RESTAURANTS : Arvorig

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You can’t see a second-run movie for NT$100 anymore in Gongguan (公館) because the Great Century Theater (大世紀戲院) is gone — it closed a year and a half ago — but you can go to the same locale and enjoy authentic French crepes for around the same price.

Arvorig, which was opened by French expatriate Christophe Chevance and his wife Sunny Fan (范儷瓊) in December last year, is a modest but charming creperie located in what used to be Great Century’s ticket booth.

The proprietors have brightened up their rented corner of a dark and dingy first-floor lobby with a thorough cleaning, fresh paint job and a friendly vibe. Patrons can sit in front of the kitchen at the bar, which seats 12 people, listen to French ska playing on the stereo and watch Chevance whip up the culinary specialty of his native Brittany: sweet crepes and savory galettes.

With around 40 choices, there’s a crepe for every sweet tooth. For something simple, go for a plain crepe (NT$30) or sugar and lemon (NT$50). Canadians will appreciate the maple syrup crepe (NT$80), and the “handmade caramel” (NT$50) is worth a try as Chevance makes his own sauce. The shop also recommends the chocolate and freshly shredded and baked coconut (NT$90) for something different.

Arvorig also offers crepes with fresh banana, apple and imported pear, which range from NT$70 to NT$100. But note that some ingredients, such as the peach and pineapple options, are canned. As the menu is quite big, it would be nice if the shop listed which ingredients were fresh.

But it’s hard to go wrong with any of the flavors as Chevance’s crepes are delicious. They are soft, thin and almost fleshy with a slight buttery crisp. This homemade goodness comes from a batter recipe that uses only eggs, white flour and milk — and not a drop of water, says Fan.

This is a first restaurant venture for Chevance and Fan, who met while working for a French pop musical production of Romeo and Juliet. He was on the stage crew and she was a translator. After they decided to settle in Taipei, Fan’s hometown, Chevance realized he didn’t want to live here without a taste of home.

The galettes, which are made of buckwheat flour, make for a nice light lunch or supper. One of the more deluxe versions, which comes with ham, tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and cherry tomatoes, offers a tasty, healthy alternative to pizza for NT$140. For heartier appetites, there’s the galette with German sausage, onions, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and sour cream for NT$160. Arvorig’s menu is vegetarian friendly. For galettes, there are actually more non-meat options. Diners can choose from three different varieties that have vegetarian ham (NT$130) or one with goat cheese, lettuce, honey and walnut (NT$120).

For crepe-lovers, Arvorig has made a timely arrival. Mamm Goz, another Taipei establishment that served Breton cuisine, closed for business early last year. While the latter was a more upscale venture and had a fancier menu, Arvorig caters more to a budget-minded clientele and students from the neighboring National Taiwan University.

Be prepared to wait a little longer than normal for your order, especially at lunchtime, which was busy when the Taipei Times visited earlier this week. Chevance works fast and can cook several crepes and galettes at a time, but the food won’t arrive as quickly as a bowl of noodles or a rice lunch plate. The extra five to seven minute wait, however, is worth it.