**UPDATE** I have added several additional posts. These include some recipes, as well as links to cookbooks and a crepe machine! Start here to find the recipes
I suppose most, if not all of you dear readers are not old enough to remember the Magic Pan restaurant. While reading the textbook “Service Management” by Fitzsimmons, I was taken back to the restaurant of my youth, and reminded once again of those wafer-thin crepes, and the delightful fillings that so often filled our Sunday afternoons.
The text book, in discussing quality control in delivering a service, mentions the “foolproof machine” that the Magic Pan designed to cook their crepes. (For that same upside down pan, perfect crepe experience, try the VillaWare V5225 Crepe Maker
The “chef” would first place a pan, upside down, on the carousel, allowing it to make a few slow revolutions, and thus get up to temperature. After that, they would remove a pan, wiping the bottom of the pan on a towel that had been embedded with some form of “lubricant” (either butter or vegetable oil). They would then dip the underside of the pan (yes, the outside!) in the batter. Once coated, they would place the pan (again face down) on the carousel, where it would cook the crepe evenly. As a kid, I would love standing there and just watching, watching, watching…
This approach did a few things that guaranteed consistency of delivery:
- The batter on the bottom of the pan meant that they always had the “right” amount of batter for each crepe
- The constant rate of the carousel meant they were always cooked correctly, never over or under cooked.
- By having many slots around the carousel, they were able to “manufacture” a large number of crepes with only one chef.
All pretty doggoned innovative!
So, of course, thinking about the Magic Pan again after so many years set me off on a Google search for the demise of the ‘Pan, and perhaps to find some recipes. Well I found that, and more!
Let’s start with the “and more.” It turns out that the Magic Pan is back! Now the Magic Pan of my memories was a rather nice, upscale, yet casual, dining room with great food. The new Magic Pan is actually a “food court” provider of the same recipes. According to “Cathy2″ at LTHForum the Magic Pan has as the culinary roots to heart of the original, but appears to be an all new restaurant. As she writes:
I talked to the manager who advised they had the original chef-trainer from the old Magic Pan fly in from San Franciso to reproduce and train their people for several original Magic Pan dishes: Original Spinach Souffle Crepe; Original Chicken Divan Crepe; Original Crepe Suzette; Original Strawberries and Sour Cream Crepe; Original Chantilly Crepe and Original Cherry Royale Crepe. I remember vaguely the old Magic Pan closed abruptly I believe due to bankruptcy. The manager didn’t remember the circumstances, though he knew all 240+ Magic Pan restaurants closed in one day across the country.
Now, I find that to be quite interesting. All closed–in one day! Wow.
I am somewhat disappointed to learn that they are not using the same innovative cooking machine that I loved watching as a kid. According to Cathy2:
Magic Pan 2005 is no longer a sit down restaurant, it is a fast food crepe stall. There is no large ring of gas with upside down smooth bottom frying pans with dipped crepe batter cooking as it rotates over the circuit. Instead there are three large flat iron plates to cook the crepe batter. The cook selects from buckwheat, cornmeal or wheat flour crepe batter and pours a measured quantity on the pan. Using a t-stick paddle he smoothes and spreads the batter to the outer edges. Once cooked, the crepe is filled and presented to the customer.
I hope to someday learn more about the reasons for the demise of the Magic Pan, and perhaps even how widespread the “ROMP” (return of Magic Pan) may be. Until then, I will be trying out some of the recipes I found online, and seeking to take a trip down that culinary memory lane.
UPDATE: 30 Dec 2009. In the meantime, I will tell you that I have found a great machine (the VillaWare V5225 Crepe Maker
The original Magic Pan was opened in San Francisco by Leslie and Paulette Fono. Later they expanded to Aspen, Co. where our European friends were managers. The original theme was Austrian, and the hostess and waitresses all wore Austrian Derndal dresses with aprons in various colors. The men wore short jackets in Austrain theme. The original menu was: Crab crapes, spinich crapes, musroom crapes, cheese crapes, and lobster crapes. Desert was strawberry crapes with chocolet sauce. The starter was a Goolia soup and salad. What ruined this restuarant was after the Fonos allowed Quaker Oats to take over the reatuarant. After they expanded they did NOT follow the original theme or menu, and soon went bankrupt. I would love to see this restuarant come back but you would have to stick to the original theme and dress. The decor of the restuarant was important also. Tiled carosel that cooked the crapes, tiled floor, wood antique tables and chairs upholstered in fine fabric. This is what made it so appealing. Hopefuly someone will be able to bring this all back and stick to the theme as it should be done. Thank you, Barbara Offutt
Oh…the memories of the Magic Pan @ Lenox Mall in Atlanta. Absolutely the perfect place for a “ladies for lunch” event or a romantic evening out. I remember that crepe carousel…what a fascinating piece of equipment. And, the whole decor made you feel like you were dining somewhere in France. One other thing…how is it that everyone can remember exactly what they ordered??? My choices were the mandarin orange salad, Potage St. Germain (with a splash of sherry), and Coquille St. Jacques. So….if enough of us post comments, do you think someone will listen and bring Magic Pans back??? Hello???
