriously, one of those would provide me with breakfast for four days! There were also several whole pies for sale too. Very tempting.
After waddling out to the parking lot, I decided to go across the street to the meat market and also the gift store. They process their own beef and pork on site and sell it at the meat market. They also had a selection of items such as beef jerky. The gift store had lots of cute things, including a few things I could tell were handmade. Unfortunately, the clock was ticking and I did not feel comfortable taking pictures inside without talking to the manager. But when I return, hopefully soon, I will call ahead. I decided that it was worth stopping by.
The most unusual and perhaps iconic thing I noticed was that the Mennonites in Yoder drive their tractors around town the way people here in my little town drive golf carts for local errands. In the parking lots, there were small old tractors with sunshades or umbrellas mounted. I think the most unusual thing I saw was a small tractor, driven by a man towing a ski boat. I laughed out loud at that one! I’d like to see a golf cart do that.
I concluded that this little side trip was worth my time. I feel the need to go back and check out some of the other businesses in town, such as a thrift shop one of my Facebook friends recommended to me. Lunch will be part of my plan. I don’t usually take Highway 96 to get to Wichita, but I have it saved on my Google maps. I recommend you do the same!