Crepe Expectations offers surprising selection

You may think you know crepes. But, at Crepe Expectations, the French favorite has been refashioned in some surprising ways.

Crepes with meatballs or pepperoni. Crepes with tuna, dill pickle and jalapeno. Crepes with carne asada, pork or turkey.

All -- as well as more traditional crepes for the purist -- reside on the menu of Crepe Expectations, which opened in May at 9500 S. Eastern Ave.

The restaurant actually grew out of a mobile crepe kitchen created in September 2010 by Crepe Expectations founders Larry Cox and Ana Topete, his wife and the restaurant's culinary director and "crepe artisan."

But, Cox said, "one thing led to another and people started clamoring for a restaurant."

Now, in a dining room designed to bring to mind a modern bistro, diners can choose from among a selection of sweet, savory and breakfast crepes.

Cox said many of the crepes on the menu have been refashioned from traditional restaurant recipes. For instance, the shrimp-and-zucchini Del Mar crepe "was originally a recipe to be served over bow-tie pasta."

Some newcomers do arrive with preconceived notions of what a crepe is, Cox added, and "even now, I find that it's like a bit of an educational process.

"They don't realize how far you can go in all directions with a crepe."

Just about everything -- dressings, pesto, tzatziki and, of course, crepe batters -- is made fresh and in-house, Cox said.

Crepe Expectations also offers a wine and champagne list, beers, teas, juices and -- a reflection of Cox's own beverage preferences -- upscale sodas.

Topete even has perfected a gluten-free crepe, Cox said, and vegans and vegetarians have found crepe-less crepes to be a satisfying entree.

Crepe Expectations is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Mondays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Breakfast crepes: The Rosarito (chorizo, scrambled eggs, guacamole, jack cheese), $7.50; The Sunday Morning (scrambled eggs, seasoned potatoes, jack cheese), $6.75

Savory crepes: The Greek (grilled chicken, spinach, feta cheese, tzatziki yogurt, kalamata olives, red onion, tomato), $8; The Del Mar (sauteed shrimp and zucchini in a lemon-butter creme fraiche sauce), $9; The Grand Turk (sauteed turkey, tomato, guacamole, black olives, jack cheese), $7.50; The Sonora (carne asada steak, roasted tomato salsa, guacamole, jack cheese), $9

Sweet crepes: The Avalon (buttered pears, goat cheese, candied walnuts, honey), $7.50; The Frisco (fresh blueberries in lemon curd, fresh whipped cream and powdered sugar), $7.50; The Monkey (nutella, banana, chocolate drizzle, fresh whipped cream and powdered sugar) $6.50

Information: 583-4939

By JOHN PRZYBYS