Photograph by Katherine Bish
No one ever paid much attention to Clark Kent. People would smile and say hello but never took the time to see beyond his seemingly plain exterior. So he had clunky glasses and a pocket protector. Did it ever occur to anyone that there might’ve been something more beneath the surface?
I like to use Mr. Kent as an example when describing a crêpe to someone who’s never before eaten one. At first glance, the thin disc of pan-fried dough (made of flour, eggs, milk and butter) seems a bit commonplace. Even with powdered sugar on top or whipped cream on the side, it may be dismissed as a worthy dessert, and therein lies its clever cover. Although crêpes can be savory or sweet, anyone who has ever tasted the latter can tell you that crêpes rule the sugar world. Completely capable of taking on the flavors of their myriad sweet fillings, which can include jams, curds, fresh fruit and chocolate, crêpes are as versatile as they are addictive—particularly when they come from the City Coffee House & Crêperie. One of the most delightful and beautifully simple examples is the Nutella crêpe. It’s amazing how a simple coat of the creamy chocolate-and-hazelnut spread instantly elevates that doughy disc. Airy, golden and sizable, the crêpes here are made on large stands just like those used in France, where the treat is often served folded into a paper bag and eaten on the street. Here, they’re served on plates, with little fanfare. But when fork hits crêpe, the plain exterior bursts open, revealing a pool of deeply satisfying molten chocolate. It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s truly a super crêpe.
City Coffee House & Crêperie, 36 N. Brentwood, 314-862-2489.