Hi -I am doing research for a book and am trying to find a location for any of the NYC Magic Pan restaurants. Does anyone remember where some of the Manhattan ones were located?
Thanks,
Lynn
I would like to have the recipe for the wonderful salad dressing that I had with all the crepes back in the day…does anyone have it? It was like a honey mustard but sweet.
The original restaurants did not close in one day. One restaurant, in McLean, Virginia, lingered on for some time after the others closed, but it, too, eventually bit the dust. To me, the carousel that cooked the crepes was what made the restaurant magic. I watched it, mesmerized, until the food was delivered. The food was always delicious. The crepes themselves were always done exactly right, but what made them shine was the fillings, choices of cheese and lobster and crab and chicken and spinach and mushrooms. They also had a wondrous split pea soup for starters, with just a touch of sherry. My favorite crepe dessert was the Chantilly Crepe – a banana marinated in vermouth and brown sugar, sliced, placed in the crepe along with lots of chantilly creme (sweetened whipped cream with vanilla), and toasted sliced almonds. There was more whipped cream on the outside.
@Laura Byrd. My goodness, we have the same taste! Those were my favorite dishes, too! I believe I have figured out a recipe very close to the Potage St. Germain (split pea/potato soup base) they served. I let the soup slow-simmer in a crock pot today and was telling my girls about “The Magic Pan” this evening as we ate dinner. My middle daughter asked if there were still Magic Pan restaurants and I made a point to go online tonight to investigate and found this link. Sad to think it is basically gone. I would love to get some of their recipes!
I have been searching for the Magic Pan’s Tomato Bisque recipe for years and still can’t find it. Nothing has compared. My dinner always started with the Mandarin Orange Salad, then Tomato Bisque with a splash of sherry. Then to their fabulous Chicken Divan and ending with Chantilly Crepe for dessert. I don’t know how I could eat so much! Any ideas on the Tomato Bisque would be appreciated.
For Christmas dinner I was able to serve the original Chicken Elegante Crepes from the Magic Pan recipe thanks to a website I found – http://www.bookemon.com/read-book/46733. This site has it all! I too have great memories of the Magic Pan in Richmond, VA and Washington DC. At least I can enjoy some of the flavors again. Enjoy!
I sell a CD Cookbook that has Magic Pan recipes in it. Doreens Kitchen dot com
If you email me, I can send you links on where to view Table of Contents and a sample view.
I am very late chiming in on this thread. Leslie and Paulette started their chain of very successful restaurants in San Francisco, in Ghiradelli Square, during the late 60s. My parents were in their 30s at the time, and escaped the kids one evening to try a new restaurant. They wound up at Ghiradelli Square, and decided to try Magic Pan. It was a very small restaurant at the time. After my parents placed their order, a large group came in. The Fonos were very embarassed, but they had to ask my parents to change tables to accomodate the larger party. My parents had absolutely no problems doing so, but the Fonos were so thankful that they gave my parents the royal treatmen. As you all know, the food was fantastic, so my parents returned a time or two more. The Fonos always recognized them, and were thrilled that my parents would return after what the Fonos viewed as poor treatment. After a few years we moved away. However, whenever we visited the city again, we always (yes, we kids were finally included – lucky us!) visited the Magic Pan, and later the Paprikish Fono restaurant. My parent would ask to speak to the Fonos, if they were in. They usually were. My parents would remind the Fonos of that time when they were struggling new restauranteers. The Fonos always remembered, and welcomed us fondly, even giving us free samples of their newest cuisine. We would up visiting the Magic Pan in Beverly Hills more times than the one in San Francisco, and once or twice the other one in the greater L.A. area. Not only was the food fantastic, but the memories were always very warm. The Fonos were the friendliest, kindest people we have ever met in any restaurant, and the Magic Pan is sorely missed. Thank you for these recipies.