Located at 123 Seymour street, just off of 3rd. If the signage doesn't lure you off the street, please let this blog convince you to step in. Please keep in mind: if you're expecting a cute little cafe with French decor and charm, forget it. I am not trying to sound like a snob here, I'm merely trying to paint a picture for your dinning expectations so that you do not show up to the Zoo under false pretences. You are coming here for the crepes, nothing else, and they are absolutely fabulous. You will be sitting on bench seats with Mexican print textiles, will be surrounded by stuffed zoo animals and will gaze out window to see bikers smoking pipes. I will remind you again, you've come here for the crepes, and the are amazing. The customer service is also out of this world. It is by classic definition a mom and pop shop and is family run. The staff are friendly, their service and preparation is efficient, and the prices are exceptionally fantastique.
I was raised in a home where turkey leftovers were shredded and stuffed into crepes following Christmas and I watched as my mom slaved away trying to achieve the perfect consistency and delicacy to her crepes year after year. I was thrilled to find out that Kamloops had it's very own creperie so that I could indulge in one of my favorite dishes more than once annually. I was also excited to find that they serve both savory and sweet crepes, ranging anywhere in price from $4 (for a special) to about $13 for speciality crepes. The Dolphin's Play creation has a filling of shrimp and feta cheese (among other ingredients), which would classify as a specialty crepe. You can build your own by choosing your vegetables, protein and cheese . The dessert crepes can come smothered in Nutella, covered in fruit and whipped cream or dripping of butter and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Crepes can get away with such an array of toppings because of it's smooth, light, and buttery batter which has a pinch of salt, while remaining creamy and delicious from it's dairy components. The Zoo menu features some very creative and innovative uses for the crepe, including the 'Chili Crepe' , which is basically a giganteous crepe filled with everything one would expect in a traditional taco with the addition of beans. It is hearty, humongous, and $5.95!!
When we think of France we usually envision a place full of romance, gourmet cheese, little berets and snobby accents. Perhaps aside from the great wine which has been provided to us from France, I am particularly enamored with their invention of the delicious crepe. The crepe was in fact invented in Brittany, a western region in France, and as I happen to be a Brittany, I find crepes to be all the more spectacular :) The Zoo Cafe is not romantic, the staff are far from arrogant and you will not see any cute little hats. What you will find is a lovely happening where you are able to potentially discover a new favorite dish from an unlikely local source. The term 'live well' in English is equivalent to the phrase 'mangez bien' in French, which translates as "eat well". So do just that, embrace the Parisian spirit, ride you bicycle downtown, order a couple calorie laden items adorned with rich toppings and fillings, and prepare to fall in love with crepes. Je t'adore, je t'adore, je t'adore.
Bon appetit.
