Though the pandemic has made us housebound and whatever the opposite of homesick is, we’re still able to savor the flavors of France, thanks to Crepes Bonaparte, which specializes in the beloved Parisian street food.
With a merci to Smart & Final, the grocery chain that helps provide fresh ingredients to many restaurants across Southern California, Crepes Bonaparte has agreed to share some of their most popular sweet and savory recipes. The Downtown Fullerton restaurant has a cult-like following, as do their two food trucks. The trucks, adorably named Gaston and Pierre, have been featured on Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race and Giada at Home as well as Cooking Channel’s Eat Street. The trucks (and optional mimosa bar!) are available for catering, as well.
“An important part of Smart & Final’s business is our restaurant customers,” said Deb Bell-Versluis, Director, Corporate Communications, Smart & Final. “Crepes Bonaparte is a long-time customer of our Smart & Final Extra! Fullerton location. With so many people staying at home right now, we wanted to collaborate with them to adapt some of their popular recipes so they can be made at home with ingredients that can be purchased at Smart & Final.”
Crepes Bonaparte’s signature menu items include the Ham & Cheese Savory Crepe and the HazelBerryAna® Dessert Crepe with fresh strawberries, sliced banana, and Nutella topped with whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle. If you can’t get to Fullerton or catch Gaston or Pierre along their routes, don’t worry!
Here’s the basic crepe recipe that you can make in your own kitchen. You likely don’t have a specialty crepe griddle at home—the next best thing is a flat nonstick pan.
Recipe for crepe batter:
2 cups First Street All Purpose Flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour
2 cups First Street Milk
1/2 cup First Street Canola Oil
3 First Street Large Grade A Eggs
Combine all ingredients with a whisk or blender, then pour about a half-cup of batter into a well-greased pan over medium heat; when the edges start to lift a little, it’s time to flip the crepe, let it cook a few moments more and then remove from the pan. Then fill with whatever makes you happy – whether it’s a sweet treat, or a savory something.
Looking for ingredients? Try Smart & Final, a one-stop shop that provides individual and club-store sizes to save you time and money – without a membership fee. What’s more, you can get your order delivered within two hours or less at SmartandFinal.com.
