No other restaurant on Marshall Street looks quite like it. Distinguished with its pink and brown palette, spray-painted exterior sign and the wafting smell of warm dough, Crepe and Gelato Boulevard leaves a lasting impression on this small stretch of street.

Crepe and Gelato Boulevard’s sign on the front of the building, a clever play on a scoop of gelato and a cone-shaped crepe, highlights the aesthetic found throughout the interior. The words espresso bar are prominently written across the top, suggesting this place could be another reputable coffee shop in town.

The first thing you notice as you enter is how much of a street feel the place has. Graffiti and street art adorn every wall. They feature vivid color schemes and murals with a brick pattern repeating throughout the store. Street lamps, concrete flooring with yellow direction arrows and wooden benches, tables and chairs solidify the fact that this place uses its namesake as its biggest inspiration. However, the lack of seating in an otherwise empty space could be a problem for a large group.

A large display case next to the counter is another striking feature of the place. It’s full of gelato. A colorful array with a multitude of sweet selections is a welcoming site for any visitor. Flavors included classics like chocolate, vanilla, raspberry and coffee. There are also more adventurous options like peanut butter and jelly.

Considering that it’s an espresso bar, its coffee menu is pretty extensive. Serving Lavazza coffee, an Italian brand, Crepe and Gelato Boulevard serves a fair amount of specialty cold and hot beverages. Cappuccinos, espresso shots, lattes or even a regular coffee would go great with any of their crepe selections. They even offer an affogato, which is espresso with a scoop of gelato.

To try a variety of items, I ordered both sweet and savory selections. A buffalo chicken ranch crepe sounded great as a lunchtime crepe, while the gelato panini and a classic French crepe would serve nicely for dessert.

The buffalo chicken crepe was a tasty layering of flavors. Warm chicken and fresh bacon meshed well with spinach. The top of the crepe was finished with a warm ranch sauce. The crepe itself had a good texture, with crispy pockets what blended well with the chunks of chicken, although some of the corners got a little too thin. The tanginess of the ranch was a nice compliment with the saltiness of the bacon. The spinach brought a nice, green contrast as well. It was a solid lunchtime treat.

The gelato panini, which is simply a disk of warm dough stuffed with flavored gelato, was overly sweet and runny. The dough itself wasn’t the right consistency, turning soggy quickly — most likely because it was filled with cold gelato. The cheesecake-flavored gelato was OK, but the top layer was a rich coating of strawberry jam that wasn’t as good as the gelato itself. The top of the panini was coated in powered sugar, and the entire dessert was served in a makeshift cardboard container.

The French crepe was definitely the star of the show. A warm, slightly crunchy crepe was stuffed with Nutella, strawberries and bananas. Warm chocolate and powdered sugar was generously drizzled on top. It’s a classic combination, and that’s why it tasted great. The fruit was fresh, the Nutella had its own distinct flavor and the crepe was cooked thinly and served warm. My only complaint was that the filling was only in the bottom of the crape, so the top portion was just dough. It kept sliding around on the plate as a result.

A truly unique atmosphere coupled with tasty desserts and warm coffee is a draw for any college student. And considering Crepe and Gelato Boulevard is only a short walk from campus, it could end up being a guilty late night snack for many.

Published on October 20, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Rohan: rythakor@syr.edu