Crema Gourmet — Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale

I have been to the Davie location many times previously and enjoyed every single time. I needed to meet a client for lunch in the Las Olas area so I suggested we meet at Crema. We went up to order a salmon sandwich, add extra salmon & a grilled salmon salad with 2 bottle of waters. My client asked for a side of lime or lemon for her water if they had it and this left the counter lady super confused to which she gave her a sauce cup of lemon juice… now I don’t know if this confusion is what lead to the miscommunication for the instance that I’m about to describe…. I elected at the iPad to receive my receipt via email (which I usually do since I need them for work expenses)- the total was $34 before tip, and I added 20%- this seemed appropriate for a sandwich and a salad so I didn’t question the total or look at a receipt at this time. We returned to our seats after ordering. This was at 12:05pm. My client and I started our meeting and soon after my salmon sandwich arrived- It was poorly constructed and though I paid to add additional salmon it was scarce. I waited to eat until my client ‘s food arrived… she went up to service counter around 12:30pm to inquire about her order since we noticed it had been taking a while and other people were being served who ordered after us. The lady at the counter assured her the salad was on the way. She returned to our table and we continued our meeting. After another 20 minutes I just couldn’t believe her salad was still coming, so she asked again and the lady at the counter & food runners began “looking for the food ticket.” After 10 min of searching, a lady who I presume to be the manager (she didn’t introduce herself, guessed only because she was more dressed up that everyone else working) says she will go reprint the receipt for me (because I hadn’t received it via email yet) and figure out what’s going on. She then returns with the receipt and says “you actually only paid for the salmon sandwich and a salad was never on the ticket.” So after an hour of sitting there waiting for a salmon salad that we DEFINITELY ordered… it happened to be a miscommunication where the service counter employee didn’t realize 2 people ordered 2 separate meals?

The manager lady then proceeds to tell me, never apologetic, I can just go back up to the counter and order the salad now and she will make sure it is made “right away”. So I go up, ORDER AGAIN, & still tip 20% -another gentleman who seemed to be another manager dressed up hands me the receipt as I was walking away and says “here so you have the receipt this time” - a little rude if you ask me.

I wish the terrible experience ended there. When the salad arrived, it was just smoked salmon on top of a bed of greens… my client says to the server “it was supposed to be grilled salmon?” & he says oh we don’t have that. And we both say, yes you do it’s on the menu? And he says “oh that’s a salmon fillet and if you want that then you’ll have to wait because it takes 20 minutes in the oven.” At point it has been over 1.5 hours since we ordered food initially. My salmon sandwich has been sitting on the table for over an hour. My client says it’s fine and she will just take the salad as is. By the time we begin to eat, my sandwich was so soggy and gross I only ate half, and my client just ate part of her salad because we had to leave since lunch had taken so long.

This entire time the manager never returned to make sure we were okay or even ask if there was anything she can do to rectify the situation. No one else approached us the rest of the time we were there. What an utter lack of care and a huge MISS for a customer service opportunity for every employee involved. It was embarrassing on my behalf to be conducting a business meeting at an establishment so poorly managed. Last time going there for sure. ✌🏼

Oh and while we were leaving the table next to us was also having an issue with the plate they ordered so… looks like this place has problems all...

Pros: Chocolate Chip Cookie Affogato Oreo Pie

Cons: Coffee beans aren’t local or freshly roasted. Service is inconsistent. One cashier ruined the cookie by overcooking it in the microwave after shoving it as hard as she could in the plastic to go container that isn’t made for microwave use.

We have come here for dessert, but I would definitely come back at some point and taste their other offerings. The guy who took our order at the register the first time was fantastic. He was personable, dynamic, and really makes you smile when speaking with him. He was also honest when he praised their cookie.

We have tasted their chocolate chip cookie, Oreo pie, and their affogato.

That cookie…. That 🍪…. It was worth every penny. This is a chocolate chip cookie. For being a place that doesn’t specialize in cookies, I was shocked at how good it was. Really, it was perfect! It is not doughie in the middle, so if you are looking for a levain type cookie that is a little undercooked in the middle, this is not it. However, it is super soft and moist in the middle with nice crisp edges. It is really the perfect cookie.

The Oreo pie was also amazing. I would put this about the Oreo cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory. If you’re in the mood for cheesecake, this is definitely the way to go!

The affogato was delicious. Their take on it with whip and caramel was an interesting touch. Although beautifully served, it was also impractically served. The affogato is very difficult to eat because there isn’t enough space in the cup for the espresso without it overflowing. Putting it in a little bowl or latte cup would make this also perfect. In addition to that, the espresso served with it had ZERO crema, which leads me to question the quality of bean they are using, or the skill of the barista that pulled the shot.

The ambiance is lovely, so open with little comfy nooks and half booths along two walls.

The only reason I couldn’t give this place 5 stars is because their service is inconsistent depending on who is behind the counter, and they use Illy coffee and that espresso did not look well made. Although Illy is a fancy name, it is not the best option for coffee. It makes the place look more upscale, more gourmet, but having something locally roasted, or at least more recently roasted would produce a much better...

In my travels through the swampy yet sun-splashed coasts of South Florida—a land where the air is thick with promise and perspiration—I happened upon a modestly named establishment: Crema. I did not expect to find anything of literary consequence within its humble walls, but dear reader, I was mistaken, and I was gloriously so.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a staff whose manner was so pleasant, it bordered on suspicious. Hospitality this sincere often precedes either a great meal or a great con. I’m pleased to report it was the former.

Now, I’ve eaten chicken in every form known to man and beast. I’ve had it roasted in Mississippi, fried in Missouri, and once, tragically, boiled in Boston. But never before have I been so completely and unreservedly captivated by that noble bird as I was by the Chicken Club Sandwich at Crema.

Imagine, if you will, a stack of flavors arranged as neatly as a steamboat deck on a Sunday. The chicken itself was plump and noble, kissed with just enough seasoning to suggest good breeding without announcing it loudly. It sat amongst crisp bacon, lettuce that still believed in itself, and tomatoes that tasted of actual sun and not fluorescent betrayal. The bread was lightly toasted—firm, but never boastful—like a gentleman farmer’s handshake. And the aioli? Why, sir, it was a whisper of garlic and elegance, tying the whole thing together like a secret handshake in a society of taste.

I dare say, it was not a sandwich, it was a sermon. And I was its most devoted convert.

The atmosphere of Crema was warm without being intrusive, stylish without a trace of vanity. Had I not other errands to tend to (including napping under a palm tree and avoiding further correspondence), I might have lingered until supper and started the affair all over again.

Five stars, and if I had a sixth star, I’d steal it from the night sky and hang it above their kitchen myself.

So if you find yourself adrift in Fort Lauderdale with hunger as your guide and good sense as your companion, point your boots toward Crema. Order the Chicken Club. Tell 'em Mark Twain sent you—then promptly deny it, as I’m trying to keep the place from getting...