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Beylka Krupp prides herself on operating a truly family-friendly restaurant. The Wobble Café, located in Ossining, New York, is a cozy neighborhood eatery where families come to get a great meal while enjoying the comforts of an “all are welcome” atmosphere. Children are welcome, and catered to, which gives parents peace of mind.
Beylka owns and operates Wobble Café with her husband Rich Foshay. Having trained at various restaurants, including the famous Commander’s Palace, their experiences help them turn out great-tasting familiar favorites, as well as more unique dishes. The couple’s own children, a son who is 11 and a daughter who is 8, also contribute to the restaurant’s family-friendly vibe as they are regularly seen at the restaurant bussing tables, seating guests or entertaining younger customers.
The restaurant, with the whimsical name, (Wobble is the name of the couple’s cat as well as their son’s first word) is known for its brunches, baked goods and soups. There are three dishes, in particular, that Beylka says have a “rabid devotion". The Vermonster sandwich is a hot panini with grilled apples, arugula, sharp white cheddar and maple garlic aioli. The Migas is a Tex-Mex breakfast with scrambled eggs, tortilla strips, seasoned pinto beans and chorizo topped with cheese, pico de gallo and homemade pickled jalapenos. And the restaurant’s homemade Hungarian Mushroom Soup, made with smoked paprika, is another dish that keeps customers coming back. The Wobble Café is also often praised for its flavorful dishes created for customers on restrictive diets.
Ever since opening the doors to the Wobble Café 10 years ago, Beylka and Rich have established themselves and the restaurant as an integral party of their local community. The café sponsors youth sports teams, hosted the national “Cops and Coffee” program, and helps in efforts to improve the schools and town. Beylka and Rich never turn down an opportunity to help a non-profit or service group and give donations to all who ask. Beylka sits on many non-profit boards and both Beylka and Rich are Scout leaders. In addition, the cafe has become a home for yearly family and friend traditions. The most popular being holiday gingerbread house decorating. In 2014, Wobble created, from scratch and by hand, 400 gingerbread houses all using Gold Medal flour.
Beylka’s submission for the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest is Shrimp Etouffee, inspired by her time spent honing her culinary skills in New Orleans. She wanted to bring a Cajun/creole flavor to her restaurant and this dish delivers! She says that while her customers at Wobble Café appreciate dishes that are different and inventive, she works to make them appealing to all palettes. She believes using shrimp makes the dish more approachable as traditionally it is served with crawfish. The recipe also features tomato, garlic, onion, cream, Cajun spice and herbs served with rice and cornbread. She says, “We have served this as a dinner and brunch item and it always receives rave reviews.” The dish has such a large customer following that many people request to be notified when she has prepared it.
In honor of her two children and all of the neighborhood kids that think of the Wobble Café as their before-and-after-school homebase, Beylka plans to donate the $10,000 to help build a new children’s museum in the area.
According to Beylka, most of the winnings will go back into the café for improvements, but she’s also contemplating a much-deserved family vacation.
Why did you enter this contest?
“The concept behind the contest was really the driver for us. The idea behind Neighborhood to Nation and bringing small family businesses to the attention of the nation was the drive behind the application.”
What has the experience been like to named a finalist and then the Grand Prize winner?
“I didn’t think it was real when I made it as a finalist. The whole thing has been like a dream to me. It’s so wonderful to receive the validation of all the hard work and to know that the pairing is great between my skills and the really great products that General Mills puts out there. It’s fabulous.”
What makes your recipe for shrimp etouffe special?
“While it is a dish traditionally served with crawfish, MY Version uses shrimp, which I believe makes it more approachable and also includes a delicious blend of tomato, garlic, onion, cream, Cajun spice and herbs – served with rice and cornbread.”
How would you describe the Wobble Café?
“The Wobble Café is a independent neighborhood eatery where families come to get a great meal while enjoying the comforts of what I calls an “all are welcome” atmosphere. Children are welcome, and catered to, which gives parents peace of mind.”