La Crepe Michel

Tucked away in the far back of an Old Town patio is a charming little French restaurant with several varieties of crepes and other French delicacies. The small nook-size rooms of the historic building link together in a maze-like style to form a unique ambience that, combined with the fine dining for under $13 an entree on average, makes for an unforgettable experience.

Even though she never planned to own a restaurant, La Crepe Michel owner Claudie Zamet-Wilcox, who moved to the United States from France 22 years ago, said it has been nice because she has always loved to cook and the restaurant has a nice homey feel that allows her to talk to the customers and get to know them. She said she does not cook anything she does not like to eat -- because she has to taste all of the food! So if you are looking for pasta, this is not the restaurant for you. However, if you want amazing, authentic French cuisine, La Crepe Michel should please your palate.

Zamet-Wilcox has a doctorate in bio-chemistry and physiology and treats cooking like being in the lab. "It is like chemistry," said Claudie Zamet-Wilcox, holding up a finger covered with a Band-Aid. "I try different things to see what works and what doesn't. Sometimes it bursts into flames -- just like in the lab."

And most of her creations work. Zamet-Wilcox has owned the restaurant for more than 22 years. The food, such as the Crêpe a la Volaille, filled with chunks of white chicken in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and Madeira wine, which sells for $9.95, brings loyal customers back time and time again. There are a half dozen or so other crepe varieties available on a daily basis for about the same price.

The house favorite, Zamet-Wilcox said, is the Filet de Boeuf -- beef tenderloin with a wonderful Roquefort cheese sauce that complements the steak perfectly without overwhelming the flavor -- served with mashed potatoes and a side of carrots  that sells for about $26 when it is on special.

For dessert, the butterscotch Crème Brûlée had the entire room talking about the delicate butterscotch flavor mixed with the creamy custard during a recent dining experience. The Crème Brûlée flavor changes daily and the dessert costs $5.95. If the Crème Brûlée does not sound good, there are 12 different dessert crepes available for under $6.

The restaurant also offers a large selections of wine from France to complement the meal.

- by Julie Medina, Albuquerque Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Julie Medina

Julie Medina has experience as a reporter at the Albuquerque Journal and has written freelance articles for the Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque the Magazine, New Mexico Magazine and New Mexico Kids Magazine. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in print journalism from the University of New Mexico in 2008. She has lived in Albuquerque since 1984 and believes it is best to remember to play like a tourist in your own hometown so you don't forget the vast culture around you.