Story And Photos By Melanie Kopacz
Sweeten your life with rich flavors wrapped inside a warm blanket of deliciousness at the newly opened creperie, Keywa’s in the Mall at Wellington Green.
“We specialize in sweet crepes,” owner Julian Sierra said. “We’ve created our own recipes.”
An array of colorful pictures are displayed along the menu wall, featuring mouth-watering creations that are sure to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. The menu ranges from a number of sweet and savory crepes to a tasty variety of boba teas, smoothies, thick milkshakes and an assortment of frozen drinks.
“We try to give customers something they can’t forget.” Sierra said. “If they always remember, then they always want to come back for it.”
Sierra knows what customers love to come back for, as his recipes have turned into cravings for many who frequent the original Keywa’s location in the Boynton Beach Mall, which opened last fall. Less than one year later, co-owner Tania Eifert, Sierra’s wife, feels blessed to have this opportunity to be a part of the Wellington community.
“We appreciate the friendships we make with our customers. It’s not like you pick up your food and leave,” she said. “We really like to have a relationship with the clients.”
Situated near the mall’s food court entrance, the freestanding location sits alongside the sunroom of the main dining area. A portrait of their beloved border collie Keywa, the eatery’s namesake, greets customers at the register. The mascot’s name means “one of good spirit,” and it’s that spirit Sierra wants the creperie to exude onto others, with its friendly staff and delicious, comforting flavors made with fresh ingredients.
“The general idea is crepes. Not many places have them,” Eifert said. “Little by little, we’ll keep adding more when we see what our customers like. We’ll listen to their ideas and grow with them.”
Customers can grab a beeper for when their food is ready, but many prefer to watch the mesmerizing crepe-making process, as the batter is quickly spread and spun as it cooks. Then the layering of the fillings begins.
To start your crepe journey, you will choose one of three bases: Nutella, Arequipe (a caramel/dulce de leche spread) or cream cheese. An assortment of fresh-cut fruit comes next with a choice of chocolate or caramel syrup, then topped with vanilla, chocolate or strawberry ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream.
The Vienne crepe is a popular choice, filled with Arequipe, brownie, sliced strawberries and vanilla ice cream with caramel syrup drizzled on the folds topped by whipped cream.
The Alaska crepe uses cream cheese for its base, filled with peach chunks and graham crackers, and topped with vanilla ice cream melting into the warm crepe.
For a richer-tasting dessert, try the Chocó crepe. It’s made with M&Ms inside and out, along with some brownie, then drizzled with both chocolate and caramel syrup, topped with both vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.
For a nutty flavor, there’s the Rome crepe. It’s made with walnuts and chocolate ice cream, drizzled with caramel and chocolate syrup. The London crepe is layered with Nutella, banana slices, vanilla and chocolate ice cream with whipped cream, while the Paris crepe also uses Nutella and banana, but mixes it up with graham crackers and vanilla ice cream.
For a chocolatey fruit combo, check out the Monaco crepe, made with Nutella, strawberries and blueberries. Not looking for dessert? A savory option is the America crepe. It’s made with ham and cheese, either Swiss or cheddar, and butter.
Complement your crepe with one of several smoothie options.
The Dubai is a rich and filling choice made with sweet peach slices, passion fruit and pineapple. The Sidney has blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, making it nutrient-rich on top of really tasty.
The Colombia — where Sierra hails from — features a mix of blueberries, strawberries and a twist of pineapple, while the Peru — which is Eifert’s heritage — has fresh-cut chunks of watermelon, passion fruit and banana.
If crepes and smoothies aren’t enough choices, there’s even more.
Rich, thick, handmade milkshakes feature flavors from strawberry and cookies and cream, to chocolate with drizzled syrup or classic vanilla.
Boba tea is also on the menu. Create your own delicious mix with either bursting balls or tapioca balls. Frozen drinks round it all out with some spectacular flavors. Pineapple, passion fruit and mint make for a flavorful mix in the Hawaii drink. A different twist on a classic is the Coconut Lemonade with lemon, coconut cream, condensed milk and coconut milk. For that coffee craving, try the Frappé made with coffee, chocolate syrup and whipped cream.
Still looking for more choices? There are tasty waffles on the menu, too! The signature Banana Split waffle is made with Nutella, banana slices and strawberries, while the Tartufo features Arequipe and strawberries. Both come with vanilla ice cream.
It’s a personal indulgence of sorts for Sierra to turn his passion into a profession after leaving an accounting job and side work to help his parents who became ill. After only six years in the United States, he has learned English, got married and just welcomed a new baby boy. He’s living the American dream, working hard alongside his wife, while making his creations that represent a melting pot of flavors from around the world. Flavors they hope will sweeten your life.
Keywa’s is inside the food court at the Mall at Wellington Green, located at 10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Check out the menu at www.keywas.co. If you’re not ready to eat immediately, you can order carry out, as well as delivery through Uber Eats and Grubhub.
