Cherry On Top: The Adventures of a Ginger Foodie: Funny name, serious crepes

What do you think of when you think of Salem, Massachusetts? Most likely anything to do with pointy hats, flying broomsticks, and witch hunts galore. However, you're missing one key ingredient in this witchy brew: crepes! How does Salem tie into all this? Well, me being the crazy foodie I am, I was craving some delicious crepes besides those in the food court found in Pheasant Lane Mall. So I immediately did what any technology-age teen would do; I browsed the internet to find some scrumptious crepes somewhere in this frozen tundra. I came across very few options, a few located up in northern New Hampshire and a few in eastern Vermont. Well, no way was I going all the way to the Syrup state, and why on earth would I choose to go even more north? I was desperate for that light, fluffy bite of a crepe and I had to find some soon. Finally I stumbled across a website for a pretty silly sounding cafe located in Salem, Massachusetts. The name was "Gulu-Gulu Cafe." I was a little hesitant at first, seeing as this seemed to be as much of a crepery as McDonald's is. But I browsed anyway, hopeful to discover the heavenly delight that Ricky Bobby deemed "Thin pancakes." The crepe gods were apparently smiling on me that night, because after clicking the PDF menu I found the Teasers, Tidbits, and Crepes section where there was a decent selection of interesting, but promising-sounding crepes. Even reading the descriptions I almost started to drool and I knew that this was my next foodie adventure.
While calling up my tasteful, hipster pal, we planned a road trip down to Salem to stop my crepe craving in its tracks and also to see the city. I didn't know what to expect because I've hardly ever ventured in Mass, besides a few trips to Boston. But I was excited to not only eat, but to also explore. The next saturday, June 25th, we loaded up his little Saturn and we were off to Witch-town! With the hardly swift guidance of my dinosaur GPS, we arrived about an hour after setting out. As we approached the building, we saw a small cafe in downtown Salem- Basically what we expected. What we didn't expect were the giant dog heads plastered on the windows. The explanation for the dogs is apparently dogs are a symbol of cafes in Europe and the Gulu-Gulu Cafe was originally a cafe there. The owners of the second Gulu-Gulu (The one in good ol' America) met there and fell in love. They then decided to recreate the American Gulu-Gulu right in sleepy, little Salem. But long story short, we weren't there for dogs or Europe. We were there for some crepes!

Cordon Bleu Crepe

We walked into Gulu and I was in shock. In this old, witch-trial town, we had strolled into a chill hotspot for any kind of person. I saw middle-aged women typing on Macbooks, young adults of all colors, and every type of gender represented (Yes, even a transvestite was chowing down)! The music was a mix of classic oldies blaring from the rafters and vintage boardgames were tucked away in a cupboard for their weekly game night. We were seated in a cozy corner and our orders were taken shortly after. My hipster pal ordered the Cordon Bleu Crepe, a classic chicken, ham, swiss cheese mix in a regular crepe with crumbled bacon and dijon mustard spread all over. I (Not being a pork eater due to my love for little piggies) ordered an a la carte creation of my own: a regular crepe with turkey, spinach, basil, mushrooms, and white cheddar cheese. To top off the meal I also ordered one of their dessert crepes, "The Eden." Normally this sweet crepe includes fresh cut green apples, strawberries, and almonds with a honey drizzle all over the dish. I left the almonds off because my pal happens to have a nut allergy (Remember from the Carrot Cake Cupcake? Same guy). Being the fruit addict I am, I also ordered the largest fruit bowl they had. Our crepes came out very shortly and we immediately dug in! The Cordon Bleu Crepe was apparently delicious. My friend said it was very hearty and cheesy. Almost every bite that he pulled up with his fork was smothered in melted, gooey swiss cheese. He scarfed down every single bite in around 10 minutes (Darn you fast eaters). I, on the other hand, enjoyed each delicious bite. My crepe was packed with the ambrosial white cheddar, mushroom, and basil mixture, which all melded together to form a delectable blend of savory goodness. The rich slices of turkey also added texture and a smokey flavor to the airy crepe holding it all together. Combined with a sweet bite of fruit from the colorful bowl next to me, I was in Crepe Heaven. And of course, where there's a Crepe Heaven, there must be a Crepe Eden too. Once we both polished off the starter crepes, we shared The Eden crepe that I had also ordered. Now let's get this straight- I had never heard anything about Gulu-Gulu before. I had never heard of their crepes, and especially their Eden crepe. I bit into this crepe completely Gulu-blind. But once I did bite in, I had a flavor revelation. The combination of fresh cut, crisp, tangy green apples with the sweet acidity of the strawberries, all wrapped up in a fluffy, sweet crepe was absolutely DELICIOUS. Not only that, but the thing that made the crepe so exquisite was the many layers of natural, light honey drizzled across the plate. As I cut into each piece and lifted it to my lips, honey dripped from the crepe to my mouth and I tried as hard as I could to catch each drip to my tongue. I name this crepe one of the Top 5 things I have EVER eaten in my entire life. The honey alone I could drink like water. I recommend anyone to travel from near and far to eat this crepe. It is that. good. I could eat it for every meal and always be satisfied.

As soon as the meal was over, we tipped and left to explore the city a bit more. Overall, this food adventure was a complete success. The service was quick and friendly, the prices were good, and- Well, I've said enough about the food. I think you get the idea that Gulu-Gulu is a 5/5 Star meal meant for all kinds of people on any occasion. I can't wait to go back and sit down to crepes fit for the gods, and in this town, maybe for the witches. Whatever the case, Gulu-Gulu was definitely fit for a ginger foodie.

-The Oaklavore

Some more pictures of the Gulu-Gulu Crepe Food Adventure: