As French students and aspiring Francophones, we, unsurprisingly, are obsessed with crepes. Fortunately for us, Sofi's Crepes is right around the corner from Hopkins campus. This past weekend we decided to get our French food fix. Oui oui!
We hopped on the JHMI and easily made it to Penn Station, where it was only a short walk to the delicious crepes that lay in store for us. As we approached the hole-in-the-wall location, we knew we would enjoy ourselves once we noticed the scripty font on the building's exterior and the window seating that displayed happy customers munching on warm crepes. We were grateful to step inside and out of the cold. We were thrilled that there was no line to wait in! (Though we've been told that often the wait can be a while.) Our crepes were ready within five minutes but deciding which ones to order took much longer. We were practically drooling as we read the selection of crepes over and over again. In typical fashion, we asked a million questions about which crepes were customer favorites and which ones our servers recommended at this order-from-the-counter joint. We finally decided The Classic, filled with ham, Gruyere and Dijon mustard, and The Florentine, which consisted of fresh spinach, mushrooms, Gruyere cheese, sunflower seeds, topped with a pepper-parmesan sauce. Despite the suggestions of some other reviewers, we enjoyed the Parmesan sauce and thought it was a great complement to the flavors in this crepe.
For those who may not know, in France the ham and cheese combination is a classic, almost like the peanut butter and jelly in America, (though the French might not agree with this comparison)! So we felt obligated to order this "classic" delicacy in keeping with French tradition (side note — you must try a croque monsieur: Grilled Cheese 2.0). We enjoyed The Classic but found its flavors to be less exciting and more standard than those of the Florentine. Shout outs also go to The Kevin Bacon and The Mozz, which our appetites (and our wallets) did not allow us to taste, though they seem like highlights. The Kevin Bacon, named for the actor who frequents this local creperie, consists of turkey, bacon, cheese, tomatoes and 1000 Island sauce. These don't sound like ingredients appropriate for a crepe, but if Kevin Bacon swears by it, so do we (second side note — Nicole Kidman is also a devoted customer)! The Mozz is filled with mozzarella, fresh basil, tomato, cracked pepper and olive oil. The savory crepes span a wide variety of traditional French fare to inventive American creations.
We watched as two young ladies expertly made our crepes behind the counter, and we know they were full of fresh ingredients because they were made before our eyes. As we waited, we took the time to take in our surroundings. The small space calls for limited seating — mainly benches and a counter at the window with tables outside for good weather. Nevertheless, the seating was comfortable and the size creates a relaxing and cozy space. They displayed the work of local artists on the wall, as well as a variety of keys that hung on one of the walls. The keys reminded us of the flying keys from Harry Potter! We also loved the chill music that was playing in the background. When our crepes were ready, we grabbed the two warm crepes folded in tinfoil and found a place at the windowsill. Word from the wise, the crepes get cold quickly, so eat up or else keep them in their wrappers. The crepe itself was fairly thick and a little doughy, but only if you're being picky or you're a crepe connoisseur.
Sofi's Crepes is known for more than crepes! We were thirsty and the root beer there is rated #1. We believed it to be well worth this title! They also offer a selection of Coca-Cola or Orangina in glass bottles.
When we had finished our meal, we were about to head out the door but we were in denial that the meal had to be over. The open kitchen can be seen as an obstacle or successful business strategy, as it is conveniently located right next to the restaurant's entrance and exit. Temptation got the better of us, and we decided to order a Nutty Banana — the classic Nutella-banana combination — on the go. We made a mental note to try the cinnamon sugar and s'mores dessert crepes on our next trip to Sofi's. We were not disappointed by our decision to extend our meal (in true French fashion might we add), but it was incredibly messy and difficult to eat on the run.
As soon as we left the intimate setting, we were caught in the rain and realized we did not know how to get back to campus. Suddenly desperate for transportation, Alex was determined to jump on a public bus, never mind the Nutella on her face and the fact that she had no idea where it was going. Georgina, the reasonable one, dissuaded Alex by offering her a napkin to wipe her face and then proceeded to sprint after a yellow cab that was blocks ahead. To Alex's not-surprise, she did not make it. Thank goodness there was a bite of warm Nutella crepe to be had after this shared defeat. Utterly hopeless and painfully full, we resorted to huddle under a gas station roof to stay out of the rain, when luckily a cab came to our rescue. The cab ride was around $6, which is about the price of a Sofi's crepe.
Sofi's Crepes, if you have not been, is not a place to miss out on. Be it on your way to catch a train at Penn Station, after a show at The Charles Theater or simply for your French food fix, we say: allez!
