La Creperie Rises From The Ashes
By Melissa Wiley in Food on Nov 13, 2013 5:00PM
Creperies don’t typically make for rousing comeback stories. But Lakeview’s La Creperie, one of those cozy urban alcoves where we’ve long felt more at home than inside our own four walls, is nothing if not hero material these days. Shuttered since August, Crains reports that the 42-year-old bistro is set to reopen in December under new owners, the proprietors of neighboring Duke of Perth. Germain Roignant, who purchased the restaurant in 1972 with his late wife, Sara, will remain a familiar face and partner in this love letter to the French pancake.
As recently as July, Roignant had planned to retire to his native Brittany, leaving his son, Jeremy, and daughter-in-law, who had managed La Creperie for the past five years, to relocate to Los Angeles, where they intended to transplant the restaurant with them. But on Aug. 1, Jeremy, 39, died of a heart attack, leaving those of us busy mourning the loss of our favorite place for boeuf bourguignon feeling more than a little petty. Now we can honor his memory the best way we know how, with more hours spent humming to Edith Piaf while eating Nutella overflowing its warm, wheat carapace.
Germain Roignant will continue to work in the dining room serving loyal customers and newbies alike Wednesday through Sunday evenings as well as some afternoons. Head cook Juan Aranda is also slated to return to the kitchen. Reportedly none of the recipes have ever been put to paper, so with Aranda at the helm we can thank our twinkly stars we’ll be eating the same suzette a la Germain as always. Roignant also told Crain’s the interior and menu will largely remain the same, while the wine list and evening hours will expand.
La Creperie is located at 2845 N. Clark.