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Local Flavor: Kdulche Cafe’s Chilaquiles Verdes and Lansing Crepe create a taste tour that is unique yet familiar

Chilaquiles Verdes

Kdulche Cafe earns Local Flavor Award for traditional foods with a Lansing twist

by Melanie Jongsma, with Josh Bootsma

LANSING, Ill. (December 7, 2022) – “The pink building” on Ridge Road quickly became a Lansing favorite when it opened in November of 2021. Kdulche CafĂ© met Lansing’s need for a family-owned coffee shop where friends could gather for conversation and a variety of hot or cold drinks. Unlike many coffee shops, Kdulche CafĂ© also serves savory meals as well as pastries. Their Chilaquiles and Lansing Crepe provide an example of the unique local flavor available inside the pink building.

Kdulche Café contact info
Address: 3521 Ridge Road, Lansing IL 60438
Phone: 708-889-6235
Facebook: facebook.com/Kdulche

Signature dish: Chilaquiles Verdes

Almost any of Kdulche’s menu items could qualify as a signature dish. Owners Eduardo Zepeda and Paola Ayala hail from Guadalajara, Mexico, and they have brought some familiar Mexican foods to Lansing, but each item is infused with its own unique flavor twist. The Chilaquiles Verdes, for example, has all the ingredients of the traditional Mexican breakfast dish — corn tortillas, salsa, queso fresco, crema, pulled chicken — but the Kdulche CafĂ© version is somehow lighter and more flavorful. The dish can be spiced to order, so all palates will be able to enjoy it.

Chilaquiles Verdes
The Chilaquiles Verdes at Kdulche Café is flavorful and light, a traditional Mexican dish infused with Lansing flavor. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)

Kdulche’s chilaquiles earned The Lansing Journal’s Local Flavor Award, and while the dish is always on the menu at Kdulche CafĂ©, the specific flavor combinations will vary according to produce that is in season. In fact, Zepeda and Ayala have learned to be flexible, and they use an arrangement of framed chalkboards to provide menu updates and enhancements.

Chilaquiles Verdes
An arrangement of framed chalkboards tells patrons of seasonal specials and the week’s special menu items. (Photo: Josh Bootsma)

Signature sweet: Lansing Crepe

When Zepeda and Ayala found a Lansing storefront where they could serve their creations, they knew they wanted to name a new dish in honor of their new location. The Lansing Crepe is a thin, firm, dessert-style pancake that is just sweet enough. This signature dessert is garnished with whipped cream, ice cream, condensada, and mixed fruit — strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and kiwi — which represent Lansing’s flavorful diversity, Zepeda said.

Kdulche’s full menu — along with prices — is available on their Facebook page.

The Lansing Crepe
The Lansing Crepe is a signature dessert that can be found only in Lansing — at Kdulche Café. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)

Beverages

Kdulche Café offers a variety of beverages, from infused water, to fruit smoothies, to hot and cold coffee drinks, tisanas teas, and more.

Kdulche Café serves a variety of hot and cold beverages, including this frothy Chocolate Abuelita Caliente, served with bread for dipping. (Photo: Josh Bootsma)

Other menu items

The printed menus at Kdulche list breakfast sandwiches, lunch/dinner sandwiches, paninis, wraps, and tortas as meal options, along with several salads. The team is active on their Facebook page, which is how they inform potential diners of seasonal items or new flavors they are trying.

The Chicken Chapotle Panini is a regular menu item. The melty mix of provolone and cheddar makes it a popular lunch choice. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)

Atmosphere

Inside Kdulche CafĂ© is not just colorful; it’s bold, detailed, and eclectic. Gold and pink are the dominant colors, accented with shades of aqua, purple, and green. Many of the wall hangings and curios are repainted, repurposed finds that create an atmosphere of playful adventure. Exploring the often-changing decorations is like exploring a combination of your grandmother’s treasure-filled attic and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

Chilaquiles Verdes
Kdulche CafĂ©’s color scheme creates a sense of playful adventure. (Photo: Josh Bootsma)

Other notes

  • Workers at Kdulche CafĂ© pride themselves on being responsive to customers. They can adapt their regular dishes to meet some dietary needs, though they encourage diners to experience the full flavor of their unique dishes.
  • Parking can be tricky along Ridge Road, with just a few spaces available in front of the restaurant and across the street. More parking can be found along West Street.
  • The restaurant’s current hours are available on Kdulche’s Facebook page.

Full story

In July of 2021, The Lansing Journal published an article about what Zepeda’s and Ayala’s plans were for the pink building:


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Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma grew up in Lansing, Illinois, and believes The Lansing Journal has an important role to play in building community through trustworthy information.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you, Lansing Journal, for a wonderful item on Kdulche! It is truly the Diamond that sparkles here for all of us to enjoy. The atmosphere, staff and magnificent food and beverage has caused me to bring my relatives and friends for the best Lansing has to offer their patrons. I’m so glad you awarded them the Local Flavor Award – they earn it every day and will for years to come!

  2. I’m happy to share the nomination I had made for Kdulche as well:

    “Easiest call ever! Kdulche Cafe. The decor is one-of-a-kind, quirky and tasteful. And the food stands up to the visual hype, with fresh, homemade flavor. The staff couldn’t be nicer. I’m a fan of the paninis and the homemade chicken soup.”

Comments are closed.

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