Crepes a Latte or P-sychidelic P-aris

The Slow and Savory Review

Being trapped in an underground bomb shelter for 5 days can do wonders for one's appetite.  Bunny and Brandy learned this the hard way.  So when Sunday rolled around, they were eager to get out into the world again and sample something a little different.  Word had reached them about a certain unique establishment off the Irving Park Brown Line, selling unconventional crepes and coffee confections, which sounded to them like the bees knees (the Bees Knees, or rather L'abeille à Genoux being the creperie where Bunny and Benedict first met in Paris long, long ago).

They found the place to be sunny, bustling, spacious, and blatantly whimsical, sporting such interior design choices as a clock tower, lamp post, and bright blue and yellow painted ceilings.  The food retrieval system was unique as well: one would order at the front of the cafe and receive a oblong playing card on a stand, by which the servers could connect you to your order (apparently, if you draw the Joker card, your meal is free!).  One is then left to find a table that suits your individual party's needs, and every table has pre-wrapped silverware ready in a handily portable caddy.  After several minutes of observing the customs of this interesting environment, Our Ladies braved the line, placed their orders, picked a table beside the window, and waited.

First to arrive were the beverages, for Bunny a Peanut Butter Mocha, a decadent concoction with coffee, chocolate, whipped cream, and of course peanut butter.  "It makes you think of childhood without being too juvenile." Bunny was heard to exclaim.  "Sounds just like you," Brandy snickered to herself.  Brandy ordered the Toasted Marshmallow Latte, an equally sugar filled treat with a surprisingly grown up feel to it.  Once pushing through the layer of splendidly bruleed marshmallow fluff, a full bodied latte presented itself.  Brandy was pleased that the drinks weren't merely flavored with syrups and such, but rather made authentically true to the advertised taste experience.

For starters, Brandy ordered the Baked Apple and Brie crepe, which came with a small fruit cup on the side.  The crepe itself was light and thin as a good crepe should be, but not without flavor.  As the open kitchen enables everyone to witness the crepes being made, their freshness was assured.  The filling for this particular crepe was very rich, but well balanced.  The brie was melted completely, taking away any of the bitterness that fresh brie can sometimes harbor, and leaving only sweet creaminess.  The apples were diced and dotted throughout the interior of the crepe.  Brandy had worried the filling might have been too sweet, but there was also wilted spinach and walnuts inside to make it a truly savory dish.  Brandy's only complaint, in fact was that she would have preferred a small spinach salad on the side as apposed to the fruit cup, just to heighten the savoriness of the dish even more.

Bunny opted for the Chicken Satay Crepe, an exotic sounding mix of sliced chicken, carrots, green onion, and peanut sauce.  Though it was most definitely a fusion of two very different cuisines, some how they blended seamlessly.  The peanut sauce did not over power the dish at all, nor did it weigh the dish down, allowing the freshness of the ingredients to shine through.  On the side was a lovely little salad, made from a thick slice of tomato, some red onion, and feta cheese.  Bunny was very pleased with the portion size and for once cleaned her plate completely.

Brandy, whose mother used to like to say she had a hollow leg, ordered dessert, which came in the form of a Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Crepe.  Served enticingly with a large mound of whipped cream, the crepe was enough to take both of Our Ladies' breaths away.  Brandy, ever the champion eater, had to pause between bites to savor the richness of the chocolate within, as well as the fresh raspberries hidden throughout like jewels in a dark treasure chest.  A sublime ending to a wonderful meal.

Both Our Ladies left Crepes a Latte in a blissful mood, comfortably full bellies, and barely anything missing from their wallets.  A wonderful place for adults looking for something a little out of the norm as well as adults looking to introduce kids to new and exciting things they wouldn't see elsewhere.  Here's hoping you pull the Joker!

The Short and Sweet Review