West Village – Bedford Avenue at Downing Street

This charming West Village bon bon serves up value in the form of fresh, delicious meals for appetites both big and small.

Cafe’ Henri makes the perfect crepe and in variations to suit every mood. The menu features a balanced assortment of sweet and savory varieties crepes that, depending on your selection, are served with either a generous side of verdant mesclun with dijon dressing or fresh fruit. On a recent visit I had the smoked salmon crepe with grilled vegetables, fresh basil cream   - it exceeded my admittedly high expectations (I had sampled several of Cafe’ Henri’s crepes over the past few months). The salmon was meaty and neither dry nor salty and the vegetables were fresh and flavorful and did not seep through the crepe. 

The decor is rustic, mildly ramshackled  with touches of French country. The overall vibe is warm and low-key. It’s perfect for a casual date or a drawn-out gal pal coffee session.   In keeping with the culinary identity, the service is not the perkiest, but it’s quick and to the point.  Cafe’ Henri’s mascott, a  French mastiff,  is apt in capturing the overall feel of the place: gruff but dignified. 

It’s a great place to go to before the Film Forum and great for coating your stomach before enjoying those, irresistably refreshing caipiriniahs at S.O.B’s. These of course, are best consumed responsibly and in between live band salsa sets.

Best part: you can walk out of Cafe’ Henri feeling full and satisfied for under $20.

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