Brunch At Paradou (Closed as of 1/31/04)

Yesterday, I awoke with a craving for crepes. As the morning wore on, I also developed an intense craving for chocolate truffles (an almost daily occurrence). Fortunately, I was able to satisfy both desires in one place: the new Paradou in Park Slope.

Our savory whole-wheat crepes (ham, Comte cheese and egg with a hint of Dijon mustard, and smoked salmon with lemon creme fraiche and asparagus) were gigantic and generous with filling. The crepes were folded over to make room for refreshing green salads.

Not once in my life have I been able to resist ordering a dessert crepe when I see one on the menu. It was easy to succumb to the temptation at Paradou, which offers six sweet varieties. Since I was with fellow chocolate lovers, we shared the chocolate creme de menthe (a light, eggy crepe filled with melted dark chocolate and doused with mint syrup) and the sugar-sprinkled Nutella banana.

At this point I was quite full, but I mustered up all of my remaining appetite for the Joel Durand truffles, for which Paradou is the exclusive U.S. distributor. The complex flavors of these exotic treats rivaled those of Bernard Callebaut and Jacques Torres. I was especially impressed by the herbal green cardamom, the Corsican bitter honey, and the salted butter caramel. On future visits, I plan to try the entire collection!

Paradou: 426 7th Ave., Brooklyn, (718) 499-5557. For Manhattanites, the original location is 8 Little West 12th St., (212) 463-8345.