"Crêpes fill the bill."

At Beau Monde,

Crepes Fill the Bill

By Craig LaBan

Inquirer Restaurant Critic

           

Our server had to squint, lowering her face closer to the five plates in a shaky attempt to determine which one was which. But in the shimmering gold light of Beau Monde, our plates appeared to hold almost exactly the same thing--five neatly folded envelopes of buckwheat brown crepes.

In fact, they were different. But therein lies the great challenge for the crepe master, to paint vivid colors with flavor and texture minus the crutch of snazzy plate design. Hide your art inside that utilitarian brown packaging and see if you can speak.

At Beau Monde, the four-month old Breton-style creperie at the corner of Sixth and Bainbridge Streets, chef and co-owner David Salama usually comes through loud and clear, with fillings that ring most true when they are simple.

One bite brings the hearty, wine steeped flavors of beef bourguignon. Another, the earthiness of sauteed wild mushrooms magnified by cream. Sweet nuggets of stewed carrots signal the warmth of coq au vin. And inside another, roasted chunks of eggplant, peppers and zucchini have too much crunch and not enough mush to make for superior ratatouille. Yet the veggies are fresh-tasting, an edibly good contrast to smoky slices of spicy Cajun andouille.

Still, none of the above can bring the simple satisfaction of ham and Swiss cheese. Folded into an authentic savory buckwheat crepe, this salty, rustic tandem can whisk me back to a cold fall day on Brittany's rough and rocky coast, where a mug of hard apple cider is the only thing that can really quench the thirst.

           

Rating is based on:

Personality and ambition Philadelphia's only Breton Styled creperie has a stunning décor gilt-paneled walls and a mosaic-tiled hearth , but few buffers for the deafening sound level. Even so, this casually stylish newcomer fills a niche for the south of South Street area with satisfying, affordable food and a diverse clientele.

Food Beau Monde offers various mix-and-match filling options for its virtually all-crepe menu, and some are better than others. But the simplest are easily the best--whether ham and cheese or a smear of Nutella-- and that is the mark of authenticity for both the savory buckwheat and the plain dessert crepes.

Service Staff is casual, but pleasant and attentive.

Price range Entree crepes, $2.50 to $12.

Wine list The list of mostly French wines is small and affordable, but go for the more rustic, dry taste of hard apple cider or a brisk Belgian pale ale.

Menu highlights Escargot; pate plate; savory crepes -- ham and cheese; mushroom with leeks and garlic butter; shrimp with spinach and seafood-sauce; coq au vin; beef bourguignon; chicken with leeks, olives, goat cheese; sweet crepes -- lemon and sugar, or sugar and butter; lemon curd; Nutella; white chocolate, toasted coconut and chocolate ice cream; bananas and apricot compote.