ELMHURST — A couple has brought a taste of Cartagena to a former frozen yogurt shop on Broadway, featuring elaborate fruit salads, waffles and wafers.
Edwin Ortiz, 26, opened Fruits & Waffles inside a small former frozen yogurt shop at 81-20 Broadway three months ago.
He kept the fro-yo machines but now serves an expansive menu of sweet treats and a few savory items, with most from his home in Colombia.
Ortiz was working as a hotel concierge but wanted to run his own business, he said.
"My family's always been in the business," he said. "It's genetics."
He and his wife, Cindy, 27, named their new cafe after their favorite items on the menu.
Their waffles are covered in Nutella, ice cream, sauce and sprinkles — works of art that Ortiz spends a lot of time on.
And their fruit salads are served in stylish bowls and glasses and covered in cheese, Colombian-style.
"I focus a lot on presentation, we want the food to look good," he said.
Another specialty is the obleas, a Colombian wafer sandwich filled with dulce de leche, condensed milk, jam and other fillings.
On the savory end, they sell sandwiches and Colombian-style hot dogs with pink sauce and quail eggs, along with paninis.
On the weekends, Fruits & Waffles put out a chocolate fountain for fondue and have a catering menu, most recently bringing their desserts for a First Holy communion.
So far, they've been a hit on Instagram and Facebook, sharing
"Our food is very visual," Ortiz said.
