Bouchon

By MICHELE HEWITSON for canvas

You could go to Bouchon and have the ubiquitous big breakfast or eggs benedict, but you'd be a boring breakfaster indeed if you did.

You go to Bouchon for les galettes and les crepes. When you order the Breton egg (really? that egg came all the way from Breton?) and mushroom crepe, you receive a crepe made from organic buckwheat flour folded into a canny parcel with the egg shining like a yellow diamond in the centre. A gentleman leaned over from the next door table and said "That is beautiful. I hope you don't mind me saying so."

We didn't. And he minded not at all when his order arrived and we all oohed and aahed- despite falling in love with the Breton crepe, he had decided on the crepe suzette, which went up in a glorious amethyst flare.

Bouchon is a friendly sort of place. It does not have any pretensions: the Grand Marnier for the crepe suzette was carried to the table by the waiter in a small hot jug clasped by a pair of kitchen tongs.

What Bouchon does have is French people, and those French crepes and galettes. It bears no resemblance to a pancake parlour. It has French wines and a vaguely French atmosphere, which comes mostly from those French accents. The decor is distressed walls, a copper counter, and not much else. It's about the food.

We liked it very much. I very much liked my caramelized apple and calvados crepes ($11). The arts editor very much liked her buckwheat galettes with spinach ricotta ($10.50). The television critic's savage tongue was stilled momentarily by that perfect Breton parcel. This is plain food (forget about silly garnishes and stacks) perfectly cooked and the light-as-air crepes are swirled on the hot plate while you watch and drool.

Despite the less-than-perfect coffee - not hot enough; not strong enough - we will be going back. Next time I'm going to have the Croque Monsieur and the crepes suzette. In fact, we could return at least a dozen times to eat our way through the menu before having to resort to dreary old eggs benedict. Now that is a blessing.

Where: 479 New North Rd, Kingsland

Parking: Try the back streets

Ambience: Stripped down, friendly with vaguely French accents.

Service: Stripped down, friendly with French accents.

Open: Tues-Fri, noon until late; Sat, 8am until late; Sun, 8am until 3pm.

* Read more about what's happening in the world of food, wine, party places and entertainment in canvas magazine, part of your Weekend Herald print edition.