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Souptastik Crepes

By Esther Allweiss Ingber

anda Rybak had a 15-year career
at Stage Deli in West Bloomfield,
working her way into manage-
ment before she and her husband,
Mike Rybak, found the chance to
realize a dream: opening their own
restaurant.
Since June 11, the Farmington Hills
site of the former Grilled Cheese &
Tomato Soup has been Souptastik
Crepes, a contemporary creperie with
Russian influences.The restaurant is
located in a Northwestern Highway
shopping strip, bounded by Middle-
belt, West 14 Mile Road and Orchard
Lake Road.
Everything seems to be working
out well at the bistro-style cafe. From
7 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily, Vanda is the
picture of contentment presiding over
the front of the house. Mike attends to
his steel-processing company during
the week but helps with the cooking
on Saturdays.
Highlighting the fresh fare at Soup-
tastik Crepes is a selection of more
than 30 different savory and sweet
crepes. They're listed along with other
items on a wall whiteboard and the
printed menu.
These made-from-scratch crepes
start with eggs and flour, although
gluten-free crepes are available, too.
The batter is rolled around until it
reaches the standard 16-inch size
used at the creperie.
Prepared, empty crepes, includ-
ing 12- and 9-inch sizes, may be
purchased upon request. But why do
your own cooking when the Souptas-
tik Crepes experience is so pleasant?
After placing an order with friendly
Vanda or an assistant at the red-brick
counter, the food and beverages are
brought out to guests relaxing at bare
tables or the ledge overlooking the
bustling highway. Colorful, cafe-style
artwork adorns beige walls.
The owners hail from countries in
the former Soviet Union. Vanda, from
Moldova, and Mike, from Ukraine,
were teenagers when they came with
their parents to the United States.The
Rybaks met in 1991 and have been
married 18 years; their family includes
a daughter and a son.
Souptastik Crepes reflects the cou-
ple's heritage, with Vonda's mother,
Anna Fradlis, serving as the chief soup
maker. These homemade concoctions
really hit the spot on a chilly day! Nine
or more soups are offered in rotation
daily and served up in handsome
white crocks. Looking beyond the
familiar soups, like mushroom barley
or chicken, here's an opportunity to

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30 February 2014 1

RED TIMID

Arc de Triomphe crepe

try more unusual choices. Thick soly-
anka, for example, is a spicy and sour
soup found in Russian and Ukrainian
cuisine. Vanda compares the soup to
Louisianan jambalaya.
Most of the Souptastik crepes carry
a place name. Among the savory
crepes, I prefer Paris, comprised of
grilled salmon, portabello mush-
rooms, grilled onions and lemon-
butter sauce; and Bordeaux, which
is grilled chicken breast, eggplant,
zucchini and black olives in a creamy
garlic-herb sauce. I also tried the Stras-
bourg, from the crepes and eggs
selections. This crepe satisfied me
with its filling of scrambled eggs, sau-
sage, potatoes and Swiss cheese.
Baba's Russian-style crepes, also
called blinchiki, are something unique
in these parts, but folks will be eating
them up at February's Winter Olympics
in Sochi, Russia.Two of the five choices
feature pricey black or red caviar.
If dessert appeals to you, I recom-
mend the Arc de Triomphe, topped
with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Fresh strawberries and blackberries
spill out of this crepe, which is en-
hanced by a creamy vanilla sauce.
"That's one of our most popular
dessert crepes7said Vanda. Guests
also really like Paris Opera, featuring
banana, Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut
spread), vanilla ice cream, pecans and
a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Among the salads, Mike said the
two favorites are the Mediterranean
and Kale on the Raw, which includes
pecans, radishes, dried cherries, green
apple and goat cheese with balsamic
vinaigrette dressing. Chicken, steak or
salmon can be added to salads.
Another good way to go is the
crepe-soup-salad combo for $8.50, or
a daily special. Beverage choices in-
clude fresh-squeezed juices, Illy coffee
and Harney & Sons teas. WI

SOUPTASTIK CREPES
32407 Northwestern Highway
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
(248) 539-2300
www.souptastikcrepes.com
$$112 out of $$$$$
(not including caviar)

www.redth read magazine.com