Bon Crepe – Japanese Crepes on Robson
Still hungry after that bowl of ramen at Kintaro/Motomachi/Benkei? Looking for the perfect complement for that Japadog you ate on Burrard? Need a quick, affordable, and tasty snack while strolling around Robson Street? Cafe Crepe really sucks and this sentence isn’t even a question?
The answer to those questions might just be a delicious Japanese crepe from Bon Crepe.
Bon Crepe is located inside the Konbiniya Japanese convenience store @ 1238 Robson Street. If you have trouble finding Konbiniya, look for a store on the south side of Robson that has giant suspended Pocky boxes, a prominent “WE ® JAPAN!” sign, and a large facade that’s half Pikachu, half Geisha. Look closely – it’s totally subtle. Konbiniya is worth a blog post of its own as it offers authentic Japanese pre-made meals, countless varieties of Pocky, Japanese DVDs and karaoke, and Shiatsu massages (what?). But this post is about Bon Crepe, which is accessible from inside Konbiniya or from the outside through their takeout window.
Bon Crepe’s got both savory and sweet crepes on their menu.
Here’s their #10 – Strawberry Chocolate Whip Topping crepe ($4.05) – fresh and light!
Japanese crepes are similar to the French-style crepes most people are familiar with. There are a few differences. Japanese crepes are made with less butter and tend to be less crispy. In Bon Crepe’s case, the crepe batter contains glutinous rice – which gives the crepe a distinctive and self-described “mochi-mochi” texture (mochi means Japanese rice cake); these crepes are chewier and more spongy than French-style ones.
French crepes generally contain cooked fillings like caramelized apples. Japanese crepes, on the other hand, contain uncooked fillings like fresh strawberries. In addition to normal crepe fillings like nutella, banana, and strawberries, Bon Crepe also has funkier fillings like red bean, condensed milk, homemade cheesecake, and homemade pudding.
Lastly, their crepes are wrapped in a cone shape. Not only does this shape ensure that each bite nets a mouthful of crepe, it’s also super convenient. Easy to hold, you can munch on these crepes while you shop on Robson. Or while you walk your dog.
Here’s #40 – Banana Nutella Whip Topping ($4.05) – classic.
As you would expect, these crepes are fresh and made to order. Every time I go to Bon Crepe, the same polite Japanese man makes my crepe. You can even ask him to make you a customized, mash-up crepe if you so wish.
Do check out Bon Crepe next time you’re on Robson. You won’t be disssapointed.
This sounds great. I have to admit I go to Cafe Crepe when I’m desperate for a crepe fix and I can’t get to the farmer’s market where they make awesome buckwheat crepes.
I love crepes and I will definitely try this one out.
Like you say, this store is also full of all kinds of goodies to explore and try. I wonder if they have green tea kit kat.
My favorite crepe place in Vancouver gotta be La Bretagne Creperie on Jervis just off Robson. Give it a try. You won’t get soggy, overly buttered, pre-made sitting in a pile crepes like Cafe Crepe. Theirs is crisp on the edge and just plain wonderful.
Looks yummy, and cheaper than Cafe Crepe to boot! Usually I get a banana nutella as well. Haven’t been dt in a while, so haven’t had my fix. hmm.
I am not a crepe expert, so I didn’t know Cafe Crepe sucked. Dang. I know for next time. Is the whip topping actually whipped cream, or is it really edible oil fake crap?
Just found this blog yesterday. I like it!
I am craving too many things for one morning. My thighs are in trouble.
Thanks for visiting Lydia :)
The whip topping is whipped cream. It’s fresh. Totally unhealthy, but it’s “feels” light and isn’t oily.
I’m not a crepe expert either. I don’t really know if Cafe Crepe sucks. I was just going off the feedback they’ve gotten at DineHere.ca and off the 1 bad experience I’ve had with them. Honestly, I think it’s kinda hard to mess up something simple like a crepe.
I went to Bon Crepe and had the pudding crepe. It was awesome, there was no wait, and it was $4.75. (Sorry to contradict you, but I’m pretty sure it was fake whip topping.)
Went to Cafe Crepe the next day (I caught the crepe fever and I was on S. Granville, so it was the nearest cure), and we waited 10 minutes to get our to-go order, mine was almost $6, and the boy and I were reminded that every time we go there, no matter what location, they are always some level of rude. So you were right- Cafe Crepe does suck!
The crepe at Bon Crepe does taste better and is cheaper, but the reason more people should go is the ingredients inside. They are fresh and savoury, not out of a tube like the chain stores.
Thanks for recommend this place. I just went last week while I was visiting my parents in bc. I’ve always loved crepes. I ordered green tea red bean & strewberry cheese cake crepes. This is definiatly the place I’ll go back to next time when i’m in town. Fresh and Tasty !!
Another thing I found interesting is that Japanese Crepes rarely use oranges in the filling, something that is more popular in French Crepes.