My eldest daughter loves crêpes. Therefore, on a lunchtime
trip into Cardiff
to buy sports gear for her forthcoming athletics competitions, we only had one food
destination in mind: La Crêperie de
Sophie in the High Street Arcade.
La Crêperie de Sophie opened in Cardiff
just two weeks ago, but their name may be familiar to anyone who has visited
outdoor events in Wales
over the past four years.
Loïc Moinon was born and
raised in Brittany
(“the crêpe capital of the world”). He founded
La Crêperie de Sophie in 2008; naming the company after his wife. Loïc and his hard-working team have been making authentic
French crêpes at hundreds of festivals,
shows, Farmers’ Markets, corporate events, private parties and weddings over
the past four years. The Outside Catering Services will continue, but now
the Llantwit Major-based company has its first
permanent outlet.
Take-away will be an important part of the High Street
Arcade business, but there’s also plenty of seating for eating in (which adds
£1 to the bill). There are seven tables in the basement and one by the serving
counter, but the place to be is at one of the tables outside in the historic
arcade.
We went for Savoury Crêpes.
I had Cocorico! (seasoned chicken
breast, brie, cranberry sauce, rocket salad and balsamic dressing), while my
daughter had L’Italienne (Parma ham, mozzarella,
sundried tomatoes, pesto, rocket salad). There was a choice between spinach and
rocket on the day. The crêpes were crispy and light, with pleasing arrangements
of fresh ingredients. We also had two Americano coffees and our bill came to
£14.90.
Quality is important to Loïc and
he says it’s not something that will be compromised. Getting the right balance
between quality and cost for his customers is a key challenge as the
outlet becomes established. Lunch Deals (crêpe plus drink) currently start from
£4.45.
There is nothing quite like the crêpes served at La Crêperie
de Sophie elsewhere in Cardiff .
They offer a real lunchtime alternative to the usual sandwiches, baguettes and
wraps.
Other Savoury Crêpes on the menu include The Barn (free
range egg, cheddar cheese, red onion and rocket salad) and L’Atlantic (smoked
salmon, herby cream, red onions, rocket salad and balsamic dressing).
The Sweet Crêpes selection includes all the classics,
alongside some of Loïc’s own inventions. The Brittany includes sliced banana, home-made Caramel
Breton, crushed biscuits and “Chantilly ”
cream. Typical ingredients include chocolate, Nutella spread, fresh fruit, nuts,
cream and liqueurs. Sophie’s – A Love Story combines Belgian chocolate (or
Nutella or Caramel) with fresh strawberries, cream and flaked almonds.
La Crêperie de Sophie hopes to get a license to sell alcohol
shortly, so you’ll be able to enjoy cider from Brittany with your crêpes.
Eating crêpes on plates at La Crêperie de Sophie is a different
experience from eating them take-away at outdoor events. On a plate, they look
a picture (particularly a seasonal fresh fruit one that arrived at an adjacent
table). They are crisper and give more scope for ingredients and innovation.
A special Olympics-themed menu will run during the London
2012 Games this summer. We’ll be back to try some Sweet Crêpes, and see what Loïc has dreamed up on the sports theme. My daughter
reckons there will be no problem running off excessive crêpe calories around
the track!
La Crêperie de Sophie
Open
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm. Sun 10am-4pm
Tel:
08454757508
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