Serious Eats: New York
Lunch for One: La Crepe Parisienne
[Photo: Kathy Chan]
It's trendy, that's for sure. At the recently opened La Crepe Parisienne, I didn't love the crepes—too soft and floppy—but I loved the energy inside tiny restaurant. The service is genuine and efficient. Order at the counter from a selection of sweet or savoy crepes. They all hover around the $8-$10 range. The savory crepes are deceivingly filling creatures, American-sized, a bit thick. As the gals over at Lunch Studio noted, these crepes would have been better served by a traditional folded square, as opposed to the triangular route.
The menu is short and covers all the bases, with something to please everyone. I went with the prosciutto, raclette and potato crepe. Thickness is a key issue here. Too-thick crepes and thickly-cut prosciutto make everything extra-chewy, more work to eat. The coupling of slightly salted potatoes with the prosciutto was a lovely combo, melted shavings of raclette cheese strewn around the crepes. It was difficult to eat, a sum error of its floppy texture, large size, and deep cone. Good enough to come back? Perhaps, if you're in the neighborhood. But even then, at this price range, I might opt for the comparable Hampton Chutney Co. over La Crepe Parisienne.
As for dessert? Unless you're splitting the meal with a friend, it's doubtful you'll have room for another crepe. So head on south a few blocks to Broome Street and wash it all down with a strong and sweet Vietnamese Iced Coffee from the recently expanded Viet-Nam Banh Mi So 1. A clean end to the meal, and one that will keep you awake and alert for the afternoon to come.
La Crepe Parisienne
51 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012 map)
646-484-6897
lacrepeparisienne.com
Viet-Nam Banh Mi So 1
369 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013 map)
212-219-8341