The crêpe, or French pancake, was invented in 1923 to make its American counterpart look fat, oafish, and uncouth in comparison. Help the disked dessert maintain its well-deserved sense of superiority with today's Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of crepes, hot chocolate, and more at Cacao Bar and Tea Salon located within MarieBelle New York retail stores. There are two locations from which to choose—either 484 Broome Street in SoHo, or on the 3rd Floor of Limelight Marketplace in Flatiron.

Cacao Bar and Tea Salon offers refined fare within an elegant, European-style café. The menu flourishes with sweet crêpe ($11), including selections like the exquisite caramelized banana and cinnamon, as well as the simple-but-sweet crêpe au chocolat. Nosh on these sweet treats in order to decadently unwind after saving Gotham from a sinister outbreak of petty misdemeanors and slow-driving grandmas. For a light lunch, breathe in steam from the tomato goat-cheese soup ($7), or try the crêpe version of a country-style turkey wrap ($11), enhanced with melted gruyere cheese. Alternately, peruse the drink menu's vast teascape of guava, jasmine, and Chinese flower teas (all $6). Hot chocolateers can choose their cup of cocoa ($6–$9.50) in European style (with water) or American style (with milk) in varieties like dark chocolate, unsweetened Maya chocolate, or spicy-chipotle chocolate.

Both Cacao Bar and Tea Salon locations feature antique furniture and magnificent lighting, evoking the baroque atmosphere of 18th century Parisian and Viennese salons. Stimulate taste buds while engaging in stimulating intellectual debate about the mind-body paradox in relation to the upcoming season of Cops, with today's Groupon to MarieBelle Cacao Bar and Tea Salon.

Reviews

MarieBelle New York was favorably featured in PlanetEye Traveler and The Gourmet Food Blog. TripAdvisors give it a four-star average, and Yelpers give it an average of four stars:

• Marie Belle’s signature handmade confections are made with the finest chocolate, eclectic ingredients and artisanal techniques yielding nothing less than edible works of art. In fact, these chocolates more closely resemble jewelry! – Steve Mirsky, PlanetEye Traveler
• I have found this little treasure while walking on Broome st [sic] with a friend this summer. We did not know about the cafe in the back, and got in to look at the choclates and gelato, then found paradise. There is a small Cacao Bar, tea salon [sic] in the back that feels like a Parisian café. – melodynyc, TripAdvisor