Helena's Chocolate Cafe & Creperie -- By Dana Kinsey, Photos by Jadrian Klinger

Posted @ Sep. 01 2011 06:26AM by Timmy - in-print

Tucked in tightly, two doors down from the Carlisle Theater, Helena’s offers what the average coffee house cannot dream of producing. Let’s see; classic crepes, a constantly changing selection of European-style, hand-crafted chocolates, homemade desserts, soups, sandwiches, house-made gelato and sorbet, at least 15 varieties of beautiful multi-colored “macarons” and superior coffee and chocolate beverages.

Helena Twigg created and runs the creperie with her husband Ryan. The couple has joined culinary forces to create one of the hottest spots in Carlisle and a must-visit for the crepe enthusiast who yearns for fresh ingredients. It is a kid-friendly family business and, often, the couple’s two children, Natalie and Logan, are happily entertaining themselves in the play corner. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, adorned with artwork by Helena’s mother. Small round tables are comfortable, Wi-Fi is available and a long glass case holds an enticing display of desserts. Saturday mornings, one of the busiest times for Helena’s, are when all bakery enthusiasts come to shop a wide selection of artisan breads, croissants, Danish pastries, baguettes and other breads imported fresh from Philadelphia. The café is bustling on these mornings, but it is also incredibly fun.

As part of the restaurant group featuring Café Bruges, Trattoria Piatto and Argana, Helena’s is run with the same philosophy that “eating real food” is the healthiest lifestyle choice customers can make and is fundamental in serving the best tasting products. Proud that all of her menu offerings are made “from scratch,” Helena claims that with the perfect recipe, homemade batter, patience and time, she can create crepes and other treats like no one else in the area.
Ross Morris, one of the area’s finest chefs and friend to Helena, mentored her at Carlisle’s first espresso bar, A La Tarte, while she was still in high school. When Morris opened Piatto and closed A La Tarte, Helena came with him and continued to learn the culinary arts until she left for college. Their friendship continued as she was “practically adopted into his family.” After graduation, she returned to Carlisle, and together with Ross and husband Ryan, opened her successful café.

It is evident from viewing her hand-made chocolates that Helena has an art background. Beginning with Belgian dark chocolate, which is rich in heart-healthy flavonoids, Helena adds her own palette of colors and details to make each candy a mini-masterpiece. Flavors like balsamic strawberry, raspberry and rich caramel fill the centers. They are almost too beautiful to eat. Her chocolate éclairs are the perfect texture, filled with creamy custard and topped with rich chocolate.

Also unique are Ryan’s popular French confectionaries called “macarons.” These pastel-colored sandwich cookies have wafer-thin, melt-in-your-mouth shells with sweet, creamy insides. In terms of varieties, there are rose, lavender, forest berry, pistachio, espresso and so many more. He changes them almost daily, and they generally sell out quickly. Ryan also loves to experiment with gelato and sorbet and creates tempting classic cream and fruit flavors. Chef Ross Morris’ contributions to Helena’s include chocolate peanut-butter pie, carrot cake, cheesecake, coconut chocolate layer cake and more. All of Helena’s sweet treats make perfect gifts and can be ordered ahead for special occasions like parties, showers, birthdays or weddings.

Helena’s appreciation for crepes and delicious meals can be traced back to her grandmother and mother. Sunday was always “Crepe Day,” and the tradition continues to inspire her. One particularly delicious crepe is filled with Nutella and strawberry. The rich chocolate-hazlenut spread melts into the pancake and the fresh, tangy strawberries. Whipped cream enhances the flavors even more. Sweet crepes can also be filled with butter, local honey, orange marmalade, chocolate raspberry or “dulce de leche,” Latin American caramel cream.

Savory crepes or Galatte are made with buckwheat flour for a more complex flavor and can include ingredients like ham, eggs, Gruyere cheese, spinach, feta cheese, tuna, salmon and many others. Specials are switched daily and often incorporate local foods. The customers’ creativity is honored; Helena and her staff are flexible and will make each crepe exactly the way a customer orders it. Flavorful accompaniments to the crepes are Helena’s homemade soups. Favorites include cream of asparagus or broccoli, vegetarian chili and gazpacho.

Visit Helena’s Chocolate Café & Creperie Tuesdays through Sundays. The restaurant opens on weekdays at 7:30 a.m. and closes at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays the Café is open until 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on weekend nights. Sunday hours are 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Customers can experience European decadence in the heart of historic Carlisle.