When Michelia—the “Europe Asian Bistro” that never managed to make sense along this strip of 3rd Street—closed, I’m sure it felt like the perfect spot to offer light, delicate French pancakes for the Robertson glitterati who would otherwise regret the carbolicious indulgence of neighboring
Breadbar. Enter Robert Benson—executive chef and owner of
Jack n’ Jill’s, the popular breakfast spot favored by Hollywood alpha types and not-so-desperate housewives of Beverly Hills—and the new
Creperie.
With a chic white-on-buttercream palette, the latest addition is more sophisticated than its older siblings (there’s
another Jack n’ Jill’s in Santa Monica)—as it should be, considering its Franco-obvious name and
Orso-adjacent address. Rather than the din of a greasy spoon, my companion and I are greeted by an intimate, muted setting as the murmurs of a few scattered couples fade into the mellow music.
We immediately take advantage of the wine list—yes, it’s appropriate to have alcohol with crepes—before tackling the menu. Now, I’d read Creperie’s mission statement—“over-stuffed gourmet crepes,” the website plainly states—but am wholly unprepared for the amusement-park-sized entrees that greet us. So full of filling, these Goliaths are practically sandwich wraps. I should have clued in to the fact that Benson boasts 20 years experience at
Claim Jumper and serves something called “The Ridiculous Knife and Fork Chili-Cheeseburger” at Jack n’ Jill’s. Each crepe comes with its own name too, and why not? Each is about the size of a person anyway.
Choudrant features chicken, pancetta and pesto in a sherry cream sauce. It hits the spot for the first few bites before my palate begins to drown in the richness. Gone are any pronounced flavors of smoky pork or garlicky pesto; soon it’s like eating a pot pie. The Quarter is one of only two savory crepes that isn’t made with a Jersey cow’s worth of dairy—although every item comes with mozzarella. The meaty, spicy jambalaya sauce is bursting with andouille sausage and shrimp, but it too is overwhelming.
Being able to distinguish the flavor of the crepe itself poses the most difficult challenge. All the savory offerings are made with whole wheat flour, and sampled alone, the pancakes are actually tender, a little nutty and pretty good. The restaurant might do well to take a page from the unapologetic starch-gluttony of
Pizzeria Mozza, which highlights Nancy Silverton’s magical bread with spare toppings. As they're served at Creperie, crepes are unfortunately not the point.
Food: Overstuffed gourmet crepes, both savory and sweet, filled to the breaking point with creamy sauces. Oh, and the usual hodgepodge of salads, sandwiches and meat-based entrees.
Scene: The Robertson crowd, hoping to find something in price and atmosphere between Orso and BreadBar.
Insider tip: If you prefer ice cream to cream-cream, head straight for the desserts. The cold stuff is scream-worthy in the Dupont, a confection filled with strawberries and bananas, slathered with Nutella and topped with Baileys vanilla sauce.
