Dish Review

Owned by Brenda Drain (formerly of Urban Grind), Tour de Cr�pes recently took over the Airstream trailer and converted garage that once housed Fold Cr�perie. The rough-around-the-edges restaurant displays a juxtaposition of quirky hedonism and radical guilt that is slightly jarring but very Alberta: Eat your $7 prosciutto cr�pe on old furniture rescued from landfill doom. For dessert, enjoy a chocolatey treat, but not too much�a large retail display of T-shirts condemning the ongoing tragedy in Darfur reminds us that in other parts of the world they don't have Grand Marnier and cr�me fra�che. Resist the urge to run home, donate your lunch money to charity and make a PB&J instead, because the cr�pes here make the world a better place in their own small way. The Gallic comfort food is prepared classic Breton style, with thin, lacy buckwheat cr�pes and an emphasis on Gruy�re for the savory versions and a strong Nutella presence (as well there should be) on the sweet side, but unexpected additions like cayenne pepper and a fig-onion chutney wake up old standbys. The Gruy�re, green apple and cayenne cr�pe ($5.75) creates a perfect balance between starchy-creamy and fresh-zingy. The Nutella, toasted coconut and coconut cream cr�pe ($6.50) is the perfect thing for those who like to eat three candy bars in one sitting. On one visit it seemed to swim not in coconut cream but coconut milk, but the fat factor was still high enough to narrowly avoid sogginess. If you really want to make your head explode, have the staff make it with chocolate cr�pe batter (50 cents extra) and add vanilla ice cream ($1.50). Washed down with a French sparkling blueberry lemonade ($2.75), it's a true Willy Wonka moment. As the savory cr�pes run small, diners with heartier appetites may want to round out their meal with a quiche ($5.50), salad ($2.50-$6) or the French onion soup ($3-$5), whose slightly tangy broth soaks into generous quantities of melty Gruy�re, thick bread and soft, sweet onions. You'll look pretty silly to passersby with strings of cheese hanging out of your mouth, but chances are they'll be silly-looking too, especially if it's Last Thursday.

WWeek 2015