Midtown Lunch

Today we are getting a report on an amazing food  truck on the Philly streets from Profiled Luncher Eileen.

Walking by Drexel’s Hagerty Library (33rd & Market), I finally got to stop at La Dominique, the crepes cart. Having heard a rave recommendation from a friend who claimed the owner handpicks only the freshest, best ingredients and created heavenly crepes, I was more than eager to give it a shot!

From the outside this looks like any Joe-Next-Door food cart that sells hot dogs, cheese steaks…you know, the usual. Look a little more closely and you’ll see a cute bistro-style menu describing savory lunch crepes and sweet treat dessert crepes. Even better, these are not your average crepe options…

Feeling indulgent, I decided to spend the extra $2 for the Salmon Crepe (everything else was $5 and under). And man, was that the best decision of the week! It was indeed a heavenly crepe blanketed over slices of tenderly smoked salmon, sweet summer tomatoes, salty little capers bursting with flavor, and a motley of crisp gardeny peppers. All of this was bathed in a rich cream cheese with a whipped gelato-like consistency. Not too heavy, not too light but just Goldilocks right! But what really got to me was the beauty of the crepe itself. I could not comprehend how  soft and fluffy such a flimsy thin sheet of dough could be. It was one of the most delicious things I’ve eaten in University City.

I stopped by later in the week to try the pierogis, which are Polish dumplings stuffed with potato and cheese. Carbs on carbs and cheese, sounds great! Plus I had heard Chojnacki’s Polish, so I assumed his pierogis would be amazing.

They turned out alright, but not as amazing as the crepe. It came six in a box for $5, which I thought wasn’t really worth the cost. Of course the little dumplings were delicious, but what could really go wrong, creamy mashed potato wrapped in fried dough topped with sour cream and onion? Nothing really, except they were a bit on the bland side. Plus I was a little disappointed when Chojnacki admitted that he didn’t make the pierogis himself. They were bought in the morning from people in NY and heated up on his grill.

The Peach-Blueberry Panna Cotta crepe totally made up for this though! It had the same fluffy crepe base as the salmon, only a little chewier and sweeter. I watched hungrily as Chojnacki sliced up the creamy pudding-esque panna cotta and spread it on the crepe with blueberry and peach preserves. Although I couldn’t taste the fruit as clearly, the panna cotta melted into the thin pancake tamely, creating a luscious creamy vanilla filling.

Overall, I must say that my heart still belongs to the Salmon Crepe, although many of the others sound tempting too! La Dominique offers a variety of crepes to taste at a good price whether you’re in the mood for lunch or dessert. The only thing is, make sure you choose a time that’s not lunch hour because the wait could be up to half an hour!
La Dominique, 33rd & Market St., Mon-Fri 11AM-4PM

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Fabulously fluffy homemade crepe batter
• Fresh, local ingredients for the most part
• Good price ranging from $3-7
• Friendly & diligent service from Chojnacki
• Uses cage-free eggs (for agricultural activists)

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• The line could get really long sometimes
• Some of the ingredients may be pre-made and not as fresh

La Dominique, 33rd and Market St.