To early risers in search of substantive sustenance, it may just be a godsend.
But for chef/co-founder Vincent Bradberry, Crêpes on the Corner (257 15th St. SE) was mostly an ordeal.
The fledgling eatery officially got under way in early February. But the project apparently languished in development for “quite a while.”
Bradberry said he originally tried to open up a restaurant on the bustling 14th Street Northwest corridor more than two years ago. When that deal eventually went south, he set his sights elsewhere. He pounced on the Southeast location 18 months ago but suffered through countless fits and starts in a disheartening battle to bring the modest restaurant up to code.
Now that the dust has finally settled and the bureaucrats have been appeased, Bradberry can focus on his true passion: feeding folks with a touch of flair.
Worth the Wait
“I always knew that it was going to be a very small menu,” Bradberry said of his lifelong dream of establishing a “neighborhood restaurant.”
By choosing to focus on quality rather than quantity, Bradberry has sidestepped the early pitfalls that plague newcomers who erroneously ply patrons with a dizzying array of underwhelming options.
“I roast my own turkey, make my own stuffing ... everything is made here on site,” Bradberry stressed.
That means signature crepes are mixed daily using buckwheat and all-purpose flour while gluten-free wrappers are coaxed from rice flour. Fresh herbs are plucked from the surrounding garden (growing presently: mustard greens, kale, radishes, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes and assorted seasonings). And Smithfield hams, exclusively, are smoked in-house.
“Most people just expected a coffeehouse with some crepes. It’s the opposite of that,” Bradberry said.
Mind you, they do serve coffee. And the core menu remains crepe-intensive, sporting just more than a dozen specialty selections. But even a cursory scan of the far-reaching daily specials — think: brie flanked by figs and crostini, turkey-black bean soup and chipotle barbecue pork sandwiches (where’s the heat?) — suggest Bradberry is only getting started.
Not that that’s dissuaded regulars from latching on to early favorites.
“Can I get the cream of mushroom soup and the Marc crepe. It’s all I ever get,” a repeat guest sheepishly explained to a comely cashier during one visit. Another afternoon, an older gentleman specifically popped in for his “cookie of the day.”
Bradberry identified the Harvest (sliced turkey breast, herb stuffing, cranberry relish and gravy), the Marc (diced chicken breast, pesto sauce, chopped tomato and grated Gruyere) and the Classic (country ham, Gruyere and egg) as the top-selling savory snacks. On the sugary side, he said folks tend to flip for the Tropics (seasonal fruits, toasted pistachios, shaved coconut and whipped cream) and Campfire (a self-contained summer treat re-created with Nutella, marshmallow spread and graham crackers).
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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