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ktmoomau
Oct 12, 2010 11:32 AM
I went about a month or so ago. I got the market crepe of the day with a buckwheat crepe. It had ratatouille (not with tomato sauce, but chunky roasted tomatoes), gruyere, spinach and bacon. It sounds like a mish mash of things, but was really very tasty. The bacon was better than I was expecting, it was really good bacon, a little thick, but not too chewy for inside a crepe. The flavors melded well and I liked the amount of veggies it had in it. Very filling. I liked the cheese and it wasn't overpowering.
I would really suggest you try it if you like crepes, and it is a nice filling gluten free meal, if you are looking for that. The crepe I had was a little thick, but it needed to be to hold all the toppings. They said they were doing breakfast hours after labor day too.
Service was fast and the two women running the cart were really nice.
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re: sweth
ktmoomau
Oct 13, 2010 09:56 AM
I like the crepes themselves better at Fontaine, they are thinner and a bit more traditional. Not sure about toppings though. I think you get more filling at Solar Crepe, but they don't have quite as much variety. But again I haven't eaten at Solar Crepes but once so far, and the crepes themselves may be better on another visit. If so then I would give them my vote, but it is close right now.
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re: ktmoomau
I went to Fontaine once. It was a nice place, but the crepes are way over priced and chintzy on the quantity. I was just at a fantastic crepe restaurant near Gare Montparnasse in Paris, totally authentic. The crepes were big and bold and not at all namby pamby. I don't know why people go all delicate with them. I make them at home pretty often and when made right can be a hearty meal and not a fancy snack.
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re: hamster
Do you all think it's because the crepe grills are smaller here than they are in Paris? Because for some reason, I only ever see one size of crepe grill for every crepe place I've seen here in the States...but the ones in Paris seemed bigger. Was just wondering if I was remembering it wrong!
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re: yfunk3
I hadn't noticed the size of the crepe grills being different. I think it has to do with very high quality and copious ingredients they use for the fillings, the buckwheat batter which is so rare in the US, lots of butter greasing the outside, and tons of caramelization and browning of the outside of the crepe - maybe because the batter is different?
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re: yfunk3
The crepes at Crepe Amour in Georgetown are very large, but I haven't tried them.
But it is not just a question of size.
Crepes have long been a staple in San Francisco, too, and the competition there is fierce. So far, most crepe places here are clueless and run by people who are little interested in food.
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re: ChewFun
ktmoomau
Oct 15, 2010 12:02 PM
Fontaine crepes are more like gallettes/crepes from the Brittany region that you would get in a restaurant, in terms of thinness and toppings. Solar crepes are more like street crepes in Paris, more casual and not as thin as you are generally eating while walking. So you would probably like Solar better if that is what you are looking for.
Buckwheat isn't really rare in the US, it seems to be rare in this area. In my hometown we have buckwheat cakes at pretty much every restaurant and the firehalls have buckwheat dinners like they have bbq chicken dinners in other areas. I just don't think it is a popular item here. I don't know if it is more of a country thing, or a southern thing...
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re: ktmoomau
I'm not sure what you mean about crepes from Brittany. Savory crepes are served in a distinctly different way than sweet crepes there. Generally, savory crepes are served in buckwheat batter, and they're folded into a circle a with a square opening (the top, bottom, sides of the round crepe folded in). These things are generally pretty hefty. Sweet crepes, on the other hand, are made with the basic batter, and simply filled and folded in half.
I would say street crepes in Paris and elsewhere are basically like the sweet crepe model above, but they're folded over several times into cone-like shape so they can be eaten on the go.
Finding crepes served in buckwheat batter - which is what I meant to say - is hard to find in the US in my experience. Certainly in this area. Most places just serve the basic crepe batter, sweet and savory alike.
Are the buckwheat cakes you talk about more like hotcakes or pancakes, or are they thin like crepes?-
re: hamster
Hamster -- have you been to Fontaine? What you describe is pretty much spot on what they serve: savory crepes use a buckwheat batter, are folded in a circle w/ a square opening on top, and nicely browned on the outside, while the sweet crepes use a basic sweet batter and are folded in half. The only thing lacking is (IMHO) the butter dripping from the savory crepes.
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re: sweth
ktmoomau
Oct 18, 2010 09:25 AM
Sweth's point was the point I was trying to make. I don't know if you mean hefty as in thick or hefty as in filling though.
And Buckwheat cakes are similar in shape and texture to pancakes. In this area you can get them at Market Lunch for breakfast. I like them with blueberries in them like a blueberry pancake with a much different taste. They are something that is more of a diner or country cooking type thing. I am sure there are other places that have them around here.
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Market Lunch
225 7th St SE Ste 12, Washington, DC 20003
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A WaPo article on them:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...I haven't made it out to Ballston or Clarendon yet, but I hope can soon! Any reports?
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Good to know they have buckwheat, though I couldn't tell just by looking at the menu.
I had a crepe from Point Chaud recently on 14th St above S St., NW, and I see they are expanded closer to K St. The lemon crepe I had was quite dry and it really did not look like they know what they are doing. I tasted a vegetable crepe and it was quite boring. Could not hold a candle to those great crepe places in San Fransisco.
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re: Steve
It's mentioned here at the bottom of the page:
http://www.solarcrepes.com/menu/farme...Yeah, Point Chaud is mostly just a welcome addition to the neighborhood because of its price point and atmosphere. I agree it's not a destination place.
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