Tuesday, October 23, 2012

When in Wooster, Check out Tulipán Hungarian Pastry and Coffee Shop

The Welcoming Façade
     While walking around downtown Wooster, Thomas said, “Oh, there’s that Hungarian place I’ve always want to go to.”  Hungarian really, how intriguing: the Tulipán Hungarian Pastry and Coffee Shop.  We were up for it so we walked down a short hill and into a historic building that’s been
refurbished with an interior that’s an elegant, turn of the 20th century European.  Like many other patisseries and bakeries, long glass cases house the various baked goods.  Everything looked delicious and the shop was packed at 3 p.m., which is usually a good sign.

The Daily Pastry Selection
Pork Goulash





     Thomas and Rolland ordered the Goulash; both of them thought it was excellent.  Neil and I chose the Chicken Crèpe with Paprikash Sauce.  The pancake was filled and rolled, then drizzled with both the paprikash and cream sauces.  I wasn’t sure about the price before it was served, but it was rich, the sauces complemented each other beautifully, and the chicken filling reminded me of chicken à la king.  The accompaniment was a mini yellow pickled pepper filled with sauerkraut, a detail that made this a lovely lunch or tea dish.  

Chicken Crépe
Cherry Studel
     All of us wanted dessert since it looked so good.  We shared slices of the Cherry Strudel, which packed cherries in a pastry that was more akin to phyllo.   The Walnut Torte was 
Walnut Torte
smoother than I’d expected in texture, but this may have been due to the frosting between the multi-layers.  












Lemon Glazed Hungarian Cheesecake
It was very good, but The Lemon Glazed Hungarian Cheesecake was better because it was light and creamy with a zing of lemon throughout it.  It was one of those desserts that may look pedestrian, but inevitably taste great. 

Melangé Coffee Drinks
     The real surprise came when Neil and I ordered a Melangé Coffee.  It was new to us so we asked for a description.  Starting with flavored syrup, the drink is made by adding a layer of cream, then very hot coffee, and finally topping with steamed milk.  It's still a mystery as to how it all separates so beautifully, but it has much to do with the varying temperatures of the different layers.  It was a little on the sweet side and might have fared better with less syrup and more coffee.  Visually, it was spectacular!

     We chatted with the owner, who is from Hungary, after we ate.  It’s a family owned business where her daughter ran the counter.  It was Wooster’s Small Business of the Year in 2006 so it’s obviously succeeding consistently.  As Neil said, “Every college town should have a place like this.  Why don’t we?”  I argued that we do, but neither The Blue Bird Bakery nor The Bonbonerie are close to a university and though both have excellent food, there isn’t the same charm or polish about them.

Tulipan Hungarian Pastry on Urbanspoon

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