Crêpes Café – another home for the French curl
With vision unstoppable by foliage, Mudpie saw the sign above hidden behind rows of trees as we were roaming Menlo Park for a lunch spot on a Friday afternoon one month ago. Question asked, “should we go there or keep looking for something else?”, as we drove past another block. It should be noted that we missed a turn once, chose direction by random illogical preference (as I had no idea where which direction led to). We also passed a bunch of places with clarity and apparent popularity, or places that Mudpie has tried before. But we were out for a food hunt, not chicken shopping at grocery stores, and this place fits the adventure. Answer made, “let’s go there.” So turn we did, a parking spot was not too hard to find on the side of the place, passing by the nonchalant gaze of customers sitting outdoor and in we went.
I can’t quite call it a restaurant. Some call every eating stop with chairs and tables a restaurant, but this is an example of one that doesn’t fit into the category. A restaurant is brisk. The bistro is relaxing. Paintings on the wall for sale, empty wooden seats painted blue, wooden tables with a filled glass water jug to help yourself and a trifling vase of fresh flowers. The usual small box of sweetener and salt, which I play with while waiting. I can’t remember if there was AC, but it was comfortable. The menu says it’s a family business, and it sure looks like it. A friendly but quiet young lady greeted us at the counter, and as we stumbled around the menu overhead, a stocky man in his 30s, who turned out to be the chef, cordially invited us to seat ourselves and gave us two menus in print. We felt better as we were no longer blocking the narrow entrance to the counter. There was no customer inside.
Normally I like to plunge right into something weird catchy on the menu, but since I had such a hot wonderful savourastic chicken crepe one wintry night on the street right outside the WSCTC, I couldn’t resist the memory and ordered Chicken & Creamy Dijon Sauce savory crepe this time. With a little persuasion, Mudpie overcame the American disgust distrust for pâté, and ordered Duck Rillettes (duck meat pate with cornichon on baguette). (I felt elevated as if I could speak French.)
A peek inside.
It is so simple, just like the atmosphere of the bistro itself. A layer of rillettes, a few cornichons (pickled gherkins), sandwiched between two pieces of bread. As Mudpie noted, it’s something you can make at home, if you know where to get or how to make rillettes. The additional quirky cornichons were perhaps supposed to be a contrast to the smooth, tender, savory rillettes, but sometimes contradiction doesn’t really enhance things. I took them out and nibbled them by themselves. (Had to drink a lot of water after each nibble). Meat pate is a little different from liver pate and a little similar to spam. It is not at all bitter, a little crumblier than spam, and far tastier. I’m getting hungry… For me pate is ranked right up there with marinated cha lua and a real brown crispy cha gio. I never grow tired of them. I even had rice mixed with pate. Mudpie, once muttered “… gross pate…”, also agreed that the sandwich was good.
It’s Crepes Cafe, so how’s the crepe? Looks big and fantastic. Not to mention a really good salad tuft. I usually cringe every time I fork in my mouth some leafy bundle dripping with some sour salad dressing, but this time I didn’t. I finished every leaf and twig. It was creamy and gentle. Next I cut the crepe, folded each half so that they covered the embarrassingly exposed chicken cuts, and forked in. The chicken was tender, but not flavorful enough to excite the crepe. It was good. It satisfied every requirement of a standard crepe. Was it memorably good? I’m not sure. Maybe the lack of a cold, wet, wintry Seattle night makes it less desirable than my first steamy encounter outside the WSCTC. I’m a wanderer, I like wind and rain in my food. (A little butter might do just as well.) Was it a filling lunch? You bet. Even the young lady at the counter said so. We couldn’t go for dessert.
Would I come here again given the chance? Yes, if it’s just for an escape from the busy life. The air of this place is French. Bring your laptop here, or a newspaper. Who knows, you may even find your soulmate under one of those parasols. It’s casual and relaxing.
…Maybe not so relaxing for the chef. Those pancakes were being made right behind the counter, isn’t that neat? For such a quiet emollient lunch hideout, I was hoping they didn’t have a website, but here it is. Can you ever escape the internet these days?
Address: Crepes Cafe
1195 Merrill Street (at the corner of Oak Grove Ave)
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 473-0506
You have mentioned very interesting details! ps decent internet site.
1You have remarked very interesting points! ps nice site.
2Hey, you used to write wonderful, but the last several posts have been kinda boring?K I miss your super writings. Past several posts are just a little out of track! come on!
3After study a few of the blog posts on your website now, and I truly like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Pls check out my web site as well and let me know what you think.
4I really glad to find this website on bing, just what I was looking for : D likewise saved to my bookmarks.
5It’s in reality a nice and useful piece of information. I am happy that you just shared this helpful info with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
6You are my breathing in, I own few blogs and rarely run out from to brand : (.
