inthekitchen
toppings. She brought the idea home.
As plans for Kawaii Crepe took shape,
the couple made some modifications
to reimagine the treat for Winnipeg. In
Japan, crepes are smaller, usually served
from street stalls as a sweet snack between
shop hopping in Harajuku. Kawaii Crepe
increased their diameter, added savoury
options, and set up an indoor shop more
suited to wintery Winnipeg.
Like crepes and chocolate, Lam and
Salazar complement each other perfectly.
An entrepreneurial fashionista and a
stalwart accountant, the two tackle their
business with a ‘can-do’ attitude.
Neither owner had a background in
restaurant ownership, and behind the
scenes, the learning curve was steep.
Laughing sheepishly, the couple recalls
when they first opened the Osborne Village
Crepe’s employees, and even customers.
Often the menu changes based on seasonal
availability; the restaurant sources most
ingredients locally and makes the sauces
that top their crepes from scratch. Other
times, inspiration comes on a whim.
“We ask, is it unique? Is it fun? And then
we try to make it happen,” says Lam.
Three years ago, the marketing team for
the movie The Hunger Games approached
them to create a crepe based on the opulent
Capital city from the film. The result,
featured on these pages, is a decadent mix
of nutella, brownie chunks, and fudge.
Offering a case study of the business’s
fun, spontaneous spirit, Lam laughingly
recalls an occasion three years ago, when a
customer asked if Kawaii Crepe would cater
their wedding. Excited by the prospect and
sure that her team could figure it out, Lam
“We ask, is it unique? Is it fun? And then we try to
make it happen.”
location with no dishwasher and only a tiny
camping stove on which to cook bacon.
“The staff really grew together,” adds
Salazar – at the beginning one employee
manned each grill; now, each of the staff
can spin up to six crepes at a time.
Despite bumps in the road, this unique
take on the crepe made waves. Osborne
Village has long been testing ground for
culinary concepts, with recent businesses
like Kawaii Crepe, Nuburger, and Green
Carrot putting down roots in this hip
centre before branching out to suburban
locations. The trend-conscious ‘hood has
proved the perfect place for a business
with a potentially narrow market to test its
mettle.
Kawaii Crepe’s appeal has passed this
test with f lying colours, and a second
location across from St Vital Centre is
nearing its two year mark. Locations are
being scouted for a third restaurant.
The menu and ever rotating specials
at these colourful spots are created
collaboratively, with input from Phil
and Candy, their corporate chef, Kawaii
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agreed. When she brought her husband the
information the next day, they realized the
wedding was in Kenora – three hours away.
The team rallied, and soon they had
trucked a small staff and several griddles
to their first catering gig, where a room
full of excited guests watched their dinners
and desserts expertly swirled, cooked,
and folded before their eyes. It was so
successful that catering has now become a
lucrative revenue stream, as well as a way
for the staff to bond. “We call them field
trips,” says Lam. “It’s fun – it doesn’t feel
like working.”
The couple behind that first catering
request returns to the restaurant every
year, on their anniversary, to get a crepe.
Creativity and business savvy go hand
in hand at Kawaii Crepe. “It’s a game,” says
Candy; Phil adds, “but we have mortgage
payments.”
These owners agree, however, that the
bottom line is not the first priority. It is the
idea, the product, that drives a successful
venture. For Kawaii Crepe, passion,
smarts, and a little fun is the perfect recipe.