How much fun and flavour can you pack into the humble crepe? Quite a lot, it turns out, if the offering from one of the most talked about newish eateries in the Norwich Lanes is anything to go by.
The sweet and savoury treats from Christophe's Crepes have been prompting queues since 2011.
For most of that time the business has had a food truck parked up in Davey Place between Norwich Market and the castle, and since 2020, they have had their own small venue in Pottergate, which, for the moment at least, even has its very own T-rex right outside the front door.
I'd been curious to try it out ever since my partner returned from a meal there with photos of gorgeous-looking crepes spread over plates and stacked high with delights including egg and bacon (for the savouries) and chocolate and ice cream for the sweeties.
When we visited for the review, a temporary staff shortage meant the crepes were only being served in takeaway wraps, which, while slightly less photogenic, were every bit as delicious.
I started with the Super Mario (£5.50 eat in/£6.25 take away) which is what you could call an Italian take on a French classic.
Folded inside the crepe was a satisfying amount of ham (the other options were bacon or salami) which came with baby leaf spinach, a tomato and herb sauce and two types of cheeses - cheddar and mozzarella. Simple ingredients, and the key word is fresh.
We watched the crepes themselves being prepared right behind the counter, and all of the contents were crisp and full of flavour.
We also had a Roughie (£5.50/£6.25), the name apparently coming from the redness of the ingredients.
This came with salami, an egg (for an extra 50p), red onion chutney, spinach, cheddar and mozzarella. I just got a bite of this one but I've got to say it was even better than the Super Mario, perhaps because of the bacon.
We also tried La-Shiznit (£6.05/£6.80) which offered a raft of different flavours thanks to its crew of grilled halloumi, wild rocket, maple syrup and grilled bacon, which came for £1 extra.
These aren't the sort of things I normally would have expected would go together well in a crepe, but they worked perfectly! Certainly the pick of the bunch so far and one I'd order again in a heartbeat.
It was be interesting to see how this one would have worked with an even different sauce or topping, perhaps tomato chutney instead of maple syrup is something they could consider as an alternative dish?
Seated around an outdoor table, we watched the world go by for a few minutes while contemplating what we'd order for the next course, which was coming from the sweet side of the menu.
First to go under our tastebuds was the Raspberry Ripple, (£6.05/£6.80), which seemed like the perfect choice for the hot summer's day we were there on.
Alongside the raspberries you get chocolate - and lots of it, namely crumbled Galaxy Ripple with an added measure of white chocolate drizzle on top.
A great crepe, but for a contrasting flavour we tried the Cinnapple (£5.50/£6.25). This one was naturally all about the cinnamon, and there was plenty of crunchy demerara sugar and apple pie vibes to make this a truly delectable sweet treat.
Lastly was the pièce de résistance, which did not even appear to be on the regular menu - a piece of crepe cheesecake (£4.50). This is made with Biscoff and is both amazing to look at and very filling - as much as I wanted to eat a second slice, there was no way I could have fit it in.
Setting
Christophe's Crepes is in a little corner of the lanes in Pottergate in what used to be the Tofurei. There's comfortable, informal seating inside and some tables outside which are much preferable in the middle of summer. The whole place exudes a relaxed atmosphere.
Value
Our total bill for five crepes, a slice of crepe cake and a couple of milkshakes, came to £50.30. The portions were big enough and it was all completely delicious. We ate more than we could have done on a normal meal out. Great value!
Drinks
There's a cafe-worthy range of cuppas on offer, with coffee roasted locally by one of the neighbours at Strangers Coffee. Under the counter is a range of cold drinks including some fairly artisan-looking soft drinks.
We went for the handmade milkshakes - sampling the chocolate and banoffii, which were both £4.25 and 50p extra for whipped cream.
The chocolate was my favourite, really lovely stuff, and after I'd slurped up the drink there was plenty of hard chocolate left in the bottom of the cup.
Toilets
There's a toilet inside at the back. It's a little on the small side, but very clean and well-kept.
Accessibility
There's plenty of space to move around inside this ground-storey venue.
There is a slight step on the way in, but it should be manageable for most people with mobility issues.
Service
As this is a popular place there are queues sometimes, but the staff were calm and collected and seemed to take it all in their stride. We didn't have to wait to long to be served. Top marks for service.
Highlight
It would have to be the crepe cheesecake, just because it was so delicious and like nothing I've ever had before.
In summary
Forgive the pics with this review - it's difficult to give a good picture of what's inside the crepes served as they were as takeaways.
If you'e interested in seeing what they look like plated up I'd urge you check out the venue's Instagram feed - it will no doubt have you drooling.
This was a great, informal meal out, perhaps not somewhere I'd go if I really wanted to spoil myself, but a worthy treat nonetheless.
If you like that, try these
The Waffle House, Norwich
Something of a city institution. From Indian curry to Italian Parma, you name it and they'll put it on a waffle lattice and serve it up.
Lime Kiln Kitchen, Thetford Garden Centre
The team at this cosy, yet expansive venue bake over 50,000 scones a year.
The Loddon Swan, Loddon
Although this town pub has a small menu, there are a variety of dishes to suit different palates.
Did you know?
Crepes are thought to have originated in the Brittany area of France in around the 13th century. Just like many classic cuisines, there's a cute origin story which involves a mistake.
Apparently, a Breton woman dribbled some porridge onto a hot cooktop by accident, and, not wanting to waste any food, ate it. The rest is history and the humble crepe was born.
*Our food reviews are always independent. They are the opinion of the reviewer based on their experience of the venue when they visited. The establishment is not aware of our visit, is not informed we intend to write a review and bills are paid by the reviewer. The choice of places reviewed is also independent and is not based on venues which do or do not advertise in our publications.
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