La crêperie Breizh Café

So, we rented an apartment for the weekend in Paris and the owner said that we should go to this restaurant Chez Nenesse. I usually do not trust these types of recommendations from hotels and apartment owners who say jus to go there and say that Louis sent you. But the reviews of this apartment all spoke highly of the restaurant recommendations and we needed something early, quickly and without reservation so we thought to give it a try. Just to find out that it is closed for this weekend.

Having no idea where to go and no reservation for Saturday evening we decided to go into the first place that we like. Beggars can't be choosers. We stumbled upon a completely innovative idea of a brasserie of Bretagne cuisine with Japanese influence: La crêperie Breizh Café (109 rue Vieille du Temple, Paris).

Mostly it was crêps with different condiments - salty and sweet. The crêpes themselves were wholewheat and of a completely different texture than one would imagine from a French crêpe. Like they say on their business card: "a different crêpe, a tradition renewed, creative. The condiments almost always included an egg and then something.

P took "Payasenne" - a crepe with onions, egg, sausage, cheese and something else that we cannot remember. I took a daily special - it had chanterelle mushrooms, smoked duck, egg, cheese and cabbage. Both were absolutely delicious. But I rush ahead as I forgot to mention the fresh out-of-this-world Bretagne oysters that are delivered each morning and today at least tasted of heaven (and seawater). I must say that the presentation got high score too: on a bed of salt and crushed ice.

As for eating they stick to various variations of the crepe then to drink they stick to various variations of the cider and drinks made of or with cider. We took a carafe of cider and it came in a beautiful earthware carafe together with a japanese inspired cone earthware cup. Additionally I tried an aperitif of cider with strawberry liquor and it was delicious.

I wish we had, but we did no make it til dessert. Our neighbours did and as they basically licked the plate afterwards I feel safe to say it must have tasted good. You could pretty much see and hear everything your fellow patrons did because the place was incredibly small, cosy and tight, with wonderful lighting. I think only 15 tables. You'd think it could bother you but instead it felt nice and not intrusive at all. Our neighbours happened to be an elderly worldly couple who struck up a conversation with us immediately. We were lucky as it turned out that the lady knows the owners and she was able to give us the entire history plus a recommendation of a teeny tiny B&B that they run in Bretagne. The guy literally looked like he had just stepped out of a Woody Allen movie. He must of been at least 80 years old but I am pretty sure they were there on a date. They spoke french, italian and he spoke american english - we found out that he is a real old-school banker. Like the one they write books about.

I loved it there! But as a recommendation I think the mere fact that most (if not all) crepes had egg on them I would suggest going there for brunch instead of dinner.


PS. Also look for the Breizh Café in Cancale (7 quai Thomas) and their 4 bedroom hotel where the view is supposed to be spectacular over the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. We certainly want to try once we go there.