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Business & Tech

A Taste of Paris in Harrison: Dinner at Rue des Crêpes

French restaurant rings with authenticity.

Harrison residents need not travel across the pond to get a taste of Paris.  After the naming rights were bought from the now-closed Chelsea restaurant, Rue des Crêpes opened two years on Halstead Avenue.

After passing through the front of the Crêperie -- a café that serves pastries and dessert crêpes -– we entered la rue.  The dining room walls are painted to mimic Parisian storefronts, including Boulangerie des petits gâteaux, Cinéma Paradis, and even Madelene's Boutique. 

If you are not sure what a Droguerie sold, elaborate props–a metal saw, broom, and cooper pan–were tacked to the walls, giving non-francophones some helpful hints (Re: hardware store).  One might even be tempted to visit the Crémerie since doorknobs and wooden shutters adorned the walls like the set design of a French farce. Wicker chairs and small café tables–decorated with a decoupage of retro French magazines and catalogs–lined the faux Parisian street.

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Even the cement restaurant floor was scuffed as though foot-traffic had worn it down.  The décor verged on kitsch, yet perhaps because of its excessive demeanor and attention to detail, one didn't question its authenticity, but rather felt part of an homage.

Enjoying a glass of the Belgium beer Duvel, we tried the avocado fries ($8) and a pot o' frites with honey dijonnaise ($5.50).  A brief diversion from all things français, the avocado fries, which came with Mexican tomato dipping sauce and a wedge of lime, were crispy and hot.  As part of the tongue-and-cheek vibe, the pot o' frites (shoestring French fries wrapped in a paper cone) were literally served in a pot–a flowerpot, that is. A creative presentation, indeed.

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There were almost 20 dinner crêpes to choose from–all made with buckwheat flour. We settled on the goat cheese & leek ($10) and the brie, tomato, spinach & mushroom crêpes ($11).  The buckwheat crêpes were heavy, but the creamy goat cheese, crispy leeks, and onions complemented each other nicely.  The brie crêpe's spinach and shitake mushrooms, sautéed in garlic, were well-seasoned. Both entrées came with a small mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette–a refreshing finish.

The dessert menu listed almost every combination of nutella, fruit, and honey that you could imagine.  The crêpe suzette ($9)–fresh squeezed lemon juice, caramel, and Grand Marnier–was a superb spin on the traditional French dessert.  Being a bit more adventurous, I also sampled the cinnamon apple crêpe à la mode ($10), which was filled with baked apples, granola, brown sugar, dried cranberries, and served with vanilla ice cream.  The granola's crunchiness was an unexpected texture against the silky crêpe, but the cinnamon gave the dessert a warm autumnal aroma and spice.  All dessert crêpes were light and fluffy–the savory highlight of the meal.

Our server was cordial and considerate, yet there was a slight glitch while paying the check.  Apparently the restaurant's credit card machine was broken, and I was asked to either pay with cash or visit the nearest ATM across the street.  After a brisk walk to withdraw the funds, I reentered Rue des Crêpes, guided by the dimly lit métro sign, and followed the Eiffel Tower's beacon to my table.

In addition to lunch and dinner, Rue des Crêpes is also open for Sunday brunch where you can enjoy a mimosa and quiche made with a crêpe crust, French omelet, rustic croque sandwich or a traditional crêpe.

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