Wonder Waffel 2263 W. New Haven, West Melbourne, FL 32904
3 Stars
Founded in 2011 by the Brothers Topcuoglu, the company opened its first franchise store in Dortmund, followed by openings in Berlin, Cologne, and Frankfurt. It operates over 45 locations in Germany, Switzerland, and the United States, with the most recent opening in West "By Gawd" Melbourne, FL.
My server today was Serena. Serena is an excellent service pro. She is congenial and gregarious and knows the menu, "Over Under Sideways Down." People say that you can't be in two places at once. And while, currently, this is technically true, over the past seven years of doing restaurant reviews, my companion on 90% of them has been my lovely daughter, Andrea. She knows the process and service quality. So, this time, I tried a bit of bilocation and had her place the order and take pics. Andrea placed an order for one Italian Savory and one Peanut Special Waffle. She then brought the food home to my awaiting palate.
My first taste of what Wonder Waffel had to offer was a bite of their Italian Savory Waffel. It certainly looked appetizing, consisting of Pesto sauce, Mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce and sun-dried tomatoes. Not to beat a dead horse here, but again, with bread/pastry/baked items as your base, it is paramount that they are properly executed. This waffel was correctly cooked; it just fell incredibly flat on the palate. I was expecting a flavorful, "savory" experience, but instead, my taste buds were greeted with neutrality. The ingredients were fresh, not frozen, but the quality wasn't high enough to compensate for the bland base.
My editor-in-chief called Wonder Waffel to inquire about the ingredients for the Peanut Special as it is not listed on the menu, and low and behold, he got a hold of Serena. It does make one wonder if she sleeps on a cot in the back. I jest! Serena was exceptionally polite on the phone and offered Brett a ton of information on the Peanut Special, the Waffel batter, and the whole Wonder Waffel experience. Based on her diction during the phone call, I surmise she may be the franchise owner. The Peanut Special comprises a thin layer of Nutella and Peanut Butter, followed by sliced strawberries and bananas. It is then topped with Peanut Butter Cups and dusted with a fresh peanut crumble. If you're into Peanut Butter, this sure looks like it would be right up your alley. Serena says the batter is made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. I have no reason to doubt her, but again, as fresh as the ingredients may have been, it fell short on my schooled palate.
The Big Boy says, "Serena is 5-star awesome sauce; the food is not." read more