Yesterday Mom and I went out to lunch at what would probably qualify as one of my favorite restaurants. I have loved this place ever since I first ate there, a few years back. Everytime I visit this little restaurant, a French creperie slipped into the back streets of Shibuya, I am almost transported to another place, another time. It would be difficult for someone to stumble upon Au Temps Jadis without meaning to. Not only is this shop hidden down a narrow side street but, the entrance is not right on street level. Customers first encounter a gate leading from the road to a brick staircase. At the base of the stairs is the doorway to the restaurant. Standing in the entryway, I always feel like I'm looking into another world. The small wooden tables are covered in red checked cotton cloth. The furnishings are rustic and picturesque. The kitchen is hardly separated from the dining area and a woman can be seen making crepes in a giant fry pan above a half height wall.
Upon entering, Mom and I sit down at right up against the window, where we can peer outside at the adjoining courtyard. We hardly glance over our menus before ordering. Having been here so many times, we know exactly what we want. I order my usual savory crepe filled with scrambled eggs, cheese, and tomatoes. Mom sticks to a salad, saving her appetite for the dessert crepes to come. Personally, I think I can handle both.
When it comes time to order my desert crepe, I am really in a dilemma. My usual choice is a crepe filled and dressed with chocolate and hazelnut and almond paste. This is topped off with a scoop of caramel ice cream. However, today another incredibly appetizing selection jumps out at me: a crepe with caramel and salty butter. Mom is in the same pickle. In the end, we decide to get both and split them evenly.
When our food came, we knew that we had made the right decision.
This entry is positively mouthwatering! Your prose transports me back to Shibuya!
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