Creperie Bruxelles, Adelaide

My post-travel bank account is looking a little low, so since getting home I’ve been mostly living off vegetable soup. With new places popping up all over the place I’m in a very sombre food space at the moment. Luckily I did get a chance to try the new Creperie Bruxelles on Henley Beach Road in Mile End. It doesn’t seem like the most obvious place to set up a new dessert spot; judging by the crowds when we were there, the location is not a hindrance.

Browsing through their menu, alarm bells started ringing. Poffertjes? Lemonade? I knew something was familiar. Turns out these are the same guys behind The Famous Lemonade Stand and Adelaide’s Famous Poffertjes (at the Garden of Unearthly Delights). I’d never tried the poffertjes before, so we ordered the poffertjes with vanilla cream as well as some crepes each.

It’s hard to use the word ‘Parisian’ to describe the creperie, after all, it’s named after a city that is entirely not even in France. Yet ‘Parisian’ fits it so well. There are ornate fittings and French posters on the wall. It’s a very cosy setting. We couldn’t wait to step inside out of the cold.

You can see why Sam and I are friends. We both immediately go for the option featuring the word ‘caramelised’. He goes for caramelised banana crepes with chocolate sauce, and I have caramelised pear crepes with spiced Chai cream. I also ordered one of their ‘famous’ lemonades. As much as I love desserts, I always need something refreshing to go along with them. Usually I like a bottle of sparkling water, but lemonade is also a nice way to cut through the sweetness.

Presentation was elegantly simple. General opinion was that there might have been a better topping to crepe ratio if the crepes had been filled rather than just topped. But there were no real complaints.

The poffertjes were the highlight. They were like miniature pancakes that had been cooked enough so they didn’t have that floury taste, but still a little bit gooey on the inside. It’s hard to fault the combination of lemon and sugar. The plate was great for sharing. There were about ten poffertjes on the plate, and we didn’t need to worry about cutting or dividing anything. They were the perfect size, texture, and flavour.

Our drinks hadn’t arrived by the time we’d finished, which ended up being down to a mix up with ordering. They were a little rushed off their feet, and we weren’t complaining. The lemonade tasted a little different, and was more like the lemon juice we get from Vietnamese restaurants. It was a refreshing way to end the night.

I’d recommend Creperie Bruxelles for the food and the atmosphere. They’re taken something they already do well and expanded it into a neat little cafe. Soon they also plan to serve breakfast and lunch; I, for one, am excited.