Review: Simply Crêpes - 7/18/11

This is more of a mini-review than an actual one since it only features me (and my mom!). I realize that this is yet another lunch review, but I promise we will talk dinner soon. Very soon! After taking care of some business (finalizing plans for my and Joe’s wedding reception), we decided we were in need of some lunch. I’ve been to Simply Crêpes a few times with Joe and once or twice with my friend Alexis, but my mom had never experienced the mouth-watering deliciousness of Simply Crêpes. Interestingly, she said she couldn’t remember having crêpes since her honeymoon in Toronto with my dad... in 1983! Before that, she vaguely remembered having them when she lived in Washington, D.C. After some indecisiveness on where to go to lunch, we made up our minds once she revealed that little bit of information.

Simply Crêpes is located in Schoen Place in Pittsford and on Main St. in Canandaigua. Today, we went to Schoen Place, a small road set near the Erie Canal. All of the buildings in this area have a rustic cabin-like appearance, and the canal is popular for its path for walking and biking. When it comes to the matter of location (location, location, location!), this is a great spot for any restaurant. (Another favorite for me and Joe, Aladdin’s, also has one of their two restaurants in this area.)

The kitchen

In the dining area

The interior of the restaurant reminds me of walking into someone’s kitchen, maybe someone’s mom or grandma. Upon entering, I always feel like an old lady should come up to me, tell me to sit down, and head into the kitchen to “whip something up.” Small wooden tables sit scattered around the room, and the far wall displays a tall brick fireplace. The kitchen is visible from the dining area, but this is deliberate in the set-up. Unlike the Frog Pond, which merely suffered from a lack of space, Simply Crêpes display their kitchen to highlight their cooks’ preparation of their unique dishes. The restaurant is also exceptionally clean with no flies buzzing around, which is impressive in the summer with doors always opening and closing.

Traditional crêpes with strawberry

My mom ordered the Traditional Crêpes with strawberries instead of maple syrup. The presentation was exquisite. She said this was just how she remembered eating crepes—probably even better! She said she felt like she was eating a dessert, not a lunch. Try not to drool on your keyboard when you look at this picture.

Crêpe Épinards

I ordered the Crêpe Épinards—scrambled eggs, sautéed spinach and tomatoes, and feta cheese wrapped in a crêpe. Without the crêpe, I would call it a lazy omelet. With the crêpe, it transforms into a really fancy breakfast burrito. This was a dish I hadn’t tried before—I usually stick to the Traditional Crêpes that my mom had ordered. This was good, but it was not their best dish, especially since the presentation lacked pizazz. Then again, I tend to think of crêpes as sweet foods, so with eggs, cheese, and veggies, it had more of the traditional breakfast flavors I expect in foods like this rather than being a decadent pseudo-dessert.

One disappointing thing about our lunch today was the service. It wasn’t horrible at all, but it was mediocre. Our waiter didn’t really come by too much. The cook called our order twice before our waiter came up to grab it. It’s kind of disappointing to sit right near the kitchen and see your order sitting for a minute or two where you could just grab it. However, our waiter was the only one on the floor. We were there during a later time for lunch, but we were not the only ones dining in the restaurant. There were several other staff members in the restaurant, but most of them were sitting at tables either in a meeting (two were sitting around a laptop) or putting napkins and silverware together. For most of our time there, only one young woman cooked in the kitchen. As I mentioned, this was not peak lunchtime, and the service didn’t greatly impact our experience, but that distribution of responsibilities seemed too unbalanced. That kind of thing can make customers very upset if it’s during a much busier time.

Overall, I’d give four out of five stars for today, not so much for my meal but because my mom left very impressed.

Rating: 4/5 stars