While the rest of Coventry neighborhood businesses are asleep, Euro Wafel fulfills late night sweet…read morecravings. It's a newish and long awaited cafe added to the Cleveland Heights dining scene. The cafe is located in the old BD's Mongolian Grill's space (no permanent signage just yet), prior to that it was Arabica. Euro Wafel has been around for a while in Cleveland at various markets and at the University Circle before arriving to the Heights.
Euro Wafel creates a safe, late-night, alcohol-free experience. It's an interesting fusion of Belgian Liege waffles, French crepes, and Middle Eastern (Emirati) beverages. The cafe seems to be a work in progress. It's very casual, has pleasant light blue hues (furniture), couch, innovative lightings plenty of space for solo or group visits. The fireplace in the middle is kind of awkward but perhaps it will be used during colder seasons. Quiet music (French and Arabic) fills the space. There are big windows that make watching the rain outside very relaxing. During my visit most guests were younger crowd, all seemed to be regulars. It was steady customer flow considering it was after 9 PM on a weekday. Street parking is available in the area. Your most convenient option is to park in the Coventry parking lot across the street (free).
Service was very attentive, the owner friendly and providing personalized attention to all customers. Your experience starts once you scan QR code with the menu, then you pay, pick a table, and wait for your order. The orders are up pretty quickly. Most guests chose to dine in tonight. So did I.
Karak Chai: I love to sip different ethnic teas and coffees. And so, Karak chai (pronounced kah-rak with the emphasis on "rak") was an immediate "yasss!" The owner said that the recipe is his mother's. It's a traditional Emirati dessert chai. He said that the spices are a secret, but I picked up on cardamom and condensed milk. Traditionally, I read that saffron is also added. The tea was on the sweeter side, very tasty. It was lukewarm when I ordered it. Since I drink scorching hot beverages, I would have loved to try a hot version. I'll ask for it next time. The chai is pretty popular, many guests ordered it. Their website states that guests can also ask for a free sample/sip. Other options include refreshers, lattes, and matcha.
Waffle: Waffle choices all looked good both by description and when they were presented to customers. I sat close to the counter and watched them all be handed to customers. By the way, each choice on the menu can be served as a waffle or as a crepe. I ordered The Celine with berry compote, vanilla butter cream, and vanilla ice cream. The waffle was very good, considerably better than any other similar waffle destination in the city. Compote was so flavorful, contained huge berries, and really tasted homemade. I was a huge fan of this compote and bet it would even be better on a crepe. The waffle was overwhelmingly sweet. Mixing waffle with Karak was definitely not the best choice, it was too sugary. Next time I'll order the two separately. I spent $19 something on the entire order.
Overall, I really enjoyed my experience. It was low key, welcoming, and flavorful. I would have loved to see definitive hours when this place is open. Various websites list different times, they seem to change (check before you venture out). I also would have loved to see some savory menu options like perhaps crepes with cheese and meats, fish, or other creations. I feel like I'd visit more often given some variety and savory options.