I’ve eaten at creperies all over Paris, from the sixteenth arrondissement to the third to the fourth to the fourteenth and have rarely been disappointed. My top favorites, Briezh and La Ciderie du Marais have been my go-to places for crepes up until now, serving the authentic Brittany style galettes and sweet crepes with hard or sparkling apple cider.
Last week I walked by a new creperie, Maison Bretonne, just a few doors from my house, on rue de Rivoli. The menu looked appealing and a few days later I went for lunch.
The pleasant dining room had paintings of the Brittany landscape with cutesy artifacts on shelves. There was a formule of a savory galette and a crepe for dessert for 17.90 which appeared to be a good deal. Apple cider is a must with galettes, and I had a crisp, cold cider which was delicious and refreshing. My mammoth sized galette was filled with cheese, ham, and sauteed leeks. The taste was beyond any galette I have ever had, crispy and buttery on the outside, and the leeks melted in my mouth. As I kept eating it, I knew this was the best galette I have ever eaten. Stuffed, I had to make room for my crepe, and had to pace myself.
A few minutes later the crepe arrived with a gorgeous mound of apple compote on top and drizzled with salted butter caramel. To say I was in dessert heaven is an understatement. Perhaps they were that good because the ingredients are organic and locally sourced.
Good news for gluten sensitive or intolerant people, the galettes are made with buckwheat flour.
What I also liked about Maison Bretonne, was the unusual flavor combination I’ve never seen before, including asparagus and fresh peas, smoked trout with potatoes and dill, and smoked shiitake mushrooms with bacon bits. The crepes were even more enticing with flavors such as pears poached in apple cider with chocolate ganache, rhubarb with a butter biscuit and rhubarb ice cream, and lemon curd with Italian meringue.
In case I wasn’t overwhelmed enough by the crepe menu, Maison Bretonne has other Brittany specialties on the menu including sardine rillettes, stuffed artichokes, and a cheese plate with Brittany cheeses.
5 rue de Rivoli, 75004
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