'A big part of our culture': Weymouth woman taps into Russian roots with new crêperie

WEYMOUTH − Ksenia Dubrovchenko said her parents owned a bakery and a restaurant when she was growing up in Russia, so her family had a lot of experience in the industry.

So when her parents joined her in the United States to help care for her young son, Dubrovchenko said it was also an opportunity to tap into their talent.

"They said, ‘If you want, you should open something for our family. Something that we could keep for generations," said Dubrovchenko, who came to the United States to attend Northeastern University and have a career in information technology. "At first I was hesitant, but then I decided to open a crêperie. It’s a big part of our culture and everyone we know from Russia knows how to cook them and loves to eat them."

Dubrovchenko recently opened Crêpes ‘n Capes on the ground floor of the new Anden apartments in Weymouth Landing. The restaurant has a caped crêpe cartoon mascot that she said "will save the world from hunger."

Crêpes are traditionally made of flour, eggs, milk, salt and butter. The batter is spread and cooked on a round griddle, and anything can be folded inside or used as a topping.

“It’s like a thin pancake, but ours are sweet, so you don’t necessarily need honey or maple syrup on top,” said Dubrovchenko, who lives in Weymouth. "They’re really popular in all of Eastern Europe and a big part of the culture."

The Crêpes ‘n Capes menu offers 15 choices of crêpes, divided by sweet and savory options. Dubrovchenko said the most popular option is the Nutella Bonanza, which includes the hazelnut spread Nutella, banana, ice cream, mint, powdered sugar and almond. Another popular choice is the Hamazing Crêpe, which has ham, aioli sauce, cucumber, tomato, spinach and cheese.

The menu also includes a variety of coffees and the Berry Berry Drink, which is known as "kompot" in Eastern Europe.

Dubrovchenko said business has been great, with 200 plates served on opening day.

The restaurant has 18 indoor seats and a kids corner with toys and small tables for children to encourage families to stay and enjoy their meals. There is outdoor seating as well.

Crêpes ‘n Capes

• Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
• Location: 22 Washington St., Weymouth, with parking in the back
• Contact: crepesncapes.com

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: 'A big part of our culture': Weymouth woman taps into Russian roots with new crêperie