Spring Edition: Food Critic-- Dolce Crepes

This year the Eagle Eye News food critic, Kate Coffin, will sample treats in our community and share her recommendations with the Lanier family. For this edition, she spoke with Ms. Alexandra Loeffler at Dulce Crepes (off Lee Highway in Fairfax).

Why did you open Dulce Crepes?

Crepes have always been a part of my life growing up in Romania. My mom used to make them all the time and she would stuff them with everything from cheeses, jams and different fruits. Then when I moved to the States to pursue a college degree, I thought opening up a restaurant after graduation would be a great idea given the versatility and the lack of competition.

Do you plan on expanding your business into a chain or staying small?

I definitely seek out to grow the business into a franchise.

Your website says you have vegan and gluten-free options. Are they more or less popular than your other options?

We do get a lot of gluten-free and some vegan as well as the buckwheat option that we have for the savory crepes, but the traditional batter is still the most popular.

Are the sweet or savory crepes more frequently bought?

I'd say that the demand varies by the time of the day. During the day, lunchtime for example, we get a lot of people over savory but by the evening, people order more sweet.

Are your smoothies also well-received or do people tend to only buy the crepes?

People buy mostly only crepes, as we didn't really focused on or advertised smoothies. We did, however, introduce milkshakes and they are becoming very popular.

Do people usually buy the build-your-own crepes or on-menu crepes more often?

I've noticed if those who come try us for the for time they usually tend to get an item right off the menu. Returned customers tend to opt for the create-your-own option.

Are the recipes your own?

I designed everything, including the recipes for the different batters that we use to everything on the menu.

Out of all the treats to make, why did you choose crepes?

I went with crepes because of their versatility in terms of ingredients, savory and sweet, and also because I wanted to create a healthy treat with real ingredients, fresh fruit and veggies.

Has the business been smooth sailing?

Just like any other business, there have been some challenges along the way but we keep learning and striving to provide the best experience for our costumer.

Is maintaining the store’s clean-cut style difficult?

Given the open concept, tidiness is very important and I always make sure the employees follow rigorous guidelines to keep everything looking clean.

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