Standing two floors tall on the corner of 6th and Bainbridge streets, just one block off South, Creperie Beau Monde offers tasty, French–inspired fare in a cozy, country garden atmosphere.
Despite the name, it’s not just another crepe place. This became pretty clear when we opened the menu, finding a variety of smaller plates and dinner–size salads (though we skipped these) in addition to a diverse sampling of gourmet crepes. Beau Monde makes both savory and sweet crepes that transcend the traditional street–food boundary, offering some classic (beef bourguignon, coq au vin, ratatouille) and some not–so–classic French foods (like andouille sausage and salsa verde) as fillings. Unfortunately not BYOB, they do have a good beer ($3–5) and wine ($8–12) selection .
We decided to sample three varieties of savory crepes, per recommendation of our black and white apron–clad waitress (a la French maid, but not in the role–play kind of way). The ratatouille, sausage and caramelized tomato sauce combo ($16.25) was not the favorite; the rubbery texture of the sausage set the components at odds and it required more effort to eat than it should have. Picking up where the first left off, the grilled chicken, goat cheese, leek and lemon butter crepe ($21) had a great texture, but suffered slightly from an imbalance between the goat cheese and leeks with the other ingredients. Our third choice, sauteed scallops with a garlicky tomato sauce and herb butter ($19) was really the standout. The flavors were all there and married inside the light and folded exterior, though the scallops could have been slightly more tender.
Of course no crepe experience would be complete, or worthwhile, without some sort of sugary dessert indulgence. Taking the advice of our server once again, we ordered the daily dessert special ($14.50), which consisted of baked honeycrisp apples, Mexican cajeta and toasted almonds with a side of white chocolate gelato. The ingredients speak for themselves; it was a hit.
While Beau Monde makes sidewalk food significantly more upscale, the eatery and upstairs lounge are certainly not out of reach. It’s a nice ambience with good food. Portions are substantial and the prices are comparable — it’s also possible to build your own creation from a plain crepe, which can keep the price down. We’d certainly return here to try some new combinations, hoping to have a bit better luck with texture and cohesion.
Creperie Beau Monde
624 S. 6th St,
(215) 592–0656
Don’t Miss: Dessert
Skip: Sausage Crepe
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