beau monde

My wife is on the hunt for antiques - specifically vintage pyrex and fire king collectibles. I'm not the type of person that frequents antique shops or thrift stores. I like new stuff. New stuff makes me happy. But I can appreciate the charming designs that adorn these pieces from the 70's and before. So we've been dipping into little shops around South Jersey and last Sunday we hit up some places on South St. in Philly. I thought it would be nice to take a little shopping trip before I submerged myself into the Super Bowl later that evening. We didn't end up finding anything in great condition but found some pieces for inspiration. And we had a conversation with a saleswoman who had the thickest South Philly accent. Difficult to describe it in writing but very distinct to the ear.

Then we landed at Beau Monde, a French creperie with a cozy bar populated by artsy folk. The interior is elegantly parisian with tall windows overlooking 6th and Bainbridge streets. From what I hear, these crepes are pretty authentic - paper thin and non-spongy wheaty envelopes filled with goodness. The taste is fairly light and restrained. You'll feel satisfied but you won't feel the guilty need to work out afterwards.

The menu offers savory style crepes with buckwheat flour and an assortment of fillings - bacon, ham, eggs, andouile sausage, mushroom, salmon, trout, goat cheese. Then there are the desert crepes with wheat flour filled with fruits and topped with nutella or whipped cream. So we ordered one of each and shared to get the best of both worlds. The ham, egg and cheese crepe is a simple yet perfect breakfast meal and the assorted berry crepe with chantilly cream provided a delicious desert mix of sour and sweetness.