Chez Antoine blankets Adams Morgan in crepes.

By Rekha Murthy

Renaud-Goud came to the U.S. from France five years ago. He grew up in Savoie, a region in the Alps. Crepes are originally from Brittany, but Renaud-Goud notes what we all know: Crepes are simply French.

Coy Crepe Creator

Maybe he's being coy, but Renaud-Goud claims his crepe recipe is the basic cooking school recipe -- eggs, flour, milk, and butter. I press him on this, because my homemade crepes certainly don't possess the exquisite combination of lightness, substance, and a hint of crispiness that his do. He finally admitted to tampering with the flour proportion, "Because flour's different here in the U.S." He says his crepe pans are American -- non-stick.

Renaud-Goud fills the crepes with cheeses bought in New York -- Morbier, Thomme de Savoie, Roblethon, and soft goat cheese -- and produce from this area. He notes, with a slight hint of amazement, "DC is a town that eats a lot of chicken," which helps explain the success of his most popular crepe, predictably named "Antoine's." It's a savory crepe, blanketing chicken, goat cheese, Swiss cheese, oven-dried tomato, tomato sauce, grilled vegetables, caramelized onions, and basil oil. For $9.50. One of the most expensive crepes on the menu.

"I really wanted to find a way to do French food for a decent price," he says. Dessert crepes such as the "Banane" -- Nutella and banana puree -- are only $4. To my delight, there's a chocolat liegeois, a sundae with Renaud-Goud's homemade ice cream, on the menu. The drink selection is plentiful: Lining the bar in the back are Belgian beers such as Chimay and Duvel, American brews like Brooklyn and Allagash, and non-alcoholics such as Orangina.

Business has picked up in the past few months, mostly Francophilic Americans, a small group of French natives, and customers from the neighborhood. There's a shelf full of books, most of them in French, and Renaud-Goud says he welcomes customers to linger over a snack and a drink. It's a pleasant, quiet setting -- bright colors and plenty of space between tables.

If you drop by Chez Antoine, you'll recognize Renaud-Goud as the compact man with the close-cropped hair and, quite possibly, a short-sleeved chef's jacket. That is, if you see him at all. He does all the cooking, which means 700 to 800 crepes per week. He burns through at least one pan a month. Maybe I should hang out by the dumpster.

Chez Antoine is at 2427 18th Street in Adams Morgan. Hours are Mon.-Thurs. 6 p.m.-11 p.m., Fri 6 p.m.-2 a.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m., and Sun. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

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Rekha Murthy is a Francophilic radio producer, writer, and crepe eater.

Illustration by Chris Bishop: www.chrisbishop.com