Lauren RabainoBridget Veltri
arts@mustangdaily.net
Oui! The wonderful world of crˆpes and culinary lavender has debuted in San Luis Obispo.
Higuera Street may not look like the lavender-covered region of Provence, France,but two months ago, it started to taste like it.
Crˆpes De Provence, the downtown cashier-style restaurant, is now serving up authentic artesian crˆpes at prices that are conducive to a college budget.
Everything on the menu costs under $7.
Co-owner Majid Bennis said he doesn’t want to see students starve.
“We know how it is,” he said. “Good food doesn’t have to come at a price.”
His wife, Leah Bennis agrees.
“We tried to price it so that everyone could afford to have their own,” she said. “We definitely tried to focus on the student population.”
So what’s better than sugar? Lavender sugar.
The restaurant’s signature sweet crˆpe is la Prove‡ale, a simple crˆpe made with butter and lavender-infused sugar which is accompanied by a large dollop of homemade whipped crŠme on the side.
The french region of Provence is the “lavender capital of the world,” and much of the area’s cuisine is infused with the fragrant herb, explained Moroccan-born and French-trained Bennis.
“That region’s food is unbelievable,” he said.
Even for someone who has never been to Provence, the food at the restaurant makes him believable.
The pancake-like creations may be thin, but they are also packed full of traditional ingredients influenced by the Provence region.
“All of the recipes are 100 percent authentic,” Bennis said. “No joke.”
Bennis owns Crˆpes De Provence with Adnan Saleh (who also owns Jaffa Café). The two met when Saleh catered Bennis’s wedding in 2004; they became friends and are now business partners.
When most Americans think of crˆpes, they think of Nutella and chocolate, Bennis said. And, although the hazelnut classic appears on the menu as Crˆpes Noisette, this downtown crˆpery has many more enticing options.
The basic Savory Crˆpe includes your choice of swiss or cheddar cheese, a good choice for those just starting to stray from their Nutella-loving roots. More experienced crˆpe eaters might want to try the Herbs de Provence, which has turkey, tomato, chˆvre cheese, and is seasoned with (what else) herbs de Provence or the “Avignon,” which features chicken, sautéed mushrooms and swiss cheese topped with a béchamel sauce. Another appealing choice (oh si bon!) is the “Moulin Rouge,” with chicken, caramelized onions, raisins and almonds.
Savory Crˆpes come with your choice of a side salad or house potatoes. Drowning these perfect potatoes in ketchup would be an insult to the herbs that adorn them.
The menu has just fewer than 30 sweet and savory crˆpes to choose from each one more delicate and decadent than the last.
“What’s really good about the menu is every crˆpe has a distinct taste,” Bennis said.
Not in the mood for something sweet but don’t eat meat? There are a variety of vegetarian crˆpe options on the menu. Bennis recommends the JardiniŠre and Aix en Provence, along with the classic French soup that Disney forever immortalized in cartoon form: ratatouille.
For those who aren’t quite ready to immerse themselves in the culinary culture of southeastern France, Crˆpes De Provence also offers salads, burgers, deli sandwiches and omelettes.
Meals can be enjoyed inside or on the covered patio dotted with flower pots.
If your taste buds have the urge to jet off and take a vacation from the basic barbeque and submarine sandwich staple, venture down to Higuera’s own little corner of Provence. It’s a lot more affordable than studying abroad in France. Crˆpes de Provence is open Monays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.