Rue Des Crepes: A Little Bit of Paris in Harrison
By Pam Lustig
Would you like to have lunch in Paris? It’s possible, and you don’t have to do the Concord! Rue Des Crepes, the whimsical Parisian creation of owner M. Denise Diaz, has opened in Harrison.
This is the first restaurant review I have done where the owner actually dined with me — and what a beautiful, delightful young woman she is.
When you enter the restaurant, you are whisked away to a small outdoor café in Paris, even though it entirely indoors. It’s an amazing illusion: The shops and street signs are so real that customers have actually tried to walk into the tiny French façade. Inspired by her mother’s Sunday crepes she remembers as a child and her trips to France, Diaz has given Westchester something very special and unique. On a Tuesday afternoon during lunchtime, the place was humming with the sophistication of a New York City kind of crowd. People were raving about the food as they exited. Aside from the usual women you always find lunching and chatting, the mixed crowd included men and families as well.
The menu is unique. We began with Crepe Crisps with a Four-Olive Tapenade. You can order these with an assortment of toppings. Although I chose not to have wine at lunch, Rue Des Crepes offers an unusual and extensive wine list. The menu also offers a variety of homemade soups and different types of frites with dipping sauces. For those of you who are looking for a salad for lunch, they offer a nice selection. We had the Rue house salad (chopped), a combination of romaine, avocado, onions, cucumber, cherry tomato and grilled shrimp served in a Crepe Crisp with an Oriental Sesame Peanut dressing. The selection of crepes was extensive, from hearty to dessert crepes. We had the Smoked salmon ET Caviar Crepe and the Turkey ET Brie Crepe. The crepes were filling and just delicious, simple as that!
For dessert, I had the Banana Nutella Crepe. Need I say more? The custom-blend cappuccino was rich and creamy and held its own.
For those of you who want alternatives, Rue offers a Mini-Sandwich Sampler and Fried Calamari with a Marinara Cilantro Dipping Sauce, Steak with Roquefort Cheese and Shoestring Rosemary Onions, or Avocado Fries with a Mexican Tomato Sauce and a wedge of lime. Basically, there is something for everyone.
By the time I finished lunch, I already wanted to set Diaz up with my single son, but she assured me that her true love at this point in her life is her restaurant.
Rue Des Crepes is open for lunch and dinner, as well as weekend brunch. As a person who knows my eateries, and who believes in making dining an interactive experience, this is the kind of must-dine place that will leave you with a happy tummy Tout Sweet!
Rue Des Crepes
261 Halstead Ave.
Harrison
914-315-1631
Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-10:15 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m.-10:15 p.m. (Champagne brunch available)
