When we first moved to Bloomington, there was a bit of dispute in our house about “Café et Crêpe.” This dispute, mind you, took place in the absence of any actual EXPERIENCE with the place (that’s just the kind of people we are…who needs actual data to support opinions?) When one of us, with much cajoling, whining, and frankly pathetic and underhanded manipulating, managed to convince the other one to go, it was clear that all foot-dragging had been a complete waste of precious good eating.
What was the hesitation? There was a bit of snobbery….who wants oversized, over-sugared, American-style crêpes? They are incredibly easy to make, and frankly, we have a copious supply of butter and sugar at our OWN house….and I know OUR crêpes aren’t likely to be 24 inches in diameter. AND there was the association of crêpes with SWEET things, a perception most likely born of our experience at little street side crêperies in France.
So….I must confess that my resistance (come on, it was clear that I was the resister) represented a significant error. Café et Crêpe offers the most amazing selection of SAVORY crêpes, with fillings that have a lovely balance of flavor and high-quality ingredients. The mushrooms have a hint of sherry in them, and they are always good about balancing vegetables with cheeses and not producing a gooey, gloppy, mess.
I have never had a savory crêpe there that I haven’t loved, and it is always difficult to decide what to have (although for me, the chicken Florentine often wins). It is good to be warned, however, that none of the savory crêpes arrive without a generous garlic bite, which is great with us, but not always thrilling to everyone. The OTHER wonderful thing about the restaurant (aside from the Algerian mint tea) are the salads that accompany every crêpe. Lots of fresh vegetables, a light vinaigrette, the perfect lunch or light dinner. And I should note, for those of you who love a little strawberry and nutella in your crêpe, there is an entire selection of sweet crêpes, so do not fear!
Interestingly (disappointingly), Café et Crêpe has weird hours. They don’t open until 11am, which might be fine for the late-night undergraduate crowd, but some of us are up and hungry way before 11 (those same ones of us who go to bed at 10pm, I suspect). The late opening seems especially odd in light of the fact that many of their crêpes contain some variant of scrambled eggs. However, we are willing to wait, twiddling our thumbs in anticipation, until the appointed hour arrives. The wait hasn't disappointed us yet!
Overall rating: 8 points
Food: 8/10
Pricing: 9/10
Ambiance: 7/10
GRADING SCALE:
Food: 1=inedible, 10=unforgettable; Pricing: 1=totally unresonable, 10=worth every penny; Ambiance: 1=I'd better bring this home, 10=I want this to BE my new home
Location: 316 E. 4th St.
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