Food review: Queen of Crepes

Ambience: Suzette is located right next to the German Consulate at Nariman Point under an office building.  The creperie is minimally furnished with bleached wooden benches pushed against white walls and accessorised with colourful cushions and black floors.

Other decorative elements include panels of framed French comics, a bookshelf lined with text books on French literature and philosophy and potted basil plants that are left to sun in the outdoor section that has a single table for two.

To the right of the bookshelf is a bar table for two with a sneak peak into the kitchen, which is well stocked with a hot griddle and plastic containers filled with diced and shredded meats and grated cheeses. (This is also where we sit).  Overall the interiors are chic, the music is European and the three French hosts are warm people.

Food: All the savoury crepes on the menu are made from organic buckwheat flour. The meat and cheese are imported too. The menu, a mix of crepes both savoury and sweet, salads (which also include classics) and breakfast items (for the office goers around the area), is focused and French-only.

Round one — we ordered the seemingly odd combinations of juice. After a few sips of the Apple-Carrot-Ginger and Pineapple-Mango-Orange, (more like the Indian version of Maara Maari juice), we were both convinced that healthy can be truly delicious. Next up on the menu was a big bowl of the hyper healthy Soleil salad.

This green dish with roquette, mozerella, tapeneade, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and grilled chicken actually turned out to be one of the best salads I have eaten in Mumbai. The different flavours of each ingredient presented a surprise in every morsel. My companion tried the savoury whole wheat crepe with ratatouille, pan-seared mushrooms, feta cheese and tomato coulis as fillings. It was perfectly crispy with a smooth and even filling that kept the taste buds happy through the entire plate.

I went with the owner’s recommendation of the Campagne Crepe, which had a filling of bacon, honey, goat cheese and toasted walnuts. This too was a winner, as I was delightfully surprised by the way the tastes and textures exploded in the mouth. Both the crepes were moist but firm — neither turned too mush on account of the gooey filling.

For the desserts, we were both waiting for (even though we were totally full), we decided to go ahead and share one and ordered the crepe with apple compote and walnuts served with ice cream. A perfect mixture of sweet and crunchy (the sweet was quite mild, just the way I like it with a hint of cinnamon flavour).

Service: The service is good. The boy who served us was attentive, keen to help and knew exactly what was served on his menu. We had the owners come and suggest what we should try sampling. I liked the warmth and friendliness in the service. A slight downside though was the noise when this place gets full (and, boy, it does get pretty full for dinner even on a working day).

The space also could have been a little better utilised. It’s better not to head there with a big group of friends, since their biggest table could accommodate only five people. Also, the only thing missing from the french restaurant’s menu was wine, which we were told will be coming soon!

Verdict: I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves France and French food, and has been looking for a slice of that city in Mumbai. It is an ideal setting  for those looking for a nice, light and healthy bite around the corporate quarter. I can’t wait to go back and in fact I can’t wait for more of their chains to open in Bandra or Andheri, where I can assure this place would be an instant hit!

Rating:
Meal for two: Rs 900-1,100

Suzette
Ground floor, Atlanta Building, Nariman Point. TEL: 22880055

1 Eat at home 2 Almost there 3 We’re going back 4 Scorching,  5 Steal the chef!!

Prachi Desai is a foodie and an actress