YUMMY FINDS OFFERS MORE THAN A GOOD CUPCAKE

VICTORIA

YUMMY FINDS OFFERS MORE THAN A GOOD CUPCAKE

Photos by Shelby Miller/samiller@vicad.com Courtney Figuerova, of Victoria, makes sandwiches at Yummy Finds in Victoria. Figuerova is the owner of Yummy Finds.

BY MORGAN THEOPHIL mtheophil@vicad.com

When you walk in the door of Yummy Finds, the heart behind the operation is clear.

The “quaint, unique, God-loving little restaurant and bakery,” as described by owner Courtney Figuerova, operates as a partnership with Perpetual Help Home, a Christian-based, permanent supportive housing organization that helps move women toward independence with transitional support and new life-skills training.

“When you come in here, you know that you’re doing more than just enjoying the food,” she said. “You’re helping something.”

Yummy Finds, 402 Salem Road, is a restaurant and bakery that was founded in 2009. In 2016, Figuerova felt led to close the shop’s doors – but didn’t do so for long. The shop reopened in 2017 as a partnership with Perpetual Help Home.

The heart behind the partnership is designed to glorify God, said Bethany Castro, the executive director of Perpetual Help Home. Half of all proceeds earned at Yummy Finds are given to Perpetual Help Home.

As part of the partnership, Yummy Finds has a Restaurant Academy where two women living at Perpetual Help Home at a time work as wait staff at the restaurant for three to six months.

The academy provides the women an opportunity to learn professional skills, work face-to-face with customers and prepare for future careers, Castro said.

“In here, we are striving to provide excellent food, joyful customer service and a peaceful atmosphere for

VICTORIA

our customers,” Castro said. “And it goes beyond the delicious lunch and really helps many women.”

Yummy Finds is historically known for its cupcakes, the two women said, but it’s also a popular lunch spot in town. In 2019, it was voted Best Appetizer in the Victoria Advocate’s annual Best of the Best.

The appetizer that led the restaurant to claim the award sounds simple, a cup of fresh fruit with a house-made fruit dip, but Figuerova called it “just heavenly.” Containers of the popular dip can be purchased at Yummy Finds.

For lunch favorites, Castro and Figuerova agreed two sandwiches stand out. First, it’s the jalapeño popper panini, which has been a top seller since it was introduced. It’s hot, with house-made jalapeño cream cheese spread, turkey, spicy three-pepper colby jack cheese, pancetta, avocado, tomato and lettuce on sourdough bread.

Many lunchtime visitors also opt for Rebekah’s special, a spicy chipotle chicken sandwich with mozzarella, avocado, tomato, lettuce and mayo on toasted flatbread. The sandwich is named after a “sweet, God-loving girl” who used to work with Figuerova.

“But no matter what people get for lunch, or if they don’t get any lunch at all, people always come back to our cupcakes,” Figuerova said.

Among the favorites is the Honey Bee, a vanilla cupcake injected with honey and topped with a smooth and creamy honey cinnamon buttercream frosting. Among the 20 main flavors, there’s a classic red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting, an ever-popular Oreo Cloud and a pineapple upside- down cupcake.

And the women don’t forget to point out one of the shop’s more original choices: the Very Merry Un-BiRtHdAy cupcake, a “whimsical” cupcake that’s a marbled vanilla and chocolate cake layered with colored confetti sprinkles and topped with vanilla and chocolate buttercream and more confetti sprinkles. The specialty was named by the Yummy Finds’ Facebook community, Figuerova said.

Seasonal cupcake flavors are also offered year-round.

Cupcakes come in three sizes: cuties, yummies or yummos. Yummos, which are the biggest, aren’t sold daily in the store.

“There’s honestly not one cupcake I don’t like,” Castro said.

Aside from the restaurant’s regular hours, Yummy Finds caters events such as weddings, receptions and parties. The shop can be rented before or after store hours for events such as bunko nights and bridal showers.

Though Yummy Finds’ hours aren’t vast, the two women said it’s worth the effort to come by for a weekday lunch – without forgetting a cupcake as you go.

“Yummy Finds is a gem that everyone should discover,” Castro said.

Brittany Ley, of Victoria, makes red velvet cupcakes at Yummy Finds.

Yummy Finds offers a variety of sandwiches, salads, and cupcakes with 50% of its profits going to Perpetual Help Home.

 IF YOU GO

YUMMY FINDS

402 Salem Road

HOURS // 11 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday