La Creperie Café, Bohemian Bistro & Bar – Menu
4911 E. 2nd Street
(562) 434-8499
Cuisine: Crepes, French
Mon – Thur: 10am – 10pm, Fri: 10am – 11pm
Sat: 9am – 11pm, Sun: 9am – 10pm
Price: $$ Parking: Street Credit Cards: YES
Just an ordinary Tuesday night as my daughter and I take a quick walk from home down to Second Street with Paris as our destination, we find ourselves at this French little bistro in the heart of Belmont Shore. Okay, so it is not quite the Paris the “City of Lights” but a bit more like Paris on a budget, by the beach in southern California. Voila! A small outside dining area on the sidewalk to enjoy the warm summer evening or the quaint indoor dining room lavishly adorned with lots of color and ambiance… decisions, decisions.
Although sitting outside is always fun, people watching as I love to do, we opt for the indoor dining area as it is cool in more ways than one. The walls are painted with Parisian street scenes, quirky framed art of old musical instruments, crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, mirrors and lavish draperies frame the wine bar. At one side a comfy sofa sits in the lounge area around a small piano and on the other side the dining area. Did I mention the window into the kitchen so you can watch them make your crepes? All very cool, very Bohemian, very over the top!
We were seated and greeted by a friendly waiter and our drink orders taken, sipping wine and iced tea as we sit and ponder the many choices on the menu. So many crepes, so little time! Finally we decide on an order of garlic French fries, a savory crepe called Ratatouille and a bowl of the Pistou Soup. The Pistou soup was a vegetable soup made of white beans, pesto, pasta and parmesan cheese, very light and very tasty. The garlic fries are always a hit, as they are seasoned just right and served with three types of dipping sauces. I liked the chipotle sauce the best. The crepe was nice with the roasted zucchini, peppers and pesto but it just wasn’t hot enough (temperature wise) for my taste, not my favorite. My daughter said her food was all the right temperature and her peach iced tea tasted of, well, ice tea and peaches. She was happy.
We ended the meal with an Apple Pain Perdu, a nice bread pudding made with brioche, caramelized apples, and cinnamon topped with maple syrup and vanilla ice crème. Tasty but perhaps a bit heavy and rich so most of it went home with us in a doggy bag. It might go well with my morning coffee… or not.
Overall the food was good and the restaurant enjoyable but the service may have been a little too lax for my liking and we missed the piano player too. There is usually music but not every night, so check the calendar and come and check out this little piece of Paris right here in Long Beach. Bon Appetit!