32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 23-march 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com France offers so much to the world. The iconic monuments of Paris, a thousand different cheeses, Le Mans—the list goes on. Yet the matter is simple where Thierry Croquet is concerned. “When you think of crêpes, you think of France,” he says. The co-owner of Monterey’s Crêpes of Brittany is right. Even though unleavened breads are a part of many cultures, it was in France—the northwestern region of Brittany claims to be home of the crêpe—where the technique was made popular and handed off to the rest of the world. Crêpes are indeed popular. And in Monterey County, their appeal is growing. Croquet says the kitchen caramelizes 40 pounds of onions each week to layer with brie or other ingredients. At Manasiri’s Crepes & Sandwiches in Monterey, owner Abdallah Manasiri prepares over 100 crêpes each day. “It’s kind of inclusive—a good breakfast, dessert or lunch,” Manasiri says. “And it’s affordable.” The Monterey Peninsula is now home to four creperies. Crêpes of Brittany opened in 2010 as an overflowing closet on Fisherman’s Wharf where patrons were happy to wait 45 minutes for their turn to order. It eventually settled into its much more accommodating current home at Portola Plaza. Manasiri’s began life as Monterey Crepe Company before Manasiri took it over in 2019. That same year, Crêpes on the Row opened across from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In November of last year, Ehab Ali added The Creperie Café on Fremont Boulevard in Seaside to the list. The four restaurants exploit the versatility of the thin but sturdy pancake. At Crêpes of Brittany, Croquet and business partner Daniel Peron remain true to tradition, with classic buckwheat galettes and simple flavors like lemon and sugar crêpes that flirt with the palate. “Think of pizza,” Croquet explains. He was born in Paris and grew up in Northwestern France before coming to Monterey County. “You can have pizza from Sicily, from New York, from Pizza Hut—we wanted to be authentic.” Crêpes on the Row features a generous menu, particularly for the cozy space, and shares a preference for both simple street-style flavors of France and the demand for more filling presentations. Meanwhile, Manasiri refers to his style as French-Mediterranean fusion, with a little local flair. The Monterey Special from the restaurant’s extensive menu features Monterey Jack cheese and a salad bowl punched up with pickled artichoke hearts. “In France, they keep true to the classic taste of the batter,” he says. “In Europe and the Mediterranean, it becomes like a burrito.” If there are boundaries to the format, Ali at The Creperie Café apparently intends to find them. He doesn’t hesitate, loading one option with smoked salmon, two types of cheese, tomato, capers, arugula and other seasonings. Even supposedly lighter, fully vegan crêpes are bulging, weighty things, like the version with roasted eggplant, hummus, tomato, tofu, green onion and mushroom. “They are big,” Ali says of this take on crêpes. “The style is different from what people expect.” According to Brittany lore, the first crêpe happened by mistake. This origin story tells of a maid spilling buckwheat porridge onto a hot griddle sometime in the 13th century—although the ancients seem to have figured out that trick hundreds or thousands of years earlier. The French applied technique—including the rozell, the t-square spreader that allows for a patina of batter to form—and turned it into an art. At Crêpes of Brittany, for instance, some galettes—in France the savory version, compared to the sweet crêpe— start with raw egg cracked on the dough as it cooks. If it turns out right, the filling becomes almost ethereal. “Very few people know how to do it,” Croquet says. Manasiri welcomes the interest in crêpes and expects Ali to do well in Seaside. “There’s not much competition between the four stores,” he adds. “We all have our own customers.” Crêpes of Brittany, 211 Alvarado St., Monterey, 649-1930; Manasiri’s Crepes & Sandwiches, 321 Alvarado St., Monterey, 373-4646; Crêpes on the Row, 807 Cannery Row, Monterey, 641-7004; The Creperie Café, 1123 Fremont Blvd., Seaside, 901-3900. First course Around the Monterey Peninsula, businesses are playing with the simple but versatile form of the crêpe—from simple sweet versions like these to loaded savory kinds. PigWizard Parting… Destination sausage shop PigWizard is closing its doors, with the final day of regular service scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 26. Stop by before then to stock up on specialty sausages and enjoy a sandwich or two. Any remaining inventory will be sold online and available for pickup by appointment. Read more on the decision, and what comes next, at mcweekly.com. 32 Cannery Row, Suite G, Monterey. 641-7316, pigwizard.com. Culinary Roundup… Rancho Cielo is putting on its 13th annual Culinary Roundup on Sunday, Feb. 26 at the Portola Hotel & Spa. Join the nonprofit for an evening of extraordinary culinary delights, delectable wines, and a silent auction with a plethora of excellent prizes that all go to support a great cause. Tickets ($195) can be purchased at app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/ RanchoCielo/2023RoundUp.html. 710 Old Stage Road, Salinas. 444-3533, ranchocieloyc.org. Fun With Fungi…Earthbound Farmstand hosts an organic, mushroom-centric cooking demonstration at 10am on Saturday, Feb. 25. Participants will learn how to make a delicious meal of mushrooms and local greens, try samples, and take home the recipe and fresh greens to recreate the dish at home. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at bit.ly/ EarthboundMushroomsDemo. 7250 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. 625-6219, earthboundfarm.com. Bulgogi Time…A brand new Korean restaurant, Bulgogi House, has opened in downtown Monterey. They serve various styles of bulgogi—a Korean barbecue dish made with beef or pork— and other authentic Korean dishes. The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays, and open for lunch from 11am-12:30pm and for dinner from 5:30-9:00pm the rest of the week. 413 Alvarado St., Monterey. Buzzy new beer…Carmel Valley Ranch has a new signature brew—an Apiary Ale made by resident “hop head” (and newest member of CVR’s artisan-in-residence program) Jeffrey Vitalich. The Apiary Ale is a golden ale infused with honey from bees tended at Carmel Valley Ranch. Vitalich is the owner and brewer at Hidden Hills Brewing & Blending in Carmel. 1 Old Ranch Road, Carmel. 626-2599, carmelvalleyranch.com. By Jacqueline Weixel morsels Send a bite to eatanddrink@mcweekly.com “When you think of crêpes, you think of France.” Eat + DrinK Daniel Dreifuss Batter Up There are now four creperies on the Peninsula, and each takes a different approach. By Dave Faries
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