Made in the Hudson Valley: Israeli native shares love of Greek culture through Lukumadness in White Plains
The name "Lukumadness" combines the shop's main attraction — the Greek dessert loukoumades — along with the chaos of starting a new shop.
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From Israel to New York, Momi Baht has always been a lover of the Greek culture, sharing that love with customers throughout the Hudson Valley through his shop, Lukumadness in White Plains.
"I'm Israeli; I'm not [a] Greek guy," he explained. "We live next to Greece. So, all my life I visit[ed] over there."
The name "Lukumadness" combines the shop's main attraction — the Greek dessert loukoumades — along with the chaos of starting a new shop.
"'Luku' [stands for] the Greek donut," Baht explained. "It's not regular donuts like everybody eats over here. It's like [a] Greek delight donut...and I'm the 'madness'...To do something like this [at] my age today is kind of madness…I decide[d] to do something I don't understand...and thank God, everything is perfect."
Loukoumades are traditionally topped with honey, sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. Baht, on the other hand, goes the extra mile, adding toppings like pistachio, Nutella, Oreos and more that leave customers wishing they were actually in Greece.
"The moment they try the loukoumades, they open their eyes and are in shock," he said. "[They're] like, 'Wow. It's something different. It's very, very good.'"
Baht also offers all different kinds of treats from not only Greece, but also all over the world. That includes delights like falafel, crepes, croissants and his award-winning coffee.
"Everything I bring over here...[is] import[ed] from Italy, France, Greece, [etc.]," he explained. "So, they got the best special things over here."
At the end of the day, Baht says it's the customers that make this dream worthwhile.
"The people love the place," he said. "The people love the food. The people love the loukoumades, and it's something different. ..[and] I enjoy [sitting] with my customers. I enjoy [spoiling] my customers. I enjoy [having] any connection with my customers."
"Lukumadness" is - located at 850 N. Broadway in White Plains.
