Christophe's Crepe Truck in Fairfield: Ooh La La!

Food trucks have been a growing trend for the last few years. The L.A. Times reported on one of the first food trucks to gain massive popularity, a fusion of Korean, Mexican, and barbecue back in 2009. And a recent article from USA Today about food trends in the U.S. hailed the food truck, what was once the “roach coaches” for construction workers at lunch time, as the hot new thing. 

But the street-side vendor is certainly nothing new. New York City has been rife with dirty water dogs. And, you can’t turn a corner without bumping into a falafel stand. Roam the urban alleyways from India to Vietnam and some of the tastiest foods can be had from street vendors. Although, be sure to bring your Pepto-Bismol with you. 

Here in Connecticut, we’ve got coffee trucks, cupcake trucks, even a cheese truck. Quel surprise! Fairfield is now home to a freshly made crepe and waffle truck., Christophe's Crepes

Christophe Ensenat, a classically trained French chef, owns the truck and makes everything to order. He brings just that little “je ne sais quoi” to downtown Fairfield with his flair français.

Parked on the Post Road side of the public library most days from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., the crepe truck serves up your favorite goodies on sunny days. (Don’t look for him if the weather stinks. Who wants to sit in an open truck in the freezing cold and pouring rain?)

“When it starts to get cold,” he said in his heavy French accent, “there are not many people on the streets.” 

Ensenat said that he often gets first-timers who see his truck and decide to stop by. But he also gets a fair amount of repeat customers. One such customer orders his crepes three at a time and with a special jam he likes just so.

Armed with a menu listing five savory crepes and nine sweet, he’s got everything you could ever want rolled up in a flat piece of whole wheat dough. For his savory special of the day, he often serves Brie with Jazz apple and a choice of ham or turkey. But, it changes every day.

For those “Meatless Mondays,” he even has a vegetarian option. Because his wife doesn’t eat meat, he said making one with fresh vegetables was a no-brainer. 

“A lot of people are looking for a healthier option,” he said.

Along with the crepes, he makes Belgian waffles on the weekends. You can order them with powdered sugar, Nutella or chocolate, or just plain whipped cream. His truck can also be hired out for parties.   

I had a few of his menu options that are typically his best sellers. I ordered a pear and Gorgonzola with walnuts, the vegetarian, and the Nutella with strawberries. (The last one was a must. Who can resist chocolate and strawberries?)

The crepe itself is slightly sweet with an almost citrusy finish to it. So, the vegetarian crepe, with its red peppers, yellow squash, and zucchini, offset the sweetness nicely. It offered a good balance and felt light. A shot of Mozzarella as a binding element rounded it out.

The pear, walnut, and Gorgonzola crepe was a slightly different story. I love the salty-sweet taste sensation and this crepe definitely delivers. The only drawback was the amount of Gorgonzola. Don’t get me wrong—I’m a cheese lover like the next lady. But sometimes a pungent cheese can be a bit overdone. I thought the quantity overpowered the pear and the walnut so the balance was out of whack. Perhaps the next time, I’ll ask Christophe to not be so heavy-handed.

The Nutella with strawberries….oh really, do I need to describe this one? This is one of the best mouth-watering combinations known to man. Add a butter-soft crepe, and that’s heaven on a plate. Food for thought with Valentine’s Day coming up.

The savory crepes cost about $7.50. You can order them with your choice of ham or turkey, veggies, or the pear and Gorgonzola. The sweet come with a host of ingredients like fresh fruit, chocolate and banana or coconut, honey, jam, or lemon curd and cost only $5.50. The waffles run about $4.50.

Want to stop by the truck? Give Christophe a call at 646-596-6879 to find out when he’ll be sitting outside the library. You can also check him out on YouTube.