Ahhh, the French. We can thank them for Brigitte Bardot, Champagne and Crepes, all tantalizing creations. Crepes Dusigne, a tiny café which opened only four months ago, is easily whiz-by-able on Olympic but take heed; you’re passing up an edible stroll down the Seine served with a side of whipped cream. Pump the brakes!!! It’s Crepe Time! (Oh la la)

Just off Sawtelle (and around the corner from the nefarious, sub-par Crepe Nazi with all his stupid rules at Crepes To Go) is a lovely and talented Frenchman awaiting your arrival, griddles toasty, spatula in hand. Both owner and crepe master, he takes and makes your order while you settle into one of the six small tables, three inside, three outside, which, luckily, have yet to be overrun.

Everything about Crepes Dusigne is slightly truncated; the menu is succinct, seating is limited and the wait for your order to arrive is mercifully short. Well, almost everything. When it comes to delectability and portions, they invite you to indulge.

The menu is simple but perfectly executed. Offering both sweet and savory crepes, your choices are limited to the best options.

Traditional savory buckwheat crepes, served with a small, undressed side salad, come with your choice of cheese, egg, ham, turkey, smoked salmon, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes and spinach. That’s all they serve and, in truth, that’s all you need.

You can vie for zen bliss (just gimme the cheese!) or load up on what they call “The Works” (everything on the menu in one delightful crepe bursting at the seams with yumminess), it all depends on your mood and the vastness of your appetite. The Works offers a different flavor experience bite to bite as you unearth a treasure trove of flavors; turkey and sundried tomato on one forkful, artichoke and spinach on the next. Smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers are a stellar combination bringing together oozing cheese, meaty smoke and a poppy, tart punch. The towering flavor of two little choices, Ham and Cheese, transports you from the congested whir on Olympic to a far flung Arrodissement where accordion music wafts around you and people wear berets. Oui, oui!

Sweet offerings are equally simple and divine. Sugar (regular or with lime), chocolate, jam, Nutella, banana and Grand Marnier crepes are served with whipped cream before being drizzled with melted chocolate and powered sugar.

Sugar crepes arrive with caramelized sugar and melted butter filling the slightly sweetened thin pancake and leaving you wondering if eating a second order is bad…or bad in a good way. Classic Nutella meltingly gives way as knife and fork dive into the hazelnut goodness sending a bit of the scrumptiousness out from under its pillowy retreat and occasionally forcing a finger-to-plate-to-mouth situation. Manners be damned! We’re Americans, who cares how gross we look? This stuff is good and it would be a sin to waste even a morsel!

Crepes Dusigne succeeds in the details; the little chocolates served with freshly brewed coffee, the quality of ingredients used, the fact that the owner offered a complimentary plate of sweet crepes after noticing my enthusiasm for his restaurant (and he never knew I was there to research a review). With prices starting at $3.25 and topping out at $8.00, one wonders why anyone would bother with a plane ticket when there’s a plateful of France waiting in West LA. Viva la Crepe!

Cafe Dusigne
11301 W. Olympic Blvd.
#125
Los Angeles, CA 90064
310.473.0903

Tues-Thurs: 8am-6pm
Fri-Sat: 8am-11pm
Closed Sunday and Monday

Besides crepes, my other favorite French food is a great Nicoise Salad but I rarely have the time or ingredients to make one so I created a recipe for a quick, easy, low fat, high protein, low carb one. It’s great to throw together in the summer and keep in the fridge for a fast lunch or snack and the tastes intensify the longer you allow them to macerate. Just save the romaine for last or else the leaves get too soggy.

Quickie “Nicoise” Salad
Serves 2

Salad-
1 cup French (small and thin like all things French) green beans, trimmed
1 can water packed, dolphin safe tuna, drained
½ cup English cucumber (skin on), diced
10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
6-8 Nicoise (Kalamata is a fine substitute) olives, pitted and halved
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, julienned (there is no substitute for fresh)
1 head Romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces

Dressing-
4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey, maple syrup or brown sugar (not all three, just pick one to act as a sweetening balance)
1 clove chopped garlic
4 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place green beans in a large, microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave green beans on high for 45 seconds.
3. Add tuna, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and basil to green beans. Mix well and set aside.
4. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, and either honey, maple syrup or sugar and garlic. Mix well.
5. Add olive oil in a steady stream until mixture is well emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add vinaigrette to tuna/vegetable mixture and check seasoning.
7. Arrange torn romaine leaves on two plates and top with tuna mixture.
8. Enjoy!

sasha@la2day.com