{"id":2452417,"date":"2019-12-19T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-19T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=317902"},"modified":"2019-12-19T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-12-19T19:00:00","slug":"food-matters-french-alpine-bistro-la-creperie-du-village-goes-full-snow-globe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/food-matters-french-alpine-bistro-la-creperie-du-village-goes-full-snow-globe\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Matters: French Alpine Bistro La Cr\u00eaperie du Village goes full snow globe"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.4844192634561\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-317902-886\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | New outdoor seating at French Alpine Bistro La Creperie du Village.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>New outdoor seating at French Alpine Bistro La Creperie du Village.<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"New outdoor seating at French Alpine Bistro La Creperie du Village.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | The cozy outdoor seating at La Creperie du Village set for guests.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>The cozy outdoor seating at La Creperie du Village set for guests.<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"The cozy outdoor seating at La Creperie du Village set for guests.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-2-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo | \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong><\/strong><br \/>Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-2-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-3-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo | \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong><\/strong><br \/>Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-3-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-4-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo | \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong><\/strong><br \/>Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-4-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-5-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo | \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong><\/strong><br \/>Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/food-atw-121919-11-5-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/french-alpine-bistro-la-creperie-du-village-goes-full-snow-globe\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/french-alpine-bistro-la-creperie-du-village-goes-full-snow-globe\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Ensconced among rustic wood panels warped by time, cushy pillows wrapped in striped ticking fabric, fluffy lambskins, glowing pendant lights and fragrant bundles of dried lavender, the dining tables at French Alpine Bistro La Cr\u00eaperie du Village transport visitors to a world seemingly far away from the corner of Hopkins Avenue and Mill Street. Still, just a dozen steps separate the restaurant\u2019s entrance from sidewalk above.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The most coveted spot to settle in, however, sits outside the front door proper. In a downtown where every inch of real estate matters, owners Karin and Raphael Derly have transformed their sunken outdoor patio to accommodate sheltered wintertime seating.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Thanks to the recent addition of removable, glass-paned wooden doors and robust overhead heaters, two reconfigured dining nooks fashion a natural extension of the warm, candlelit, fromage-scented main room indoors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cIt\u2019s like a bubble of heat,\u201d enthuses ma\u00eetre d\u2019 Jaimie Atkinson during a bustling weekday lunch service. Daylight beams from above, lending an inside-outside chalet vibe. No doubt the area will thrive during apr\u00e8s-ski, especially \u2014 in sunshine or snowstorm.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cLast year it was snowing in people\u2019s cheese fondues and they didn\u2019t care,\u201d Atkinson marvels, of the then-exposed terrace. Now revamped, she says, \u201cIt\u2019s two nice little rooms, where a group of 10 can have its own section.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">On Dec. 8, French Alpine Bistro La Cr\u00eaperie du Village celebrated its eighth anniversary in Aspen. The soul of the European haunt, however, is at least eight times as old. Decorated with framed paintings, carved wooden objects, vintage farm tools, kitchen implements and other ephemera handpicked from France, Switzerland and Karin\u2019s native Austria, \u201cThe Cr\u00eaperie,\u201d as it\u2019s known locally, has been evolving constantly since it opened in December 2011.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Perhaps the most significant \u2014 yet invisible \u2014 upgrade lately is the acquisition of dedicated storage across the street, freeing up precious space within the 950-square-foot property with street-level skylights. Once a catchall for spare supplies, the bathroom was remodeled this fall into a chic, mirrored oasis. Other tiny design tweaks enhance energy flow, while every cranny remains filled. A coat rack is stuffed beside a narrow back corridor; wine bottles and saut\u00e9 pans line shelves above the open kitchen\u2019s seven-seat bar; and chefs still have to walk through the dining room, out the front door, and upstairs to a back alley to access the storage freezer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cSince we didn\u2019t have the budget to build out the rather challenging space with everything we needed right from the start, we kept adding on,\u201d Karin explains. \u201cThe kitchen is constantly reconfigured to maximize space and be as efficient as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Very exciting for the crew: a new kitchen hood and ventless fryer, which turns out golden frites for moules at long last. Following 20 years cooking in New York City, Grenoble-native chef Eric Francou joined the French Alpine Bistro in November 2018.