Kolache Mama Looks to Bring Czech Pastries to the Masses
What is it about Midtown that attracts new fast food chains trying to yuppify some strange ethnic classic? I suppose if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere right? Empanada Joe’s tried to do it with the empanada (gone), Sugo e Basilico with the piadina (gone), F&B Gudtfood with the European street food (Midtown location gone), Kushi Q with the yakitori (still plugging along), and of course Danku with the Dutch kroket (also still open). Plus there’s that place Piada opening in the Citicorp building (which could be Sugo reinvented.) But even with that long, strange list this one might take the cake (no pun intended.)Kolache Mama is the latest chain to hit Midtown with the desire to introduce New York City to the kolache, an Eastern European pastry stuffed with sweet and savory fillings that apparently are very popular in states with large Czech populations- like Texas, Minnesota, and Oklahoma (who knew?!?) Their website describes them as “a light, flavorful fresh-baked dough filled with different ingredients like fruit, meat, cheese, veggies, etc.”
What, praytell, do these things look like?
Admittedly I’ve never tried a kolache, and I’m sure in their original form they are delicious. But I’m always weary when something like this gets chainified- especially by a company whose website calls their product “fast food for foodies” with “4 star aspirations”. You’re joking right?
So what exactly will Kolache Mama’s Czech pastry look like? Well based on the photos on their homepage (a new one shows up every time you reload), it could be any number of things:
Hmmm… so a kolache can be a roll/bagel topped with spinach and cheese or veggies, a jelly topped doughnut looking thing, or cheese filled pigs in a blanket!?! (Filled with love indeed!) I do love me some pigs in a blanket, so I’m in. Who knows, maybe it will be good? I’m going to hold out hope. (Sorry, it’s in my nature.)
The first location is slated to open in late September in the Roosevelt Hotel (on 45th and Vanderbilt), and a second location shortly after on Madison and 34th.
Any lunchers out there familiar with the real deal kolache? How excited should we be on a scale of 1 to 10?
