I still remember my favorite reward, as a child, was when I went to Mr. Crepe for some crepes. The famous Mr. Crepe serves delicious round preparations from a simple container. I don't think anybody living in Keserwan area, between Jeita and Faraya is not familiar with Mr. Crepe. A small container with a few tables up front opens daily for dinner from 5 pm till 1 am. Come rain or shine, Mr. Crepe never takes a day off. The story all began in 1983 when Jean launched this new idea in the village of Kleiat and stayed there until 1987 when they decided to move, together with his two siblings Adel and Jeanne D'arc to Feytroun.
They have served crepes in the region until 1991 where they then settled next to Supermarket Bou Khalil on the Feytroun highway leading to Mzaar Skiing Resort. An innovative idea in the region, 80% of their daily income came from crepes, while the rest came from sales of pizzas, submarine sandwiches and burger for those who wanted to try something else. They have been serving the same quality crepe mix for the past 30 years. It was every child's ultimate satisfaction to eat a crepe from Mr. Crepe. We used to anxiously wait to go to Mr. Crepe at least once a week.
The menu (Same prices for the last ten years or so):
- Italienne (cheese, Ham) 8,000 L.L
- Chez Nous (cheese, ham, mushrooms) 8,500 L.L
- Mexicaine (cheese, hotdog, mushrooms) 8,500 L.L
- Appétissante (eggs, cheese, ham) 8,500 L.L
- Tonata (egg, cheese, tuna) 9,500 L.L
- Poulette (chicken, cheese, mushrooms, special sauce) 12,000 L.L
- Thyma (cheese, ham, mushroom, thyme, ketchup) 9,000 L.L
- Paysanna (sugar, butter, banana) 6,500 L.L
- Chocolate 7,000 L.L Coconuts (chocolate, coconuts)
- Negrette (chocolate, nuts) 8,000 L.L
- Chobano (chocolate, banana, nuts) 8,500 L.L
- Choco Cheese (Chocolate, cheese) 8,500 L.L
- Delicieuse (jam, banana, nuts) 8,500 L.L
- Chobano extra (chocolate, nuts, banana, pineapple, creme) 10,500 L.L
If it’s your first time and you want to taste something special, order one of each of the below:
- Poulette: Crepe dough, a slice of Gruyere cheese covered with the signature Poulette sauce that contains mayonnaise and a tiny little bit of garlic. Shredded chicken breast follows, salt, pepper and mushrooms to finish the rich mix. A mix of crunchiness from the outside and juiciness from the inside make together an ultimate satisfaction. I recommend this crepe.
- Chobano: Commercial chocolate, not Nutella but definitely better for a crepe; less sweetness with harder consistency. The dough absorbs the chocolate making it crunchy and full of taste. Inside, the softness of the hot chocolate and mature bananas coupled with crunched almonds; makes this a unique piece of heaven. Mr. Crepe uses crushed almonds, which adds better taste than regular nuts.
- Tonata: Eggs, cheese and a special tuna mix marinated in lemon sauce. The eggs cooked without oil are amazing. That's a good one even though I would have preferred it with less lemon.
Next to BouKhalil Feytroun, inside the container, the family works like a beehive. Behind the crepe grill, they help each other, working at an impressive speed. A crepe, prepared, toasted and ready to eat only takes around three minutes or less. Watching them at work is something! I always stay mesmerized in front of Jeanne D'Arc while she cuts the bananas, very original: Remove half of the banana skin then put the banana in your hand. Consider the covered half as a protective layer for your skin from the knife. Start cutting from top to bottom, one slice after another in a synchronized movement until all is on, placed on the chocolate. I went back home and tried it a few time until it worked…
Two grills one on low fire to prepare the crepe and another with a higher temperature to toast and cook the inner ingredients.
While passing through Faraya highway, stop by Mr. Crepe for a considerable dinner you won't regret. My personal suggestion: Don't take your crepe as a takeaway. It will lose its crunchiness. Enjoy it live on the spot after its preparation. Go and indulge in Poulette or Chobano, these two unique crepes I highly recommend.