Sure, First Watch and IHOP have the word crepes buried in their menu amongst eggs benedict and waffles. But they will never compare to real crepe restaurants — and Crepe KC, which recently opened about 40 minutes north of East, made me feel like I was sitting in a cafe next to the Eiffel Tower.
The restaurant was barely bigger than my English classroom, but the shelves were decorated with plants and the brown tables were packed with high schoolers studying. The decor created a homey vibe — one of my favorite parts about the place. But the chalk board menu was limited, offering only six crepes — very different than the singular one on the First Watch menu.
The cashier working at the front went through the different crepes with me, telling me what she liked and disliked about them — whether that be the tartness of the lemon in the original crepe or the perfectly cooked bacon in the BLT. Although it took about 20 minutes for my crepes to come after I ordered them, the friendliness of the workers made up for it.
I ordered the strawberries and cream, Nutella crepes and ham and cheese crepes — the perfect combination of sweet and salty. The three different crepes all held a unique combination of flavors, and the drizzle of the sauces and the fresh fruit on top blew me away.
The strawberries and cream looked like something straight out of Candy Land. The strawberry glaze created a pink river moat around the two crepes, and the powdered sugar sprinkled on top made it shine — literally. To finish it all off, it was garnished with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
The dough combined with the cream cheese created a smooth texture in my mouth, and the glaze added the perfect touch of sweetness. However, the excessive amount of cream cheese in every bite left a bitter aftertaste behind, which was a dealbreaker for me. Every other aspect was good, but I wouldn’t recommend ordering unless you’re a cream cheese enthusiast.
The presentation of the Nutella crepe was almost as disappointing as the aftertaste of the cream cheese. The two small crepes were lightly sprinkled in powdered sugar and topped with just a touch of whipped cream thrown to the side — not a good start.
Luckily, the lazily-thrown-together presentation was redeemed by the crepe, which was cooked so perfectly that my my fork cut right through the thin, flaky surface. The thin dough created an envelope around the creamy chocolate Nutella — something that paired perfectly with the sliced bananas inside. I ate the entire thing in four minutes (yes, I checked). It was a predictable Nutella crepe — but ol’ faithful is called ol’ faithful for a reason. If you’re a Nutella enthusiast but aren’t looking for an Instagram-able presentation, this is your crepe.
The ham and cheese was the showstopper — it looked like something straight out of “The Great British Baking Show.” The crepes were drizzled in bechamel, a buttery white sauce, topped with diced tomatoes and garnished with rosemary. It looked like a bouquet of flowers on top of a crepe.
The crepe was filled with diced ham and melted american cheese. The savoriness of the ham melted with the creaminess of the cheese created a rich taste, and the tomatoes on top balanced out the richness with the acidity. This dish will definitely fill you up, and be the highlight of your experience.
There may have only been six options, but each one I tasted offered different flavors and presentations. While I wouldn’t recommend the strawberries and cream crepe, I would definitely suggest Nutella for the chocolate lovers or the ham and cheese if you’re going for the savory type.
Even though the 40-minute drive was long and the menu of only six items didn’t provide a very diverse selection, the items I got there provided tasteful, filling crepes for $21.70 — making the drive totally worth it.
Related
Leave a Reply