Hey moneybags! Want to surprise your Valentine’s date with something extravagant? How about a one day trip to Paris, France? The best thing is that it probably won’t cost you more than $50.

You can make it happen on a dinner plate with traditional crepes at Acadie in Santa Monica. French Chef Thierry Boisson first brought his reputed skills to the famed Arizona Street Farmer’s Market in 1997 and hasn’t looked back since.

In the beginnning, crowds would drive for miles to his stand in line for his family’s secret recipe of homemade buckwheat and whole wheat flour crepes. Now, on the very street where it all began, you can sit at the quaint café just steps from Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade. Though Acadie’s location is mere steps from the bustling shopping mecca, the café is extremely quiet and serene.

In warmer weather, sit outside in Acadie’s ivy-lined patio. Offering over 120 savory (also known as Krampouz) and sweet varieties of crepes, this is not just a dessert spot. All of the crepe ingredients are guaranteed fresh and made to order by Boisson’s quick hands or those of his lovely assistants. The chefs will also take the time to explain how each crepe name has it’s own little history, making the meal all the more intimate. It may look easy, but the technique of perfecting an even, paper-thin pancake takes plenty of patience to master.

To start, I would suggest ordering the Soup du Jour which features fresh ingredients from local growers. Krampouz crepe selections include the Maine ($6.95), a savory concoction of brie cheese, bacon, egg and green onion, and the Irish ($7.50), which has smoked salmon, mozzarella cheese, tomato and basil.

If you feel like having a little bit of everything, order The Special of the Moment ($8.50). Your crepe will be served on a bed of mixed field greens and a homemade dijon mustard vinaigrette. Honestly, the salad dressing was so tasty I could’ve eaten the vinaigrette alone!

If salad seems more of a meal to you, order the Salade du Jour ($5.50). At times, this hearty plate features potatoes, goat cheese or crisp bacon.

Beverages include Orangina ($2.25), the original sparkling citrus drink and Cafe Au Lait ($3.00), made with fresh coffee beans straight from a local organic Venetian roaster.

Moving on to dessert, try the Crepe Suzette ($4.95) with Gran Mariner Orange sauce and for $1.50 more, add melted chocolat and crème Chantilly. Also, there’s no way you can visit the City of Romance without tasting the grand Paris ($4.95), made with hazelnut cream chocolat, better known as Nutella.

Acadie Hand Crafted French Crepes can also be found at the Torrance Farmers Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Sundays from 9 a.m.-1p.m. For more information, visit www.crepescompany.com.