Karma is back with great food menu

Dave Romero has another order up at Karma Coffee and Kitchen.

By Carolyn Marnon – Karma Coffee and Kitchen opened on Michigan Avenue in November 2016. You may remember Karma Coffee when they occupied the space next to Dairy Queen on Wayne Rd. Although the owners are the same, Dave and Jennifer Romero, the business is not the same. The city welcomed the first edition of Karma Coffee back in February 2010. They had cozy couches and tables to sit at. They offered free Wi-fi and had musicians to entertain the crowd.  At that time, Jennifer told The Wayne Dispatch that the name Karma came from them wanting to share the good things that had happened to them with others.
What you will find now is a different atmosphere. Gone are the couches, the musical entertainment, the free Wi-fi.  There is now a kitchen where freshly made food appears.
What happened to the Romero’s when the first Karma Coffee closed and the new one opened?  It appears that much happened. Dave went to culinary school at Oakland Community College. The couple had a baby, the now 4 ½ year old Isabella. You’ll find Isabella at the business, wandering around the place or sitting quietly at a table with her own entertainment.
Karma Coffee and Kitchen has more square footage than the previous location. There had been no kitchen at the other store. The new location provides more exposure to the traffic that passes by on Michigan Avenue each day. The Romero’s say this building has more character evidenced by the tin ceiling overhead. They have chefs onsite now. Fresh-baked goods are baked onsite by Steve Berry or Dave and make their way into the pastry display.  Walnut Turtle Cake was a recent offering. Karma serves both lunch and dinner.
Karma does not want to be known as a coffee shop. They are trying to reinvent themselves as a restaurant or café. Dave and Jennifer plan to give back and be a part of the Wayne community.  They want you to come into their establishment, unwind and enjoy the people you are with. There is no Wi-fi or music because they want to minimize distractions.  They want you to enjoy healthy, homecooked meals made from scratch.  Think of Karma as a comfort-food café.  Try the meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken or the soups that are made fresh every morning. They recently started offering hand-cut fresh French fries and sweet potato fries. They have vegetarian options on their menu. If you have kids, they also serve peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled cheese and chicken nuggets.  Besides hot beverages, a customer can get a smoothie, a glass bottle of pop or even a Karma Water (a flavored water not made by Karma Coffee but that just happened to have the serendipitous name Karma.

Karma has a new grilled ham and cheese sandwich on a cinnamon roll. Photos by John Rhaesa

Theme weeks have been implemented. The menu changes each week with new bakery items and sandwiches. If there is something you would like to have that is not on the menu, but the individual ingredients to make it are, they will make you that something. Just ask.
Last month, Karma hosted a Valentine’s Day dinner that reached capacity and went very well. Attendees were able to choose between chicken with champagne sauce, steak in a red wine sauce or vegetarian lasagna.  All were served with a potato that was sliced like a rose, asparagus and strawberries with a balsamic vinegar and for dessert, chocolate cake with strawberries in the middle topped by a brownie frosting.
Karma’s is open Thursday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Sunday is reserved for private parties.  Karma also caters events. If you are interested in having them cater your event or want to reserve the restaurant for an event, contact them at (734) 589-0304. Karma Coffee and Kitchen is located at 35634 W. Michigan Ave. Check them out one day soon!