eat oakland

Crepes a Coco French Crepe House, Oakland, CA

NARRATIVE
This afternoon I am nursing a cold and am sitting in a little cafe that serves buckwheat crepes. I was hungry, but because my nasal passage is a myth I remember from my past at the moment, I have to judge my food choices by any ability of scent to skirt it's way to my olfactory center. I walked by after visiting the Oakland Farmers' Market by 580 and smelled a combination of cumin, cinnamon, cayenne...spices that are hearty and comforting.

I knew I would taste my breakfast here.


CONTACT INFORMATION
Crepes a Coco
French Crepe House
3227A Lakeshore Avenue
Oakland, CA 94610

Phone: 510.834.8038

HOURS: Tue-Sat 9am - 8 pm
Sun 9 am - 3 pm

CUISINE
Light, cafe fair featuring savoury and dessert buckwheat crepes, salads, and sandwiches.

PRICE RANGE
Inexpensive - Mid-range. I was nursing my cold so I opted for a lunch crepe and a dessert crepe in addition to my cup of tea. Total was about $15.

SUMMARY
The storefront could look like a cheerful cafe. The interior is a sunny morning light yellow with tracklighting about the perimeter and artwork reticent of France along the walls. It's a place of intimate dining, most tables seat two. There are a pair of dj turntables in the back for dj occasions. Essentially this is your favourite friend's kitchen inviting you home to tell you the latest good news and you could spend hours here. I'm treating it as a cafe right now, but I am sure breakfast has that easy-going brunch feel to it as well.

The cook is a gregarious, 6'4" gent with dreads. I perused the menu, sought out a few choices and then asked his opinion. He painted a beautiful picture of the house crepe, and since that was on my list of choices, I took it as a match and chanced on it. I opened up my laptop and started playing backgammon. When the owner passed by me, I asked him for a cup of mint tea. It was served promptly to me in a beautiful white bowl and saucer. My hands cupped around the bowl helped settle me back into my body. Illness always makes me feel out of The cook served me the house specialty crepe: La Coconut Groove. Curried Chicken, Coconut Milk, and mushrooms with a vegetable ratatouille wrapped in a beautiful envelope of buckwheat crepe.

The scents filled my nose and warmth filled my belly with flavour and goodness.

SERVICE
I felt completely at home. This place would do well to offer wi-fi service so anyone could plop down a few bucks, enjoy the music, enjoy the people strolling by, enjoy their crepes and wile away their hours here.

REST ROOMS
I didn't visit the restrooms since I was late to an appointment with a nap I had, but the place is lovely and I would assume the feel would carry into the W.C.

posted by wrki @ 11:08 AM