14 | BOROMAG.COM | SEPTEMBER 2013 food Greek Donut = Gronut? Manhattan may have the famed cronut, and Williamsburg may be catching up with the newly hyped ramen burger, but what Queens lacks in social media frenzy, it makes up for in sheer quality, history, and deliciousness. She doesn’t call it the Gronut, but Katarina Davoultzis makes her own version of loukoumades—a traditional Greek donut (hence, Gronut)—every single day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and she has rapidly developed a following of loyal patrons. While Café Boulis stays open until 8 or 9 p.m. most evenings, Davoultzis is just as much a part of the draw as her famous donuts. “We make everything fresh,” she boasts with a proud smile. “You want a frappe, it’s going to take a minute,” she explains, “because I am going to get the milk straight from the cow.” The entire sidewalk café erupts in laughter. She’s part chef, part matron, part emcee, and every bit as sweet as her pastries. It is rumored that in ancient Greece, these fried dough treats were presented to winners of the Olympics as “honey tokens”. At Café Boulis, the rings of homemade dough are shaped and fried to order using a special machine rarely found outside of Greece, then served with any variety of toppings, ranging from Nutella to chocolate syrup and sesame seeds. The best way to order them, however, is “all the way”—drizzled with Greek honey, and lightly dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar. These mini golden rings come 6 to an order for just $4 and fit in the palm of your hand. They sell boxes and large trays, as well. Café Boulis also serves an array of paninis, salads, wraps, and other traditional Greek desserts, along with several coffees. The baklava and galaktoboureko are certainly worthy of note. But it is undeniably the loukoumades that keeps drawing in the crowds. Crispy on the outside, warm and soft spongey cake inside, the version at Café Boulis is really unparalleled, and makes the perfect morning, midday or afternoon treat. Cafe Boulis 31-15 31st Ave | (718) 806-1014 www.cafeboulis.com
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