As the nation continues to
struggle with economic troubles, and luxurious vacations to European getaways
seem more a wish than a possibility, the team of Crepes de Paris Claremont looks to
bring a little taste of Europe to town. With it also comes a desire to provide
a new way of looking at the Parisian specialty from which it draws its name.
“Crepes aren’t just about
dessert,” said employee Johann Aza. “They can be sweet or savory and both are
really fulfilling.”
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| Photo//Steven Felschundneff |
The European-inspired eatery,
which kicked off its first full week of business on Monday, is the latest food
venture of Claremont’s Village West to open shop, filling one of the final
spots of the area’s restored Packing House with a splash of Parisian flare. The
wooden exterior of the storefront resembles a cafe in Paris: the tiny tables
adorned with red carnations and umbrellas overhead take you to the City of
Light without the cost of airfare.
“We immediately saw the
potential,” said the franchise’s designer Marty Huyette of working with the
historic Packing House space, which she said provided the “vintage feel” of an
old French creperie.
Ms. Huyette achieves her goal of
capturing the desired theme with meticulous detail from start to finish: a map
of Paris in the hallway, names of famous French people on the back of each
chair and vintage shutters to finish off the vintage French look. A movie
projector entertains guests with Parisian cinema classics like Albert
Lammorise’s 1956 sensation The Red Balloon. Customers are encouraged to
send in postcards of their trips to Paris or other exotic locals to be fixed to
the restaurant walls.
“These are little ways to bring
Paris and draw our customers into the restaurant space,” Ms. Huyette explained.
The restaurant, a southern
California franchise with a small-town appeal, is a welcome new addition, says
Packing House manager Jerry Tessier. It brings with it something the Packing
House has been missing: a food destination that offers culinary creations
around the clock.
“It offers breakfast all the way
through dessert,” Mr. Tessier said. “The Hip Kitty and other spots don’t open
up until much later. [The creperies] will be open for the morning traffic as
well as for those wanting to mix things up for dessert after a dinner.”
The eatery offers a selection of
sweet and savory crepes as well as sandwiches, salads, omelets and café latte
specialties. Selections range from the tantalizing caramelized bananas of the
Warm Wish crepe to the rich cream sauce of the Chicken and Spinach. For
Emily Glavin, fresh off a tour of the Claremont Colleges Monday afternoon, it
was all about the St. Louis crepe with mozzarella, cheese, mushrooms and tomato
with a choice of turkey or ham.
“It’s different from what I
usually have,” Emily said of what drew her to the savory option.
Friend Allie Barnes stuck with
the more traditional dessert crepe, selecting the “Favorite”—fresh
strawberries, raspberry coulis, Chantilly cream and powdered sugar—as the
delicacy of her choice. For both the variety of the menu was a plus.
Prices range from $5.25 for your
traditional chocolate crepe—dark chocolate, Chantilly cream and powdered
sugar—to $9.95 for the Parisian Special, a mix of chicken, mushrooms, black
olives and mozzarella cheese with garlic cream sauce. Beverages go from $1.75
for an espresso to $3.75 for a French iced coffee.
With a wide range of menu items
and things to see about the restaurant, the Crepes crew hopes to transport its
customers in both body and mind.
“We want it to be a mini vacation
in the comforts of home,” Ms. Huyette said.
Crepes de Paris Claremont is open
Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Friday and Saturday, from 8 a.m. to
11 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. For more on crepes, visit www.crepedeparis.com.
