Project 365: Day 63 - Le Creperie

This article is long overdue.

Last year, Roxane and I were discussing how I missed having a good crepe. Roxane wasnt really big on crepes and couldn't relate to my cravings. We had a couple of crepes in French Baker a while back and while it was okay, it definitely wasn't something to write home about.

We stumbled on La Creperie in Robinson's Galleria a couple of days after the discussion. It was still in a "soft opening" stage and the place was empty of customers. Seemed like a clear sign that someone out there is answering my food related prayers.

This is how everything went down during our first visit:

The interior. Yes the photo is flipped to show the store sign. I have this weird aversion to taking pics of storefronts after seeing "Coming to America". No, I can't explain it either.

La Christine: the first crepe that Roxane ordered. You can tell that the chef burned the crepe a bit and made the crepe crisp. Now I dont mind that, I usually like burned food but Roxane wasn't impressed. To be honest I wasn't either. The strawberries were a bit too tart and the entire dish didn't have a good lasting impression. None of the  flavors stood out. Seems like were off to a shaky start.

Salidou:  Roxane wasn't happy about her strawberry crepe and I think one of the reasons was that I had the Salidou. In my opinion, this crepe is a superstar. The Salidou is a simple crepe with whipped cream and a drizzling of salt caramel. The caramel is so good (not too sweet, not too thick) that I immediately asked if they sold it separately. I was given a very disappointing "no". Now the only way I can get the caramel is if I eat at La Creperie. Genius bastards.

At the first visit, La Creperie is coming off as a little uneven. From the very mediocre La Christine to the great impression that the Salidou left, the polite but sometimes distracted and inattentive service and the varied quality of the crepes (Roxane's was overcooked, mine was just right), the place is showing the signs of a soft opening but seems to be adapting well.

Roxane and I loved the Salidou so much that we dedided that the place deserves a second visit. I'm glad to say that some of the concerns during the soft opening were addressed and  the place is now one of our places to go to.

Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie: A chocolate brownie wrapped in a chocolate crepe drizzled in chocolate sauce.
Personally I stay away from chocolate redundancies but this is a crepe that I'm willing to make an exception on. The crepe isn't rubbery like most that I've encountered. This shows a discipline in making the crepe batter as most people would over-mix to get the chocolate in. The crepe was tender and the melting vanilla ice cream softened the brownie creating a good play of textures. A bit too sweet for me but that's more about preference than anything.

Crepe Suzette: this is a very Your Mileage May Vary crepe. If you've had a suzette or orange marmalade before you'll know what to expect. For the rest of you, its a crepe with orange marmalade and bourbon. The liquor is lit and an eerie blue flame plays over the crepe for a few seconds. You can barely make out the flames when they set up the dish in front of you and I wish they'd dim the lights to give the dish a bit more spectacle. Now I say YMMV because its bitter. Its a combination of the sweet and the bitter from the marmalade and the bitter and burn from the bourbon. I love this. Roxane..not so much.

Le "J.J.": If sweet crepes aren't your thing, La Creperie offers savory ones too. This is another superstar. Ham, tomatoes, chili flakes and gruyere cheese melted inside a tender crepe. Pricey but very much worth it. Don't let the chili flakes scare you off as this isn't a really spicy dish. The spice is noticeable but only to highlight the other flavors.

While you eat, french music pumps from the speakers discreetly. I don't know if the owners just chose the songs for their "frenchness" as some of the songs are obviously more geared towards blue collar than high end. I don't speak the language but you can tell the songs didn't have dining in mind. I would suggest that they check out the Ratatouille soundtrack from Disney/Pixar. That may come off as cliche but it should set the mood perfectly

La Creperie has a few more places opened around the metro, notably one in Eastwood. It has crepes for those craving sweets and those looking to try something different for lunch. The place will set ya back around 200 - 300Php per person. La Creperie also offers coffee, hot chocolate (an "authentic" french one that I'm eager to try) and lots of  tea.

It's one of those places where they successfully blend high-end product and preparation with accessibility and a reasonable price range.

If it were up to me, I'd have the Salidou once a day everyday and I know I will never get tired of it.