I dig crêpes, although I rarely eat them.

We had crêpe machine decades ago, but it ended up at Sal’s Army. You can make them without a machine, but according to Sur la Table, “Crêpes, while delicious, are notoriously hard to make.” Bonnie summed up where she stands thusly, “I’m not gonna do it.”

That’s why it’s nice that crêperies like Point Chaud Cafe & Crêpes exist.

I decided to shine a Spotlight on the restaurant largely because it’s a new place I think you should know about. Point Chaud was founded two decades ago in the D.C. area and opened its third location, in St. Pete, just last September, then added a spot on St. Pete Beach in January.

We tried — no, we ate — three crêpes. Per the Spotlight format, I’ll reveal my favorite at the end.

ATMOSPHERE

The restaurant sits handsomely on the northeast corner of the Ark Innovation Center on 4th Street South.

After getting out of the car at 1:15 Wednesday, we immediately got hit by the skunky odor of weed. In an open parking lot! As we approached the stairway that leads up to Cafe Chaud, we encountered a young guy sitting on the steps huffing a potent-smelling blunt. He slid over a bit so we could get by. Lame. Ultra-lame.

Point Chaud’s spankin’-new interior is bathed in natural light, its wicker tables widely spaced. Two women handled the counter — one (Lily, a USF St. Pete student) to take orders and serve, another to make the crêpes. We were the only customers.

Old standards (Nat King Cole, Dean Martin) and, of course, Edith Piaf, played at comfortable volume.

A plastic menu listed, I’m not kidding, dozens upon dozens of crêpes — savory on one side of the menu, sweet on the other. We ordered: The Brunch Special with ham and Swiss ($12); Sautéed Chicken with cheddar ($13); then after making headway into inhaling those two, we selected our sweet one: dark chocolate, banana and coconut ($11).

Brunch

For starters, all of Point Chaud’s wraps had the slightly spongy texture that is part of why I dig crêpes.

Amid the cheese, ham, avocado, tomato and mushroon, the egg made itself the least known. In fact, I found it barely detectable. I would’ve preferred more egg, less ‘shroom (I forgot to ask them to hold it), but the combo of flavors made for a hearty and satisfying crêpe.

Lunch (Sautéed Chicken)

Most important, the chicken, a mix of white and dark meat, was excellent — juicy, devoid of the chalkiness that plagues lesser eateries. The combination of lush tomatoes and crunchy green peppers provided a welcome radiance to the overall umami. A small bed of lettuce drizzled with balsamic added further brightness. The cheese played a bit part.

Dessert

I’m a sucker for dark chocolate, and this crêpe was infused with a high-quality version, lusciously melted. The bananas blended in well, no surprise.

Tiny pieces of coconut (almost unrecognizable) were sprinkled on top, like powdered sugar. Lily said there was some inside as well, but I couldn’t tell. A more present coconut, with larger pieces, would’ve benefited this one. But this crêpe had me at dark chocolate. Next time, I’ll pair it with berries (straw, rasp, black, blue).

And Now For the Reveal of My Favorite Crêpe at Point Chaud …

Sautéed Chicken.

But I’d gladly eat each of them again.

By the way, in addition to the multitude of crêpes on Point Chaud’s menu, you can build your own. The restaurant also offers quiche, paninis, gelato and a cornucopia of coffees and teas.

A Final Thought: It occurred to me after eating at Point Chaud that crêpes are a notably versatile food. They are light, generally speaking. You can order (or make) them uber-healthy or extremely decadent, and pretty much everything in between. And you have to sit down and eat them with a knife and fork, which I dig.

I’m making a vow to eat more of crêpe. I already have Bonnie’s birthday present picked out.