In the coming weeks, students will have a new “hot spot” for crepes and coffee on campus.
Point Chaud Café & Crêpes will fill the vacant space in Duques Hall that was the former home of GDub Java. Point Chaud, which means “hot spot” in French, has two other locations in the District – 1736 14th St. NW and 1012 14th St. NW. The cafe offers more than 50 crepe flavors, both savory and sweet, coffee and espresso drinks, and other beverages.
The space in Duques Hall appears brightly lit with ceiling lights and hanging blue lights over bar-style seating, and the walls are adorned with posters from popular French films, like Moulin Rouge! and French Cancan. Although there are still construction materials inside the space, the interior appears almost complete.
I set out to one of Point Chaud Café & Crêpes’ other District locations to sample some of the most popular menu items. Here’s what you should order when the cafe opens on campus within the next few weeks.
Coffee: Caramel Latte
In the winter’s chill, a hot latte is the perfect treat to help you warm up. I tried Point Chaud’s caramel latte ($3.40), which was topped with a thin layer of foam and balanced the coffee and milk flavors without a bitter aftertaste. Point Chaud’s caramel latte is less sweet than Starbucks’ version, which keeps the flavors from becoming overwhelming. The caramel latte was the perfect match for both the savory and sweet crepes I sampled. Point Chaud Café & Crêpes’ coffee and espresso comes from popular Italian coffee roasting company Illycaffè. The shop’s hot and iced teas are by Dammann Frères.
Salees (savory): D.C. Brunch Special
Unlike Crepeaway, which has long been the go-to late night crepe spot for students, Point Chaud Café & Crêpes offers breakfast crêpes filled with scrambled eggs. The all-day breakfast menu boasts hearty flavor combinations. The D.C. Brunch Special ($8.85) includes scrambled eggs, turkey, cheese, tomato, avocado and mushrooms and is a filling meal at any hour. I had a slight modification of this popular item because I am a vegetarian, but even without the turkey, the crepe was a satisfying dinner. Tomato, avocado and egg is a classic breakfast combination that’s usually stuck between the two halves of a bagel, but the flavors inside a flaky crepe were just as delicious and slightly lighter than a bagel sandwich.
Sucree (sweet): Nutella, Banana and Strawberry
This Nutella, banana and strawberry crepe ($7.45) was distinctly different from other dessert crepes because the strawberries and bananas are caramelized – adding an extra touch of sweetness. Before rolling them into the crepe, the bananas and strawberries are warmed, allowing the natural sugar in the fruit to taste even richer than it would naturally. Crepeaway also serves a Nutella, banana and strawberry crepe called the Angel, but the fillings are cold. Although this crepe was messy because the caramelized fruit was smothered in warm Nutella, the combination was creamy and sweet.