7Hey there! Quick question that’s entirely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My blog looks weird when browsing from my iphone. I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to correct this issue. If you have any suggestions, please share. Many thanks!
8Just what I was searching for, regards for putting up.
9When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Thanks!
10Thankyou for helping out, good information.
11I am always thought about this, regards for putting up.
12My brother suggested I might like this website. He was once entirely right. This publish actually made my day. You cann’t imagine just how so much time I had spent for this info! Thank you!
13A lot of what you point out happens to be astonishingly legitimate and it makes me ponder the reason why I had not looked at this with this light previously. This particular article truly did turn the light on for me personally as far as this specific issue goes. Nevertheless there is one particular position I am not necessarily too comfy with and whilst I try to reconcile that with the core theme of the position, permit me observe exactly what all the rest of the visitors have to say.Very well done.
14hello!,I like your writing very much! share we communicate more about your article on AOL? I require a specialist on this area to solve my problem. Maybe that’s you! Looking forward to see you.
15Hello my family member! I wish to say that this post is amazing, great written and come with approximately all significant infos. I’d like to peer more posts like this .
16Hey There. I found your blog the use of msn. This is a really neatly written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and return to learn extra of your useful info. Thank you for the post. I’ll certainly return.
17I cherished as much as you will receive carried out proper here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish. however, you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell certainly come further formerly again as exactly the same just about very frequently inside of case you shield this hike.
18Hi, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!
19I like the efforts you have put in this, thanks for all the great blog posts.
20Currently it looks like Drupal is the top blogging platform available right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
21Hello. remarkable job. I did not expect this. This is a excellent story. Thanks!
22Hello my friend! I wish to say that this article is amazing, nice written and include approximately all significant infos. I would like to see more posts like this.
23My brother recommended I may like this website. He used to be totally right. This publish truly made my day. You can not consider just how a lot time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
24It is in reality a great and helpful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
25I wanted to post you a very small note to thank you so much the moment again for these gorgeous pointers you’ve shown above. This has been simply unbelievably open-handed of you giving publicly just what a few people might have offered for sale for an e-book to earn some cash on their own, primarily considering the fact that you could have tried it if you desired. The inspiring ideas additionally worked to become good way to fully grasp that other individuals have the same fervor much like my own to realize good deal more in regard to this condition. I think there are thousands of more fun instances in the future for individuals that discover your site.
26The subsequent time I read a weblog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as a lot as this one. I mean, I know it was my option to learn, however I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could possibly fix if you werent too busy searching for attention.
27Fantastic website you have here but I was curious about if you knew of any user discussion forums that cover the same topics talked about in this article? I’d really love to be a part of community where I can get opinions from other experienced individuals that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Kudos!
28Your house is valueble for me. Thanks!…
29Wow! Thank you! I continuously wanted to write on my blog something like that. Can I take a portion of your post to my blog?
30Hello! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new apple iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the fantastic work!
31I’ve been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the web will be a lot more useful than ever before.
32Hello, i think that i saw you visited my web site so i came to “return the favor”.I’m trying to find things to improve my website!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!
33What’s Taking place i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It positively useful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to contribute & help different users like its aided me. Good job.
34Dead pent articles, thanks for entropy.
35I like this website very much, Its a real nice position to read and find information. “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” by Colin Powell.
36There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain nice points in features also.
37I definitely wanted to make a small remark to be able to say thanks to you for all of the stunning suggestions you are posting at this website. My extended internet research has at the end been compensated with useful ideas to share with my great friends. I ‘d repeat that we website visitors are unquestionably fortunate to live in a decent community with many outstanding professionals with interesting things. I feel somewhat blessed to have seen your entire webpages and look forward to so many more thrilling minutes reading here. Thank you once more for everything.
38I believe other website proprietors should take this website as an model, very clean and wonderful user genial layout.
39It’s really a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
40I like the helpful info you provide in your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I am quite certain I’ll learn lots of new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!
41Absolutely composed articles, thank you for entropy. “He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.” by Michel de Montaigne.
42I like this web blog very much so much excellent information.
43F*ckin’ remarkable things here. I’m very glad to see your post. Thanks a lot and i’m looking forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
44I have been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this website. Reading this info So i’m happy to convey that I’ve a very good uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I most certainly will make sure to do not forget this website and give it a glance on a constant basis.
45After examine a couple of of the weblog posts in your web site now, and I really like your approach of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website checklist and will be checking again soon. Pls take a look at my website as well and let me know what you think.
46Yay google is my world beater aided me to find this great website ! .
47Valuable information. Lucky me I found your website by accident, and I am shocked why this accident didn’t happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
48I am very happy to read this. This is the type of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that is at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.
49Wohh just what I was looking for, thankyou for putting up.
50