Eating at Crêperie Catherine in Mont-Tremblant, Canada in the heart of the Pedestrian Village is like having a delicious meal at the home of a good friend. Located in a small chalet, the ambience is comfortable and inviting, and watching and chatting with Chef Catherine Schmuck and her sister, Lorraine Schmuck as they create the homemade crêpes is an added bonus.
When Catherine Schmuck, her husband, François Laviolette, and her sister Lorraine Schmuck, saw an old chalet in 1994, they thought that it would make the perfect home for their restaurant. However, I should probably note that the chalet, although it had a certain charm, was rather rundown, and was located at the foot of the mountain rather than in the desirable Pedestrian Village. Not a problem for these intrepid three, they simply moved the chalet, renovated it, and opened Crêperie Catherine in 1995.
Crêperie Catherine
The result is charming, comfortable, and cozy, with Catherine’s collection of chefs lining the many shelves, and whimsical paintings of Chef Catherine gracing the ceiling. However, it is the Chefs Catherine and Lorraine, working side-by-side, chatting with the guests as they create the crêpes that adds to the overall ambience.
Edward and I had an excellent lunch at the restaurant in late February 2011. After an invigorating morning spent on the ski slopes, we warmed up with a glass of their Glühwien, hot mulled wine served with a cinnamon stick and an orange slice, and knew that we were off to a good start.
We were looking for warm comfort food, which we found in the French Onion Soup, (Soupe a l’Oignon Gratinée), which arrived in an ample bowl covered with melted golden brown Swiss and Mozzarella cheese. Made with Spanish onions and a touch of red wine, the soup was lovely and exactly what we wanted on a cold day.
French Onion Soup
Chefs Catherine and Lorraine pride themselves on their usual crêpe fillings based on ingredients that they love, items not usually found on traditional crêpe restaurant menus. They do have traditional offerings on the menu for those less daring; however, the unusual is where these chefs really excel at thinking out of the box with their selection of ingredients, flavors, and presentations.
Chef Lorraine Schmuck and Chef Catherine Schmuck
A few of the more unusual crêpes listed on the menu: the Italian Sausage, Apple, Cheddar Cheese, and Béchamel Sauce Crêpe; their take on a BLT – the Tomato, Bacon, Feta Cheese, and Béchamel Crêpe; and the Escargot, Swiss Cheese, and Béchamel Crêpe. Other unusual combinations include the Pizza Crêpe (Pepperoni, Onions, Tomatoes, Swiss Cheese, and Cheddar Cheese); the Hawaiian Crêpe (Ham, Pineapple, Swiss Cheese, and Béchamel); the Mexican Crêpe (Seasoned Chicken, Swiss, Cheddar, Tomatoes, Onions, and Salsa); and the Mediterranean Crêpe (Chicken, Spinach, Feta, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Black Olives, Onions And Béchamel).
Edward had one of their more unusual crêpes, the Smoked Salmon Crêpe, listed on the menu under Catherine’s Favorites, made with smoked salmon, Swiss cheese, their signature Béchamel sauce, onions, and capers, with the option of adding an egg and spinach. Edward thought that when going for the unusual why not go all the way; and added both options to his crêpe.
Chef Catherine Schmuck making a crêpe
To the base of a very large crêpe that Chef Catherine made for Edward’s order, she added an egg which cooked on top of the crêpe, added fresh spinach and folded the crêpe in half and then in half again. The heat from the crêpe gently cooked the spinach. To that, she topped the crêpe with their signature Béchamel sauce made with real cream and butter, added a generous portion of smoked salmon on top of the sauce, added sliced onions and capers, and garnished it with a slice of lemon. The presentation was gorgeous and the combination of flavors was enticing. Although a very hearty portion, Edward managed to do justice to the crêpe.
Smoked Salmon Crêpe
I had the Seafood Crêpe, also listed under Catherine’s Favorites, made with shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab, grated Swiss cheese and their signature Béchamel sauce, and I added the spinach option. This crêpe was another winner, a tender, delicate crêpe filled with a seafood lover’s dream of ingredients, and the spinach was a nice touch adding another layer of flavor.
Seafood Crêpe
Our charming server Carmen who has worked at the restaurant since it opened in 1995 convinced us that we should try a dessert crêpe, even if we could just manage a few bites. So convincing was she, as well as the description on the menu, that how could we say no to a hot Caramel Apple Crêpe made with Sucre à la Crème, sautéed Granny Smith apples, and topped with a generous portion of whipped cream and a dusting of chopped Crispy Crunch bar? Okay, we thought, we would order one dessert to split and just have a few bites … to taste. Of course, one bite lead to another, and then another, and before we knew what had happened we had almost finished the entire dessert. Fortunately, we were going cross-country skiing after lunch, and we used the excuse that we would burn off those calories in no time, after all, what are a few more miles to ski when it comes to enjoying a delicious dessert?
Caramel Apple Crêpe
Crêperie Catherine is open for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner daily from 8:00 am until 9:00 pm. There are no reservations. If you would like to have French Onion Soup for breakfast, it is not a problem. They are happy to serve French Onion Soup, Breakfast Crêpes, Dinner Crêpes, Dessert Crêpes, and anything else listed on the menu at any time. The restaurant also now offers a variety of Take-Home items for sale including their French Onion Soup and Caramel Apple Crêpes, perfect to enjoy a taste of the restaurant once you return home or to enjoy in your hotel or condo.
Crêperie Catherine
113, Chemin Kandahar
C.P. 4448
Mont-Tremblant, Québec, J8E 1A1
Canada
Telephone: +819-681-4888
Fax: +819-425-5445
Email: gallerycatherine@gmail.com
Website: www.CreperieCatherine.ca
Read other articles on Mont-Tremblant, Canada in the Destinations, Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, Chefs’ Recipes, Spas, and Adventures sections.
For information on Mont-Tremblant, please visit the website: www.Tremblant.ca
For information on Porter Airlines, and where they fly, please visit the website: www.FlyPorter.com.
