Opening last February, the quaint and charming Lacey’s Crêperie is one of State Street’s best-kept secrets. The new crêperie is linked to Nadia’s Restaurant ownership and is located at 505 State St. The Parisian-style crêperie dishes up sweet and savory crêpes from crab to caramelized apple.

The delicate white-lace drapes and pastel-blue walls add a feeling of simple relaxation to the Lacey’s dining experience. Scattered across the walls are bright photos reminding customers of life’s simple pleasures: flowers, fruit tarts and France. The antique maps of Paris and France add to the French escape from Madison’s bustling State Street.

The ability to see into the kitchen and witness the culinary art of crêpe construction adds to the unique experience. The chef has two round burners and special wooden tools to perfect each crêpe. Everything in Lacey’s is French, from the food to the beverages to the staff to the conversation in the kitchen. It really allows you to escape and imagine yourself in Europe.

The soft classical music and small, blonde-wood chairs add to the intimate setting of the crêperie. Lacey’s is very small, so if you are looking for a large dinner feast with a large party of people, I suggest eating elsewhere. The ambiance is perfect for casual and personal dining. Plus, the limited space and availability of tables might cramp the quaint crêperie.

Anna, a recent first-time customer, describes Lacey’s as “so cute. It’s as if a small piece of France was transported to State Street. You see all these people walk by and look at the menu in the window … next time, those people should stop in. It’s definitely worth it.”

Lacey’s Crêperie offers a wide variety of savory and sweet crêpes. The savory crêpes include gourmet flavors and ingredients from spinach and feta cheese with tomato sauce ($5.50) to chicken and asparagus in Bechamel sauce ($6.50). The sweet crêpes encompass a medley of flavors from fresh strawberries with whipped cream ($5.50) to Nutella and banana ($6.50) to the simple yet delicious lemon and sugar ($3.50).

Lacey’s also offers various daily specials to the menu. These specials include anything from roasted tomato and pesto with mushroom and Parmesan cheese to chicken with mushrooms in a tomato-pesto sauce.

During my recent brunch visit, I ordered a salmon-with-creamy-dill-sauce crêpe for $6.50. The perfectly warm crêpe came smothered with tiny flakes of fresh salmon accompanied by the perfect complement, a creamy dill sauce. The combination of flavors was superb and only tasted better with every bite.

My brunch buddy ordered a proscuitto-and-Brie crêpe smothered with tomato sauce for $6.50. After stealing a few bites of hers, I had a hard time deciding which crêpe I preferred. Both savory crêpes were absolutely exquisite.

For dessert, I couldn’t help but indulge in the sweet daily special: chocolate sauce and strawberries with almond flakes for $6.50. Immediately my mouth watered when the chef brought the beautiful crêpe. It was rolled to perfectly fit the porcelain plate and was outlined with fluffy, white whipped cream. It was then covered in fresh strawberry slices and drizzled with hot chocolate sauce. It was simply amazing.

Cafik Fassil, talented chef of Lacey’s, admits it is hard to choose a favorite crêpe. “I love them all,” she said. “I spent a lot of time to choose the combination of flavors for these crêpes. Everything here is fresh and healthy, and we definitely add a European flair to State Street.”

Along with the flavors of the crêpe, the presentation was simple and perfect. The management’s attention to detail and perfection was highly noticeable. Each table was set positively awaiting a new customer. The staff was highly attentive and friendly. The staff never let my water glass get too low and consistently confirmed we were completely satisfied with our meal.

Fassil admits the secret to an outstanding crêpe is in the batter. The simple blend of flour, eggs, milk and olive oil must be perfectly combined, because “if the batter is not perfect, the crêpe will tear and have holes … or even worse, be like a pancake!”

Overall, I was delighted with my meal at Lacey’s Crêperie. I left the restaurant with my stomach full, tastebuds dancing, body relaxed and mind cleared. It was definitely an escape from usual campus life.

Linked to Nadia’s ownership, Lacey’s is open Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Indeed, any time is crêpe time!