Saturday, June 4, 2011

It's Just Crepes Creates an International Flavor

Neil and Eric are heading downtown to the crepe place again.  I have birds and squirrels on my agenda for the day.

      When we first visited It's Just Crepes at their original location on Court Street back in the fall of 2009, Karrah and Keven Paizanoglou were running their new business along with one other guy.  We were impressed with their energy and the idea of basically a street vendor crepe maker in a storefront restaurant.  Keven, a Greek immigrant, created the concept while finishing his Master’s at NKU.  Karrah was the force behind making it happen, but they both have a sense of what works and constantly evolve the business to meet their customer's wants.  Customer service is at its best at It's Just Crepes.  We talked with them about how great the idea was and what their plans were for expansion.  Karrah immediately replied that they might think about franchising in 10 years!  Two short years later, they have opened two additional restaurants, one on 4th Street in downtown Cincinnati and the other in Crescent Springs, KY and the phenomenon continues to grow.  Karrah and Keven continue to be seen at the various locations, and it's always a pleasure to see them in action displaying their passion.

Exterior on Court Street

      Orders are placed as you enter and brought to your table.  You can watch them being made if you prefer.  Crepe making is an art, and no one is exactly like another.  The dining room is tastefully furnished with items from IKEA in a steel blue, orange, chrome, and white theme.  There are tables and counters at
the Court Street location, which is the smallest of the three restaurants.  

Making a Sweet Crepe

      The menu is divided into savory and sweet crepes.  There's also a featured crepe of the month.  We've enjoyed many from all categories.  Salads are also offered, although we have not ordered them (we like the crepes too much).  The ingredients are always fresh, and it's obvious that the crepes have an egg base that offers both elasticity and a firm crispness.  My favorite is the Florentine containing diced chicken, Swiss cheese, spinach, mushrooms, and onions with Hollandaise sauce.  Eric has a variety of favorites.  On our last visit we both chose the Daily Special, Out of the Blue.  It's a great choice of diced chicken, blue cheese crumbles, tomatoes, and balsamic vinaigrette.  The savory crepes are packed full with ingredients, while the sweet ones tend to be flatter.  The Crepe of the Month was Wild Berries and we decided to share an order.  Strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries combined with a home made cream cheese frosting.  It was a bit messy so I asked for a fork to enjoy every bit of it.  Overall, we like the sweet crepes that are made with Nutella.  The Parisian is also light and simple with butter, sugar, and lemon.  Drinks are typical with a variety of coffees and teas offered.

Out of the Blue Crepe
Wild Berries Crepe of the Month

      We can only hope that It's Just Crepes will continue to pop up in neighborhoods around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and beyond.  It's that good!

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