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Palo Alto Online

A new food trend?

by Jennifer Aquino

early 100 years ago French farmers in the northwestern region of the country turned corners of their barns into creperies, serving thin, lacey crepes flavored with a dollop of salty butter.

Usually eaten by hand, the French pancakes were consumed primarily as bread and rarely had filling. Over the years, crepes have become savory and sweet treats, often folded around hearty fillings, such as mushrooms, fish and fruit.

Creperies have become increasingly popular in the Bay Area, with several chains and cafes cropping up to cater to the crowds. California Crepes, located on California Avenue in Palo Alto, is one of the newest outgrowths of the emerging trend. I wondered whether the new venture by restaurateur Ismail Unlu would be an authentic French creperie or a California twist on a traditional dish -- like wraps are to burritos. What I found was a little bit of both.

The ambience at California Crepes is relaxed and homey, like a seaside Mediterranean cafe. Outside, the green and white-striped Roman shades covering the windows serve as a colorful backdrop to the half-dozen tables lining the avenue. Inside, the peach hues in the wall murals radiate like a sunset. Quirky light fixtures cast a warm glow on the hand-painted porcelain tables, simply set with a paper napkin and silverware. The restaurant's centerpiece is a curved cherry wood wine and coffee bar. To the left of the bar is a long window, through which patrons can watch the kitchen staff prepare meals and the bus boys wash dishes.

California Crepes opened six weeks ago in place of Café Maremonte, an Italian restaurant Unlu had owned (his other businesses include Café Silan in Menlo Park, Silan in Los Altos and Café La Scale in Burlingame). After closing Maremonte two months ago, Unlu sought to tap into the growing interest in crepes, since there aren't any creperies between Burlingame and Saratoga.

But the emphasis is not on the crepes or French cuisine. Instead, Unlu sought to merge cultures and offer an inexpensive menu bearing a resemblance to California's diversity. The restaurant is a work in progress, Unlu said, adding that he plans to expand the dinner options. Currently, the menu is a jumble of offerings, a sign of Unlu's attempt to draw in diners throughout the day.

But he slightly misses here. Crepes don't necessarily go well with every culture's cuisine. While Unlu doesn't characterize the restaurant as a creperie, crepe is in the name, so I expected that aspect of the meal to shine. But the crepes were rubbery and nowhere near as fluffy or airy as those I've had at other creperies. The texture was particularly notable with the dessert crepes, which are generally lighter than savory crepes. According to Unlu, the restaurant uses the same crepe recipe -- a basic blend of flour, milk and eggs -- for both dessert and dinner crepes.

Crepes are made in the back of the restaurant, Unlu said. On one of my visits, I noticed they were being peeled from paper, suggesting they aren't made to order. Another major difference between California Crepes and creperies was the manner in which the crepes were presented. As opposed to being folded in quarters, the crepes were wrapped around their fillings like a burrito.

But this is not to say that the crepes are a flop.

I tried three of the restaurant's eight crepes. The Pollo ($7.50) is a fantastic blend of chicken, mushrooms, asparagus and jack cheese wrapped in a slightly warm crepe. The Pollo's sauce was rich and creamy, bearing a hint of the mushroom's earthy flavor. The sauce was a nice complement to the al dente asparagus and chicken, though the kitchen ladled it on a little thick, leaving my crepe like an island in a lake. The Alaskan ($8.50) incorporated smoked salmon, capers, red onion, dill and sour cream in a crepe. The smoky salmon, set against the lemony capers, pungent dill and cool sour cream, made for a smooth, tasty dish.

The Mexican ($7.95) wasn't as pleasant as the Alaskan or Pollo. It was like a French burrito -- a combination of steak, black beans, avocado, tomato, salsa and sour cream wrapped in a warm, slightly toasted crepe. It was a good effort at merging two cultures, but failed. The flavors didn't blend together and the steak was a bit dry and spicy. Crepes are served with your choice of home fries or a side salad. Skip the fries; they were oily and lacked spices. The side salad, comprised of mixed greens tossed with a zesty vinaigrette, fresh tomatoes and carrot slices, is a better choice.

