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Friday, June 4, 2010

Top Five

Best chocolate malts in Kansas City

Posted by Jonathan Bender on Fri, Jun 4, 2010 at 11:00 AM

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This is the best chocolate malt in the city, can you guess where it's from?
​I have a long family history with malts. It's not I that have looked for one in every city, hoping to discover the finest malt in the country. It's my dad that stepped up to the malt-shop counter each time searching for an elusive recipe from his childhood.

I was simply along to document an ice cream shop's inevitable failure. I would dutifully sip alongside him and proclaim that this malt wasn't up to par. He didn't taste enough malt powder. I always tasted too much. However, in fairness to the ice cream shops, I have a confession: I hated malts.

Since malts have only recently become attractive to my palate  -- apparently you can't fight genetics -- I enlisted Charles Ferruzza's help in a search for Kansas City's best chocolate malts and we narrowed the list to five.
 

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Image via Jenny McCoy
Mint Chip Maltballs from Dean & Deluca are highly addictive.
​5. Dean & Deluca -- OK, the Mint Chip Malt Balls from Dean & Deluca aren't ice cream drinks. But the bright green, gumball-sized candies, enrobed in a thin layer of milk chocolate and hard mint coating, are dangerously addictive.

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Murray's, in Westport, makes a mean malt.
​4. Fox's Drug Store. The chocolate malt here should be the official drink of Raytown. Great drinks don't need to change with the times; you only need another straw for the next generation. 

3. Steak 'n Shake. In 1934, Gus Belt turned his combination gas station-and-fried chicken joint in Normal, Illinois, into a burger stand that also featured thick malted shakes. The malts are still a calling card for this popular chain. 

2. Poppy's Ice Cream and Coffee House. Owner Teresa Poppinga creates luscious homemade ice creams in unusual, decadent flavors that, blended with milk and a splash of malt powder, create sensational summer coolers. If it's available (the flavors change frequently), try a malt made with her Chocolate Coma ice cream. You'll be swooning, all right. 

1. Murray's Ice Cream. While wild flavors like Hog Heaven come and go, Murray's has been open for 26 years because of its treatment of the classics. The thick chocolate malt is served with a straw and a spoon, and we need both to finish it. Right now, Murray's also has the flavor Malt Licker, which is vanilla malt ice cream with chocolate malt balls. 

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I make the best Malt in KC, right in my own home.

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Posted by You on 06/08/2010 at 2:12 AM

Winsteads has really gone down the proverbial crapper. Even the one on Roe has bad food. Really played. Used to love it. Steak and Shake-IMO is really good-had three chocolate malts there in the last month. Plus you can order a Junior Choc Malt and not feel like a blimp. Just a glaas of choc malt---killer.

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Posted by Chuck on 06/07/2010 at 1:50 PM

Otto's (RIP)

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Posted by Charlie on 06/04/2010 at 4:11 PM

Wow. You list steak and shake???? It's a chain! And NO winsteads???? really???? poor review, man, poor review.

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Posted by Shannon on 06/04/2010 at 4:03 PM

Yeah, but Murray's doesn't take plastic, so make sure you have cash on ya when you go there to get your malt! I haven't had the pleasure of trying anything from there, yet, because I rarely carry cash...

I 3rd the suggestion for Winsteads. Maybe instead of the (likely overpriced) malted milk ball coming in at #5, you could have made room for an actual malt in that spot.

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Posted by Faith on 06/04/2010 at 12:21 PM

No Winsteads??? but you include national chain Steak n Shake?

Also, what about Town Topic, or Harolds on Admiral? I had a peanut butter malt from Harolds and I think I got diabetes from it being so rich.

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Posted by Abe on 06/04/2010 at 11:35 AM

What, no Winsteads? They definitely belong in the top 5.

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Posted by Average Jane on 06/04/2010 at 10:28 AM
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