By Jiyeon Yoo, Metromix, and Shannon Shih, Special to Metromix
What’s the freaking deal with crepes? (Oops, pardon our French.) Not since the days of Julia Child have butter-rich carbs been so in vogue; consider the resurgence in places dedicated to dousing paper-thin pancakes with all sorts of dairy products. Like the upswing in brasseries and bistros, creperies are casual, populist and encourage massive consumption—seriously, America, these portions are huge. You may not give a crepe now, but these decadent dishes, served beachside and at farmers markets, are sure to be this summer’s joie de vivre. Get your waistlines ready.
Acadie has major Frenchy cred: Partners Isabelle Beaujard and Thierry Boisson boast motherland experience in thin cakes—she claims ancestry in a famous crepe-making family; he’s a former crepe chef from France. Along with its permanent storefront along 3rd Street Promenade, Acadie can also be found dishing out savory and sweet variations at the Torrance and Santa Monica Farmers Markets.
A soleil-kissed yellow cottage with a picket-lined porch welcomes beachcombers and brunching leisurists. While the French cuisine skews Californian (brie quesadilla, calamari salad with Dijon vinaigrette), crepe options are focused and classically rendered. The handful of savories and sweets include ham with béchamel, flambéed Suzette and a rich chocolate-and-rum variation called Martinique.
Here’s a little lesson in colonialism: France occupied Vietnam for nearly a century. Thus, Vietnamese crepes make perfect sense. Aside from familiar spring rolls and steaming bowls of pho, this popular Downtown spot serves two variations on banh xeo, vegetarian and not, both of which are a chewy-crispy fusion of East-meets-French.
This Provençal-inspired cottage is easily the most romantic spot along Melrose. While it hardly beats a South of France vay-cay, a quiet dinner of moules frites and wine in the canopied garden patio should suffice for now. Café Marly offers an assortment of crepes both savory and sweet, but it’s the classic Suzette that everyone’s after.
Maybe it’s the cuter-than-thou name, but the self-proclaimed authentic Brittany cafe is so popular, it deserves two beachside locations within four miles of each other. While the newer Redondo Beach offshoot has eased things, the Hermosa Beach original is still packed, especially on weekends, so expect a wait (even with a reservation). But patience is a virtue: The friendly staff is known to reward forbearing patrons with a free dessert crepe.
The original Hermosa branch of this exuberantly French creperie was so popular, the owners opened a second location just four miles up the shoreline. Sweet or savory? When it comes to the crepes, that is the question. The most popular choices include the Montagnarde — raclette cheese over proscuitto and potatoes — and the Décadente — flambéed cinnamon baked apples with brown sugar. Devoted Francophiles can also feast on omelettes, salads, quiche, fondue and beef bourguignon.
What happens when a former Claim Jumper chef opens an eatery devoted to crepes? Overstuffed pancakes fit for a lumberjack, that’s what. The filling from the crepes alone could support the dairy industry: Savory options of chicken or shrimp are slathered with cream sauce and mozzarella, while dessert crepes are always available a la mode.
A bona fide Frenchman opened this charming new creperie at the end of Sawtelle’s Japanese restaurant row. The menu, like the place itself, is small and simple—the better to taste the buckwheat in the beautifully executed flapjacks. That doesn’t mean you can’t go hog wild: The Works is bursting at the seams with all of the kitchen’s savory ingredients. The space is cozy and the atmosphere friendly, making Dusigne a welcome refuge from the tyrannical Crepe to Go just down the block.
Within this tiny, tiny hole in the wall resides the Crepe Nazi. As is stated in the “owners’ declaration!” [sic], he is indeed “very notorious.” One needs to follow a litany of rules (such as “don’t step in until you are ready”) before getting a crepe with a personality of its own. Savory options are named after legendary actors, the sweet for actresses. Is it worth the abuse? A lot of people seem to think so. And we thought the French had attitude.
The little bistro is tucked in an alley off the main Colorado Boulevard drag of Old Town Pasadena. The name may seem self-evident: CrepeVine serves crepes and offers wine by the taste, glass and bottle. But selections of salads, flatbread pizzas and hot sandwiches easily outnumber—and are just as popular as—the namesake entrees, which take on creative, California-appropriate spins like carnitas with queso fresco.
This Franco-festive booth in the middle of the Farmers Market may not be the most authentic, but that hasn’t stopped the crowds from flocking. The line, especially on sunny weekends, seems interminable, but the staff swiftly manages the chaos. With names like La Marie Antoinette and La Napoleon, dishes sound twee but portions are hefty, so sharing—or an extra lap around the Market—is a very good idea.
The bustling cafe specializes in crepes and boba, a combination that garners a loyal following of students from nearby Loyola Marymount. It’s Japanese-owned, so the crepes are crispier and less eggy than their French counterparts, and they’re served in paper cones reminiscent of county fairs. The menu is vast, offering every possible filling and topping. A frequent-diner’s card rewards every 10 purchases with a free crepe.
When enjoyed beachside, crepes not only taste better but are less calorie-laden. (OK, not really.) This Long Beach favorite quietly set up a second location in downtown Manhattan Beach, which locals are already making a regular breakfast spot. The cafe also offers an extensive menu of omelettes, pastas, paninis and dinner entrees. But if you’re out to prove that man can live on crepes alone, the laundry list of savory and sweet should help in your endeavor.
While this popular San Fernando Valley mainstay offers a compendium of classic French dishes, from onion soup and baked brie to a towering chocolate soufflé that should be ordered ahead, La Frite offers an extra-cheesy take on crepes. Most of the savory options are stuffed into a casserole dish with cream sauce, covered with cheese and gratinéed. BYO Lactaid.
While this popular San Fernando Valley mainstay offers a compendium of classic French dishes, from onion soup and baked brie to a towering chocolate soufflé that should be ordered ahead, La Frite offers an extra-cheesy take on crepes. Most of the savory options are stuffed into a casserole dish with cream sauce, covered with cheese and gratinéed. BYO Lactaid.
Your eyes do not deceive you: This is a greasy spoon wedged into the side of a Travelodge. And it’s in a part of Culver City that has yet to hear about the area’s revivalism. But this diamond in the rough has drawn a loyal following of grub-hounds who have discovered the unexpectedly Serbian-leaning menu. It’s also considered one of L.A.’s best breakfast spots, due in large part to the crepes. Because who wouldn’t flock for Nutella and homemade jam first thing in the morning?
The boho-Moroccan setup is a Hollywood oasis for aspiring actors and writers—but don’t let that deter you. It’s the usual fare to go with the free Wi-Fi and the phalanx of MacBooks: salads, sandwiches, croissants and buckets of coffee. There are also plenty of crepes, from the hale-and-hearty Sunny Path (grilled chicken, onions and mushrooms in Dijon sauce) to the nightcap-appropriate Eve’s Desire, which sets cinnamon apples afire in brandy flambé.
