Paul Lappchen, (front) with, from left, Robin Slaight, Zaan Tane and Jahnna Bowden at Lappuccino in Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor
Paul Lappchen, (front) with, from left, Robin Slaight, Zaan Tane and Jahnna Bowden at Lappuccino in Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor
Have you ever had a chaffle?
I had my first one this week at Lappuccino and I can tell you that it was absolutely delicious.
The egg and cheese waffles with bacon, roast tomato, avocado and wilted spinach looks as good as it tastes with crispy Holly bacon laidover the waffles, a generous amount of avocado and tasty roast tomato.
The dish is Keto as are many of the food options offered at Lappuccino on Omahu Rd in Hastings.
Paul and Kate Lappchen (hence the name which is a combination of their surname and cappuccino) have owned the cafe for almost two years.
They decided to introduce Keto food to their menu after eating the food themselves.
"I lost 10kg and loved the food and also saw how popular Keto was on social media so we thought why not give it a go."
A standard ketogenic diet refers to a way of eating that is low in carbohydrates, high in fat, with adequate protein and no sugar. But that doesn't mean you can't have sweet treats.
I can also vouch for the cheesecake and chocolate peanut butter bombs from Lappuccino — just divine.
Paul has been in the food industry for more than 30 years, working in various cafes and restaurants both in Hawke's Bay and abroad.
He ran a pub/ restaurant in South Africa for three years and decided it was high time to start his own business in Hawke's Bay.
"We were just starting to get into the swing of things when we went into lockdown. In fact our new chef Zaan Tane was meant to start that very day," Paul said.
"But that's over now and we are back and I really want to thank all our amazing customers who have supported us. We are in an industrial area here and the business around us all support us as do our regulars passersby. Obviously we couldn't do it with out them and we appreciate them all so much."
Paul is a firm believer in buying as much of his ingredients and produce as he can from local suppliers.
"I've just changed our coffee from a Christchurch supplier to Switch which is from Hawke's Bay."
He says they have had incredible feedback from customers about their Keto food.
"We have people coming from all over Hawke's Bay to try it and returning for more."
Zaan ( the chef) said he did a lot of experimenting and reading about Keto during lockdown.
"I was trained as a traditional French chef so it has been really interesting leaning about a new way of cooking."
Don't worry if Keto is not your thing. Lappuccino also offers a varied menu and cabinet food to suit everyone including a Big Breakfast which was described to me by someone who had just eaten it as "the best big breakfast in the Bay and believe me I have tried a few".
It did look amazing and included Zaan's own take on baked beans.
"It has some custom spice in it but I can't tell you the secret ingredients," Zaan said.
Paul said they cater to all dietary requirements including gluten free and vegan.
They also do catering platters. morning teas and are happy to cater to their clients needs.
