Kaisy’s Delights opens full-service dining room in Lewes

Pam GeorgeCulture, Food, Headlines

Thierry Langer owns the three Kaisy’s Delights locations with his wife, Nathalie. (Kaisy's Delights)

Thierry and Nathalie Langer own the three Kaisy’s Delights locations. (Kaisy’s Delights)

It is hard to miss Kaisy’s Delights in Lewes. The building at Savannah and Wescoats roads resembles a mountain chalet. And then there are the colors: Lily Pulitzer pink and lime green.

Locals and frequent visitors belly up to the counter for the coffee — La Colombe — breakfast sandwiches and the Kaisy, short for Kaiserschmarrn, or “imperial mess” in Austria. The restaurant’s namesake looks like a fluffy scrambled pancake and comes with your choice of fruit compotes, whipped cream or chocolate sauce.

But as of this weekend, customers can also enjoy a full-service experience in the 20-seat “Zum Chalet,” a room now dedicated to elegant dining.

“In German-speaking nations, zum is very often used for restaurants instead of der, die or das, which are the three versions for ‘the,’” explains Thierry Langer, who owns the three Kaisy’s Delights locations with his wife, Nathalie.

“It adds an intention of a place you go to, and also a feeling of Gemütlichkeit, which is a fundamental concept in Austria — kind of a mixture of coziness, comfort and feeling at home,” he continued.

Mixing finer dining with casual to-go food is common in the Alps, explained Langer, a French native whose father was born in Austria. Many establishments have a carryout window, counter service and a full-service dining room all under one roof.

Petal pink napkins, a matching tea set and white china plates set the mood at Kaisy's (Kaisy's Delights)

Petal pink napkins, a matching tea set and white china plates set the mood at Kaisy’s. (Kaisy’s Delights)

The Langers have outfitted the room with accessories that “could have been designed by Tinker Bell,” according to the website. Consider petal pink napkins that match a tea set and white china plates. It’s a setting fit for Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, who was fond of the shredded pancake.

While the Zum Chalet’s menu embraces Austrian delights — such as wiener schnitzel with lingonberry preserves and potato salad — you’ll also find favorites from the Langers’ native France, such as quiche.

“It’s just a starting menu,” he said. “There are many ideas to come.” He plans to apply for a liquor license.

For now, the Zum Chalet will serve breakfast and lunch. “We shall see where the winds bring us,” Langer said.

The Langers’ flagship Kaisy’s Delights is a small shop on Rehoboth Avenue. They also have a location in the Nemours Building next to Bayhealth Sussex Campus in Milford.

Call 302-313-4241 for information about the Zum Chalet.

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