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Fontaine Caffe and Crèperie, Chef Kyong Li on King and South Royal Street - Old Town Alexandria


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Another new addition to Old Town dining:

 
Fontaine Caffe and Creperie is supposed to be opening tomorrow. Looks like they'll be serving sweet and savory crepes for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday and brunch on Sundays. Based on a quick glance while driving by over the weekend, the space looks bright and cozy - French blue wall and white trim. I'm looking forward to checking it out!

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Another new addition to Old Town dining:

Fontaine Caffe and Creperie is supposed to be opening tomorrow. Looks like they'll be serving sweet and savory crepes for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday and brunch on Sundays. Based on a quick glance while driving by over the weekend, the space looks bright and cozy - French blue wall and white trim. I'm looking forward to checking it out!

The menu looks nice. Lots of crepes of course, savory and sweet. Mussels,pate, tarts, soup, cheese plates. I think they were already open when I passed by on Sat. I'm really looking forward to trying it.

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I think they were already open when I passed by on Sat. I'm really looking forward to trying it.
Maybe it was a soft opening - "Daily Candy" reports that they're opening tomorrow. The items beyond crepes do sound good- they're not on the website yet, so thanks for the report from the field :mellow: They'll have hard cider (or cidre) too - yum!
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Maybe it was a soft opening - "Daily Candy" reports that they're opening tomorrow. The items beyond crepes do sound good- they're not on the website yet, so thanks for the report from the field :mellow: They'll have hard cider (or cidre) too - yum!

Perhaps they'll add it to their menu, but it wasn't listed when I purused it on Sat. Coffee, tea, mocha, hot chocolate, domestic and imported beers.

See more menu here (along with some tidbits on other openings in Old Town)

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Seems to be some inconsistency in the information that's listed on their website (cider is on there) and printed on the menu that you saw. The website only lists crepes, so it's exciting to see there will be other offerings as well. Hopefully you can add Jackson 20 to the list on your blog soon :mellow:

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Seems to be some inconsistency in the information that's listed on their website (cider is on there) and printed on the menu that you saw. The website only lists crepes, so it's exciting to see there will be other offerings as well. Hopefully you can add Jackson 20 to the list on your blog soon :)

It's there :mellow: (I can't wait for the doggy happy hour to resume)

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I'm sorry, but ever since I saw this movie, if I hear the word "crêpes" I think of this:

Jean Girard: [has Ricky in an arm lock] I will let you go, Ricky. But first, I want you to say...”I... love... crepes."

Cal Naughton, Jr.: Don't you say it, Ricky. These colors don't run.

Ricky Bobby: I'm not gonna say it.

Cal Naughton, Jr.: Good.

Ricky Bobby: Hey, look, Frenchy, I thought about it. So why don't you go ahead and break my arm?

Jean Girard: I do not want to break your arm, Monsieur Bobby, but I am a man of my word.

Ricky Bobby: Here's the deal. He's not gonna break it because I'm gonna slip out of it right now. Houdini!

[he tries unsuccessfully to get free]

Jean Girard: Whoa! Get down, you little pancake.

Ricky Bobby: Someone might as well get me a beer while I'm down here.

Jean Girard: But you have forced me to do this. You are now mocking me and making me look ridiculous. Just say, "I love crepes."

Cal Naughton, Jr.: You know, just to put this in there, I had a whole mess of crepes this morning. They're just like pancakes, maybe even better.

Ricky Bobby: Wait, are they the really thin pancakes?

Cal Naughton, Jr.: Yeah.

Jean Girard: Yes they are. They are the really thin pancakes. It's just a French word for them.

Ricky Bobby: Oh, my god, I love those.

Cal Naughton, Jr.: Put any syrups you want on them. I'm just saying, think about it.

Ricky Bobby: They come with cheese sometimes?

Jean Girard: Yes, of course, a fromage-crepe.

Ricky Bobby: Well, why didn't someone yell that right-right away?

Jean Girard: Do you know what's in the crepe suzette?

Ricky Bobby: Oh, I love the crepe suzette.

Jean Girard: With the sugar and lemon juice...

Ricky Bobby: Yeah, the sugar and the lemon juice. Sure.

Jean Girard: Grand Marnier.

Ricky Bobby: I wo - I wish I could crawl into one of those right now. I'd eat my way out from the inside.

Oh, great. Now I'm really hungry for some :mellow:

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Mr. MV and I had brunch at Fontaine on Sunday. The savory crepes came with a nice mixed green salad. I had the Tuscan which was filled with sweet fennel sausage, canellini beans, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions. Mr. MV had the Moroccan, filled with spinach and feta, and topped with a mint-yogurt sauce. We split a lemon creme crepe afterwards which came with fresh berries and was dusted with powdered sugar. We both really enjoyed the crepes.

The coffee was good and strong :mellow: and the French Cider was delicious. Service was really friendly and prompt.

The space itself is warm, quaint and cozy; built by two sisters who own/run it. It used to be the British tea and foods place and wow....what an improvement. Pics etc. here.

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Was in Old Town last night and decided to check this place out for dinner. It is a nice little place that went from nearly empty to filling the front room rather quickly for a Tuesday night. The only downside is that, like many other places, gets pretty loud when full. Anyway on to the food. We each ordered a savory crepe along with a 750ml bottle of cider ($20) (cannot remember the name, but from Normandy) that was pretty darn good.