The majority of the menu is dedicated to other types of breakfast, lunch and dinner items, such as pasta and steak. Unlu offers nine sandwiches. I chose the Beef ($6.95), thick roast beef, Swiss cheese, garlic aoli, tomatoes and greens sandwiched between two pieces of bread. You can choose your bread depending on the restaurant's daily offerings. Note that the bread is store bought -- the bags of Home Pride lay on the counter. I chose a sourdough roll, which was tough and dry. The roast beef was too thick and the aoli sauce spread too thin.

Unlu also offers five salads -- of which four can be served in smaller portions. The Greek salad ($6.95) consisted of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese and olives tossed in a light vinaigrette. The tomatoes were perfectly sweet and a nice contrast to the salty feta and crunchy cucumbers. The only thing awry in this classic salad were the olives, which tasted as if they came from a can.

It's never good when your guests are surprised by their meal. Such is the case with the Thai chicken salad ($7.50), an offering of Asian noodles, marinated chicken breast and vegetables tossed with a vinaigrette. The key word missing from the menu description is "warm." It's a little bit startling when you expect to taste something cool and it ends up being warm. But that's not the only thing different about this salad. The translucent noodles, pieces of purple cabbage, carrots and chicken (the latter lathered in a pink Thai sauce), made for an unappetizing and disorganized assembly. On the palate, the salad tasted ordinary.

Perhaps more surprising than the Thai salad were the dessert crepes. I expected them to be delectable, but found California Crepes' savory side more appealing. The dessert crepes are seemingly buried on the backside of the menu, under Sweet Side. There are five choices, all of which are served with cream and vanilla gelato. The trio of berries ($5.95) was a mix of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and whipped cream wrapped in a crepe. The crepe was too thick and chewy and swam in a sea of bitter berries -- which had been frozen, Unlu said -- and juice. The chocolate kahlua cream crepe ($5.95) was just as disappointing. The crepe was served stuffed with chocolate mousse and kahlua whipped cream. The whipped cream was flat and the mousse was rich, but tasted a bit like cocoa powder.

Service on both visits was swift and attentive. During a dinner visit, the restaurant was virtually empty. For lunch, however, it was buzzing to the point of being nearly impossible to hear.

I found Unlu's newest venture confusing. I hoped to find a creperie, offering a savory take on the French food. But California Crepes isn't this type of place.

Unlu wanted to reflect California's diversity in his new venture. At this he succeeds -- cultures from Mexico to Thailand are on the menu. But the dishes don't all succeed. More work is needed on the dessert crepes and certain fillings. But given some time and tweaking, Unlu could improve this restaurant.

California Crepes, 201 California Ave., Palo Alto

Hours: Monday, Tuesday 9 a.m. -3 p.m.; Wed - Thurs 9 a.m. -10 p.m.; Fri, Sat. 9 a.m.-1 a.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. -9 p.m.

Atmosphere:A Mediterranean-motif café that serves crepes and other California cuisine.

Highlights: Pollo crepe ($7.50); Alaskan crepe ($8.50); Greek salad ($6.95)

Price Range: savory crepes ($6.95-$8.50); omelets ($6.50-$7.50); sandwiches ($6.95-$9.95), salads ($4.95-$7.50), pasta ($4.95-$10.95); sides ($2.5-$4), sweet crepes and desserts ($5.95-$6.50); smoothies ($3.95); kids' menu($4-$5),
Reservations: No Credit Cards: Yes Valet and Lot Parking: No Alcohol: Yes Takeout: Yes Highchairs: Yes Wheelchair access: Yes Banquet: No Catering: Yes Noise level: Avg. Bathroom cleanliness: Avg.