East Idaho Eats: Camille’s Crepes, a one-stop shop for fair dinner and dessert

BLACKFOOT — Camille’s Crepes offers a collision at the busy intersection of sweet and savory.

EastIdahoNews.com continued its coverage of the food available at the Eastern Idaho State Fair by visiting owner Camille Gilbert, who provided us with samples of her wide range of flavors.

Formerly working in the corporate wing of a physical therapy business, Gilbert found a new path when she took a trip to Alaska with her husband. There, Gilbert tried her first savory crepe, and “it kind of blew my mind,” she said, and the tasty French treat has been a passion since.

“This needs to be shared with more people,” she said. “There was a lot of educating that really has gone into the last eight years. … It’s just been a blast to bring it and introduce it to this area, and have people love it, honestly.”

Gilbert started Camille’s Crepes eight years ago in Pocatello. Then, the pop-up eatery was called “Creme de la crepe.” And the more easily pronounced moniker is not the only thing that’s new.

In early 2020, Gilbert bought a food truck.

“I was sick of growing someone else’s business. I wanted to grow my own,” she said.

It was a decision that could be seen as poorly timed, given the failure of so many businesses in the food service industry as much of the country was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The food truck has been successful, though. As Gilbert pointed out, people still needed to eat, and with many restaurants closed, food trucks have only grown in popularity.

There was another fear to tackle.

“It really, actually, worried me, to make this my thing, because when you turn a hobby into a job, sometimes the passion dies,” she said.

Not only has the passion survived, it is thriving in Camille’s Crepes, made with, as she said, all the delicious things and “a lot of love.”

Gilbert prepared three crepes for me, two sweet offerings — the Banoffee, named after a pie popular in England, and the strawberry colada. The savory turkey-bacon-avocado is one of her most popular items.

The Banoffee, second place in the Best New Sweet category at last week’s fair food judging, was a delicious trip across the Atlantic, featuring fresh bananas, dulce de leche and chocolate chips. But the other two samples may have beaten it out.

The turkey-bacon-avocado was the first taste of savory crepe I have ever enjoyed — particularly the mustard sauce Gilbert makes herself. And the strawberry colada was the perfect balance of sweet, tart and creamy.

Camille’s Crepes will be at the Eastern Idaho Fair throughout its run, open all day. But for those interested in treating themselves to Gilbert’s treats outside of the fair can go to Pocatello’s weekly Portneuf Valley Farmer’s Market — Saturday’s, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Old Town Pavilion, May through October.

Camille’s also posts a schedule of events on its Facebook page — available here.