La Crêperie is a restaurant where French-style
pancakes are served, and where owners and chefs have
each their respective secret recipes. Here we have
a fine, appetizing cuisine presented attractively.
La Crêperie was founded in 1968 taking advantage
of a fine venerable residence in hewn stone weathered
over the years. It stands over a cliff falling vertically
and giving a spectacular view over the Bay of Jounieh
with its fairyland beauty.
Truly the site is unique, overlooking the Bay of Jounieh,
which is surrounded by mountains which fall into the
distance like the rollers of the sea, among them the
summit of Harissa. From La Crêperie one can
gaze on horizons of enchantment. The cliff and the
hillock on which this former home stands used to belong
to the El-Khazen family, the most eminent notables
of Kesserouan. They transformed this noble house into
a restaurant, La Crêperie, where a traditional
menu is served cooked à la Chandeleur. There
are also various other dishes following the traditions
of both French and Lebanese cooking, not forgetting
food from the sea.
According to the Christian liturgical calendar, la
Chandeleur, Candlemas, falls on February 2nd, that
is to say forty days after December 24th, Christmas
Eve. It recalls an event described in the Gospel,
namely the Presentation of the Infant Jesus by his
mother Mary. This took place according to the requirements
of Jewish custom forty days after the birth of the
boy. The modern names of the feast are derived from
the Latin Festa Candelarum, the Feast of the Candles.
In Christian tradition candles are lighted on this
day. This is particularly the case in the churches,
and among the Catholics the priest may use this occasion
to bless the candles of those who come to pray, already
bought and used throughout the year. The faithful
often take one of these candles home and on February
2nd put it in their window. For Christians its luminosity
recalls the Light given us by Christ and symbolizes
both the renewal of Faith and the purity of the Virgin
Mary. The celebration falls on the thirty-third day
of the year, and this is unaffected by leap years.
In the West pancakes are eaten on Shrove Tuesday because
there Lent begins on the Wednesday and in past times
when eggs were forbidden during the fast they were
eaten up on the day before it began. Here on the other
hand, they are eaten at mid-Lent as a relief in the
middle of the forty days of austerity.
At La Crêperie there is a wide variety of dishes
to meet the demands of every gourmet. There is a warm
and smiling welcome from attendants who hasten to
be of service. Newly restored, the building is most
elegant, with gardens whose grace gives pleasure.
To reach the restaurant, if one is coming from the
South, that is to say from Beirut, one must pass through
Kasleek or Sarba. Coming from the North one must take
the Jounieh road and pass along the coast and under
the cliff known as Batieh. There one finds in the
rocky hollows by the sea a shrine where believers
of every religion come to pray, meditate and plunge
children or invalids in the water. Most know the patron
of the place as Saint George while others call him
“el-Khodr”, but all come to pray to God and make vows.
Keeping to the north side to reach La Crêperie
one reaches a building with a small dome in a little
garden omvaded by weeds and small trees. This we have
been told is the mausoleum of the Khazen family, proprietors
of the site, and here lies their great-grandmother
of the Khadra family.
But once at La Crêperie one feels that one is
in heaven among the stars.
Joseph Matar
Translation from the French: Kenneth Mortimer
- La crêperie - Inside: >> View
Movie << (2016-11-15)
- La crêperie - Outside: >> View
Movie << (2016-11-15)
