Gluten-Free Crepes on Mission Street

I found Luis Bautista selling gluten-free crepes on 2250A Mission Street between 18th and 19th streets. I had the vegetarian one, and it was delicious.

Mission Local: How long have you lived in San Francisco?

Luis: I came to San Francisco about three months ago.

ML: Where are you from, and where were you living before you moved here?

Luis: I’m from Ecuador and I was living in Portland, Oregon.

ML: How did you start making crepes?

Luis: I’ve worked at many restaurants, so I learned through the working experience and I’m now trying to do something on my own.

I started this in Portland, Oregon, two years ago with some friends, and with some of my savings I bought the machine and had a crepe party at home. I invited some friends to see how they’d react to what I made, and everybody liked it, so I decided to take it to the next step, which is business. Since then I’ve been doing crepes, so I came here to expand it and make it bigger, that’s all.

ML: And how is it going now that you’re here in the Mission?

Luis:  So far, so good. I ask every customer what they think, how is the flavor, and if there is anything to improve.

 ML: What’s your favorite crepe?

Luis: My favorite so far is … I’m a vegetarian, so I like the one with vegetables, avocado and cheese.

ML: What types are you selling right now?

Luis: Right now we have ham and turkey with cheese, avocado, tomato and spinach. Sometimes it comes with sprouts. I also have a dessert crepe with Nutella, whipped cream and [four] kinds of fruits — mango, strawberry, kiwi and banana. Yeah, it’s really good!

ML: How did you come up with the idea of making gluten-free crepes?

Luis: Well, I wanted to do something new that nobody else was doing. I was working one time at Fred Meyer’s in Portland, and I made some friends, and one became a business partner and still is. He mentioned that he could not eat out too much because he has a gluten intolerance, so he thought this group of people would be a nice target. He taught me the recipe, and from there I took it to what it is now

ML: Can you give us the recipe?

Luis: The recipe is actually a secret. But if you are a good cook you can figure it out.

ML: When can people find you here?

Luis: I’m here Thursday to Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m., but because I’m still pretty new in the neighborhood, I’m trying to figure out ways to start a food cart.

ML: So are you staying here for a while?

Luis: Yes, I want to, but it all depends on the customers and the location.

ML: What else do you want to say about the crepes?

Luis: These crepes are a pretty new concept — the texture is different than the traditional French or Japanese crepes. The flavor is also very different. Right now we are trying to come up with more vegetarian flavors.