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cEach chef steps it up,\u201d admits Karin, crediting both cuisine and ambience for a raft of international press over the years. \u201cRaphael and I are also passionate cooks and foodies, and heavily involved in the menu.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">An instant classic: the Kaiser-Schnitzel Caesar salad, which arrives with a flattened, crispy pork loin covering a plate of creamy, dressed Romaine. (Like so many dishes on the menu \u2014 including modifications on all cr\u00eapes and special baguette for fondue \u2014 the pork\u2019s breading is gluten-free.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Two new offerings make use of small cast-iron pans delivered tableside: potato gratin alongside Colorado rack of lamb and the new Black &amp; Wild Cr\u00eape, which showcases familiar flavors of roasted mushrooms, truffled white-wine cream sauce, melted Gruy\u00e8re, and poached egg with crispy kale garnish.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Lighter options abound, too: a handful of salads; Mediterranean eggplant \u201ccaviar\u201d for scooping up with gluten-free crackers; and the new \u201cD\u00e9lice d\u2019Asie,\u201d which combines warm wild rice and quinoa with a medley of crunchy vegetables and house-made sesame ginger vinaigrette. Together these creations belie an inaccurate yet persistent perception about \u201cThe Cr\u00eaperie.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cUnfortunately, so many (locals) associate our restaurant with hearty, heavy food only,\u201d Karin says. The eatery made its name, literally, on Brittany\u2019s signature buckwheat pancakes stuffed traditionally with ham and cheese, and broadcast a tagline, \u201cWe melt with you,\u201d to imply luscious fondue and gooey Swiss raclette scraped over fingerling potatoes, charcuterie and cornichon. Despite these origins, the bistro\u2019s menu du jour celebrates a wider range of ingredients with varying weights.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Thai green coconut curry infuses \u201cThe Nirvana\u201d cr\u00eape, folded over fragrant chicken and vegetables then sprinkled with toasted coconut. Classic coq au vin, steak tartare and a beef Bourguignon cr\u00eape (The French Connection) are ever popular, yet charred Maine sea scallops in lemon-saffron sauce with roasted cherry tomatoes and microgreens comprise one of the restaurant\u2019s most celebrated dishes. Escargots saut\u00e9ed with butter, tomato and pastis are served with airy brioche toasts. Seared salmon or roasted chicken breast may be added to any salad, too, for a light, protein-packed meal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cIn recent years we have added more vegetarian and vegan dishes and can execute 90% of our menu gluten-free, including cheese fondue and all cr\u00eapes,\u201d Karin reiterates. \u201cWe have some of the best gluten-free bread in town.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">While chocolate fondue and sweet cr\u00eapes (Suzette-style, plus versions with berries, fruit, Nutella, dulce de leche or all of the above) rule the dessert menu, a new plate of of four artisan cheeses with lemon-thyme honey is a refreshing addition. While expanded under the stewardship of French Alpine Bistro staff sommeliers now working the floor this season, the wine list remains manageable at two pages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cEverything we do is out of love,\u201d says Raphael, gesturing toward the sheltered outdoor dining area he designed with Karin. \u201cWe are creating a glass house \u2026 to enjoy even when it\u2019s snowing. A VIP room in a winter storm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span><em><a href=\"mailto:amandaraewashere@gmail.com\">amandaraewashere@gmail.com<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/french-alpine-bistro-la-creperie-du-village-goes-full-snow-globe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New outdoor seating at French Alpine Bistro La Creperie du Village.Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times The cozy outdoor seating at La Creperie du Village set for guests.Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo Simone Augspurger\/Courtesy Photo Show CaptionsHide Captions Ensconced among rustic wood panels warped by time, cushy pillows wrapped [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2452417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-19 01:33:12","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2452417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2452417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2452417\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2452417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2452417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2452417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}