KALAMAZOO, MI — When the pandemic hit in March 2020, Hussain and Fadheela Alsheikhahmed never envisioned they would be closing the doors permanently to Paradise Cafe in Portage.
But unable to sustain the standalone location at 6794 S. Westnedge Ave., after just two years in business and with an uncertain future ahead, the couple packed up their creperie and headed down the road.
They landed last October in a location where there was no shortage of foot traffic — at the front of a grocery store.
Now located in their own space at the front of Midtown Fresh Market at 1693 S. Westnedge Ave. in Kalamazoo, Hussain Alsheikhahmed said business has been good.
“We brought some loyal customers with us and get new ones daily. Many have turned into regulars,” he said.
It didn’t hurt, he said, that the space the couple moved into was previously a coffee shop so many shoppers and neighbors were already in the habit of stopping in for a coffee, latte or cappuccino.
It also doesn’t hurt, he said, being Kalamazoo’s only creperie.
“People were used to coming here for coffee,” he said. “On top of that, we added the crepes and desserts.”
Alsheikhahmed, 33, gets his coffee from Uncommon Coffee Roasters in Saugatuck and serves up cold and nitro brews on tap and brews up his favorite, the caramel silk latte with love and a heart drawn in foam.
In addition to all the traditional coffee shop finds, he keeps it Michigan with specialties such as the Maple Syrup Latte (made with cinnamon, syrup and cardamom) and seasonal favorites like the pumpkin dream latte, which consists of chocolate, pumpkin spice and cinnamon.
There’s also a selection of smoothies and freshly-made shakes to choose from.
But what he and his wife — who is on maternity leave expecting the couple’s first child — do like no one else is the crepes. Savory favorites such as feta cheese & spinach and sweet ones like the Strawberry Banana Nutella and the Oreo options keep the guests coming back, he said.
There’s no skimping on the size of the crepes which are prepared to order and there’s not a lot of sugar or calories in the crepes themselves, he said, comparing them to a thin pancake.
“Of course, once you add the sweets,” laughed Alsheikhahmed, who moved to Kalamazoo from Saudi Arabia in 2005 to attend Western Michigan University.
Alsheikhahmed earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the school in electrical engineering and then started a tutoring business with his wife before opening Paradise Cafe. He couldn’t be happier doing what he is doing now, building relationships with his guests and keeping them happy and full.
The biggest challenge, he said, has been keeping a full menu flowing off the line as staffing has been a problem post-pandemic. He is actively hiring part-time baristas and crepe makers at this time, he said.
For more information, visit www.paradisecafekzo.com, follow Paradise Cafe on Facebook, call 269-459-9672 or email info@paradisecafekzo.com.
The creperie, which can be entered from a separate entrance outside or from inside Midtown Fresh Market, is open from 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Expect a wait of up to 30-40 minutes Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Also on MLive:
Brewery Outré to open taproom on north side of Kalamazoo this fall
Caribbean-themed JungleBird restaurant to land in downtown Kalamazoo
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Cooking with heart at Lolita’s Tacos in Kalamazoo
"cafe" - Google News
September 25, 2021 at 06:15PM
https://ift.tt/3zHr7F5
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Great Crepes! Kalamazoo’s Paradise Cafe serves up sweet and savory delights - MLive.com
"cafe" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2FkbMR3
https://ift.tt/3c4yPxW
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25244079/4.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment