|
The Sandusky Register Lapatea opens in Norwalk
By CAROL HARPER
carolharper@sanduskyregister.com
NORWALK
Business executives looking for a gem of a lunch spot could try the Lapatea restaurant tucked into the downtown historical district at 10 Benedict Ave. in Norwalk.
Owned by Norwalk residents Wayne and Jackie Toczek and Greg Krone, the Lapatea features for lunch a variety of soups, custom-tossed salads and stacked sandwiches in a business-casual atmosphere.
For breakfast, the menu includes yogurt parfaits, seasonal fresh fruit cups, or a breakfast quesadilla with a choice of ingredients.
Krone, who runs the day-to-day operations of the Lapatea, has worked for years with Wayne Toczek, who also owns a food service consulting and training firm.
Opening Lapatea was a natural extension of careers for both men.
"We worked in food," Toczek said. "We do food all the time. We know 90 percent of restaurants go under. But we operate half-million-dollar budgets for nursing homes and retirement centers. We saw the Daily Grind was closed. And there's nothing in Norwalk that offers what we offer. We're unique."
The Lapatea does not serve fast food. Rather, Krone usually takes orders in a fast way -- by fax, phone or e-mail. Customers may either dine in, pull up to the curb in front of the restaurant for carryout, or take advantage of delivery or catering.
To facilitate business meetings, the Lapatea creates packages of breakfast, snack or lunch foods and coffee in 12-pack carriers.
The restaurant is open from 6:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday. It's closed Sunday. The space is available for meetings during off hours.
The crew intends to introduce new items a little at a time, perhaps with a special sandwich each month, Toczek said. Soups change every day, including Italian wedding, tomato Florentine, black bean, vegetable, chicken with wild rice, cream of potato, broccoli cheese, beef noodle, and chicken noodle.
"We have this new thing," Toczek said. "We call it the 'Magic Brownie.' It's a brownie that we cook with moist heat rather than dry heat, in a muffin tin with chunks of chocolate."
Another Lapatea treat to crave is a warm cinnamon roll.
The Toczeks are expecting their fifth child. Throughout the restaurant is evidence of inspiration from their family. For example, sandwiches are named after their children. A small table and child's menu are available.
The restaurant was named by their 5-year-old daughter, Rose.
"(Rose) has a little toy kitchen and she likes to serve my wife and me coffee or tea," Toczek said. "She came up and said, 'This is your lapatea.' We didn't know if she was trying to say 'latte' or 'cup of tea.' So this became the Lapatea."
The Lapatea understands the importance of pleasing each customer.
"We're only as good as our last meal," Toczek said. |
