“Maine for me, because I’m French, represents Brittany,” Vassalle says. “There are a lot of similarities. And crepes are typical in Brittany. That’s what clinched it in my head to do a creperie here.”
Two weeks ago, Vassalle opened The Merry Table at 43 Wharf St. in Portland (next to Rogues Gallery), after moving to the state with his wife, who grew up here. This causal French bistro offers crepes of both the sweet and savory varieties, along with soups, salads, sandwiches and paninis. With affordable prices and a location in the heart of the bustling Old Port, the restaurant is bound to attract a steady stream of patrons.
“Crepes are great for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money, plus they’re filling,” Vassalle says of his signature product.
Catering to the tastes and pocketbooks of diners is something Vassalle knows well. He has a long history in the restaurant and hospitality world. He worked for Club Med in Mexico and the Caribbean, helped open Disneyland Paris, worked in fine dining restaurants in San Francisco and New York and, most recently, owned a wine shop with his wife, Robin, in Connecticut. He’s clearly excited about the possibilities inherent in his latest venture.
Fast-cooking crepes make them a common street food in France, and The Merry Table is equally quick getting its crepes cooked and plated. Two different batters are used for the savory and the sweet crepes. The savory crepe recipe is made from buckwheat flour, milk and eggs, while the dessert crepe is made from all-purpose flour, eggs, sugar and additional milk.
Vassalle plans to constantly change the menu, as well as greatly expand it. Right now, savory crepes include jambon formage, with ham and swiss cheese, ($7), epinard, with garlic, spinach, tomato and caramelized onion, ($7.95), saumon, with house cured salmon gravlox, herbed boursin cheese, red onion, eggs and capers, ($8.95), and poulet, with grilled chicken, oven roasted tomato, caramelized onion, tarragon and bechamel sauce, ($7.50). Each one comes with a side salad drizzled with a dijon dressing.
“It’s like a pizza, you can put anything on it,” Vassalle says to explain the endless combinations that can be paired with a crepe. “There’s always going to be a seafood and a chicken. We’ll probably do a lobster in the summertime, if we can find a reasonably priced lobster.”
Three dessert crepes are offered on the starter menu. They are: the sucre ($2.95), which is the most basic with just sugar and butter, the banane et Nutella ($5.95) and the fruits rouges ($5.75), which comes with seasonal berries and whipped cream.
In addition to fresh-squeezed juices, soft drinks, tea and espresso, The Merry Table serves wine, beer and mixed drinks. Vassalle says apple cider, the traditional complement to crepes, will soon join the menu. And with such a full bar and a couple cafe tables on Wharf Street, it’s bound to be a merry summer for many local crepe lovers.
— Avery Yale Kamila