The two savory crepes that we ordered were the Berliner -- Grilled Bratwurst with sautéed onions and curry sauce topped with French fries ($16.95) and the Norwegian -- Smoked salmon and caramelized onions with cream fraiche ($15.95). The Berliner is a take on a currywurst that was devoid of any flavor other than sweet onions and the fries were boring frozen ones. The Norwegian was certainly better, but not by much. The best thing on both plates was the simple mixed green salad.

We decided to only order one sweet crepe and settled on the Charming Frenchman -- Caramelized apples, French Vanilla bean ice cream and Calvados ($8.50). Again nothing special, but a competent dessert that could have use a bit more apples.

A $66 bill (before tip) for what had was a bit steep if you ask me. I don't see myself returning anytime soon.

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We stopped by Fontaine for dinner last week and, like mdt, enjoyed the cider from Brittany :mellow: . We started with the duck pate which was pretty good, rustic and chunky, served with wholegrain mustard and some cornichons. Nothing close to what you'd find over the fence on Dan's charcuterie plate at Eve, but perfectly good for the setting.

We also tried the Berliner crepe along with the Zenist. My experience with the Berliner was slightly more positive than mdt's - it was a VERY generous portion of pretty tasty bratwurst. I do agree that the curry was nearly non-existent, but the onions were sweet and tender. The Zenist sounded promising, but the flavors of coconut and coriander were very faint, a nice contrast to the lentils, but I was hoping for a little more punch. Curry is also mentioned in the ingredients but I didn't taste it. The crepes (or galettes) were very good and reminded me of my time in France. I was looking for some of the more traditional fillings (chicken and mushrooms, ham and cheese), but they appear to be offered only at lunch. I'd like to see them at dinner too!

Prices were a bit high for the offerings, but high rent is more than likely a cause. It's a sweet little place and I plan to stop back and give the sweet crepes a try.

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Stopped in for a quick bite after walking around Old Town. Enjoyed the Zenist, described as "Lentils, spinach, and tomatoes simmered in coriander coconut curry sauces, $12.95".

Like goldenticket, did not detect much coconut nor curry. However, did find this to be a delicious, creamy, filling, and nutritious winter meal. Spinach and tomato texture and discernible flavor enhanced the well-balanced dish, evidence of higher quality ingredient sourcing. Earthy French lentils provided a fun pairing with Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock.

Was pleased to note the option of 100% buckwheat flour (which is also gluten-free). The resulting crepe arrived much far more airy and crisp than anticipated, a boon.

Service was friendly and quick. Tables were small and densely placed. Crowding here could quickly become an issue.

Make sure you leave time to pop across the street to Grape + Bean. Enjoy an after-dinner pick me up or swirl some legs around in a glass.

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I have eaten a couple lunches here now that I am in Old Town and have really like the Alexandria with ham and cheese and thyme and the Parisian. I also like the peach crepe. What I appreciate is that they can get you in and out for lunch at a pretty good speed, so I can go there even when on the clock. But the crepes themselves are not too thick with good flavor. I think they do a pretty nice job with them. And it had a side salad with it that was nicely dressed and had a nice green variety.

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After a full day of sitting in front of the computer, I found myself wandering around in Old Town after 9pm. That did not leave many choices for dinner, of which the loud grumbling of my stomach so reminded me that I still needed such. My feet led me to Royal Street, where the two lights of this place and Grape + Bean beckoned so warmingly on a dark summer night.

Why not crepes? Plus the fact that I have not been here before solidified the decision to enter.

There was still quite a number of tables at 9:30pm -- a full half hour before its 10pm closing time. They didn't turn me away and I found myself sitting at its petite bar. Service was warm and inviting.

A few sips from a happy mug of Kerisac later, I found myself inhaling a warm bowl of tomato soup (cup - $3.95), with a small drip of balsamic and over-toasted bread. No matter on the bread, since it made for a terrific crouton-esque effect on the soup--a perfect combination last night.

Since I figured my soup was my meal, I skipped after to dessert: a just peachy (peaches, almonds and a scoop of ice cream wrapped inside a crepe) - indeed, it was a just peachy way to end the evening.

Contentness at its best - this place is much overlooked.

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Visited here last weekend; it's a place we go to in Old Town every few months. The menu doesn't change much, but they have a special or two every night. In addition to various appetizers and some salads they have steak frites and a salmon dish for anyone who doesn't want a crepe. The kitchen is consistent, though, and we haven't had a bad meal there. They have a lot of tables packed into small front and back spaces, though, so if it's busy expect to be a bit cramped.

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This was my birthday choice for the small group of friends and I for dinner.  We went early since they don't take reservations.  Special drink was the Cider Sangria (very yummy) and then I had the crepes norwegian (as usual) but got to taste many others - we did have one guest with a hard time ordering (no pork, no cheese) but they were able to accommodate.  And the dessert crepes were wonderful.  Quiet enough for conversation but not so quiet that you feel you can't talk.

Grandma report: need to take her - well lighted, a few steps up and no room for walker but she would enjoy very much.

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