The great thing about crepes is that, depending on what you decide to have in them, you can tuck into one at any time of day and for a full-on meal or a sweet snack. CrêpeAffaire’s English Breakfast or Eggs Benedict offerings will set anyone up for the day ahead, while their Superveg, Marinated Chicken or Salmon & Cream Cheese varieties are ideal for a protein-packed lunch or dinner choice…
For those with a sweet tooth (myself included), there’s plenty here for you, too – the Strawberries & Cream and classic Nutella options both caught my eye. The majority of the filling ingredient offered are gluten-free (the sausages and sweet crumble topping are not), but you can easily swap one that isn’t for another to create an equally tasty but safe combination.
I visited at dinner time, so decided to put on my sensible cap and opt for a savoury crepe – Superveg with added red onion. I was very pleasantly surprised – the veg was chopped into small pieces to enable the crepe to fold properly, but there were plenty of ingredients packed inside, along with a good amount of cheddar cheese which melted nicely and ensured an even spread of veg.
Meanwhile, my friend opted for Le Goat Deluxe and was impressed again with the filling – there was a good amount of Goat’s cheese to provide a strong flavour but without being overpowering. This also gave a smooth creaminess that contrasted nicely with the rougher texture of the crepe. The crepes themselves are thin but not to the point where they’re about to fall apart or have holes, and the outer edges had ,ore subtle crispness to them which became slightly (but deliciously) doughier as you moved further in.
As tempting as the sweet crepes sounded, we thought it might be a bit much to have one crepe followed by another – and if you’re in the same mindset but still want a dessert, you’re in luck. Normally I’d roll my eyes at yet another gluten-free brownie, but the ones at CrêpeAffaire are not to be missed. They’re wonderfully soft and fudgy, while chocolate chips on top and small chunks of nuts inside provide a satisfying bite.
The buckwheat crepes are cooked, when possible, on an entirely separate hotplate than the non-gluten free ones to avoid cross contamination; if there is not the capability to do so however, the hot plate is cleaned thoroughly before use for making gluten-free crepes. The buckwheat batter is prepared and stored using clean and entirely separate utensils, though individual filling ingredients are prepared in the main kitchen area before then being kept in individual containers for serving. CrêpeAffaire assured me that all staff are well trained in gluten-free preparation and cooking procedures to ensure each branch is as coeliac-friendly as it can be.
The crepes are surprisingly filling – and the fact you can fold them up and eat one on the go just adds to their appeal. If you hadn’t already guessed, I’m a fan – and I guarantee that after a visit to CrêpeAffaire, you’ll never look at that thick pancake stack in the same way again.