FOODIE
European Classics In Huntington Village
By Danny & Rob / foodie@longislandernews.com

Huntington’s Village Creperie celebrated its sixth anniversary Dec. 1, but the tradition was born much earlier, said owner Hank Mendikyan.

“My grandmother always made them when I was little,” he said.

His grandmother would fill those crepes and blintzes with meats and cheeses and sometimes just cinnamon and sugar. While crepes – French for pancakes – are gaining popularity in the United States, there’s still a misconception, he said, that they’re strictly dessert foods. Check out the menu at Village Creperie, and that’s quickly disproved, as most of the menu are either breakfast or lunch items.

Enjoyed for centuries in Europe, the paper-thin, flaky-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside crepe originated in the Brittany region of France where they were used as bread. Most savory crepes, called galettes sarrasines, are made of buckwheat flour; as of 100 years ago, dessert crepes are made with wheat flower.

Many of the crepes served are classic French recipes, some of which come from his grandmother, Mendikyan said. Others were crafted in-house, and each has fresh ingredients. The crepes are made to order on their cast-iron French griddles.

Before 3 p.m., the Creperie serves breakfast egg crepes, including various combinations of cheeses, breakfast meats and veggies. On the lunch and dinner menu, the Zorba ($8.50) lives up to the name with a savory combination of feta cheese, spinach, olives, tomatoes and caramelized onion. The fresh Feta, olive slices and spinach are vibrant and flavorful, and the slightly-sweet onions and tomatoes contrast the strong flavors very well.

La Luna ($8.50) is a perfect wintertime choice – the chicken, cheese, mushrooms and tomatoes fill you up and warm you up. For a Southwestern twist, check out the Santa Fe ($8.95) which combines beef, onions, tomatoes, roasted peppers and a sweet-and-spicy teriyaki.

The Mona Lisa ($6.95), one of eight sweet crepes, is a sweet, tart combination of apples, cinnamon and brown sugar served in a dressing of powdered sugar. Some of the shop’s most popular sweet crepes, Mendikyan said, are the three that include Nutella. We didn’t get to explore the enticing pastries, but the creperie is loaded with all sorts of fresh-baked linzer tarts, strudels, turnovers, Danishes, cookies and more. They also carry a range of Bindi cakes, imported from Italy.

Seasonal offerings include fresh soups in the wintertime and low-calorie frozen yogurt during warmer months. Coffee bar offerings include drip, espresso drinks, iced beverages and milk shakes. If you want to bring the crepes to an upcoming party, the Village Creperie offers catering with the owners preparing fresh crepes during the gathering.