“Everything is good here,” a customer told me when she saw me staring at the menu. She pointed to her dining companion. “She’s had the Tuna Nicoise three times!” One of the Manhattan Sideways members followed her advice, and immediately understood why the woman had ordered the same thing thrice. The carefully rolled crepe was alternatively crispy and soft, with delicate folds of batter and crunchy vegetables. Though the cone was jam-packed with ingredients, the result was still light and fresh. Each layer of the crepe brought a different sensation and the carefully placed paper holder caught any falling bits of the finger-food.
T-swirl crepe follows the Japanese crepe tradition, which I had no idea existed until I visited the 14th Street eatery. The batter is made entirely with rice flour, which not only produces a gluten-free treat, but also helps keep the condiments from leaking out. These simple adjustments to the French design allow T-swirl to create decadent, artistic menu items, which are also on display in the window in rows of glass globes like prize orchids. There are both savory and sweet crepes, and customers can wash their meals down with milk shakes, including red bean and matcha flavors. The entire experience is a taste sensation, a successful and delicious collision of cultures.
