The downtown Washington, D.C. area plays host to a good number of food trucks, but the addition of Solar Crêpes to the food truck scene gives Arlington its own food truck that features high-quality ingredients and delicious menu items. Danna Andrews and Camille Dierksheide opened Solar Crêpes to the public on July 27, 2010 and have been off and running ever since.

Andrews and Dierksheide, who are graduates of L'Academie de Cuisine's Professional Culinary Program, share a commitment to sustainable, healthy food, which ultimately led to the creation of Solar Crêpes. Their approach to the truck's menu incorporates organic, seasonal, locally-grown food as part of an overarching company goal of sustainability. From using farm-to-table products with limited packaging to driving a secondhand truck to working toward the installation of solar panels and storage systems for the cart, Andrews and Dierksheide want to do their part to protect the environment while providing Arlington residents and workers with unique menu items.

Solar Crêpes offers savory and sweet crêpes, fair trade coffee, vintage sodas and side items. Savory options are made on buckwheat crêpes, which contain darker flour and "have a nuttier flavor than the traditional white flour crêpe that is used for the truck's sweet crêpes and has more of a neutral flavor," Dierksheide said, adding that she and Andrews use both batters and customers are welcome to request the traditional batter for their savory crêpes and vice versa.

The company's most popular savory crêpe is Roasted Chicken, which is made from a recipe that Andrews's French grandmother has used for many years. "We roast the chickens with gluten-free soy, garlic cloves, tarragon and a pinch of curry powder and baste the chickens throughout the roasting process. The soy and curry are very subtle, and the chicken is very tender and succulent," Dierksheide described. Other savory crêpes on the menu include Ham and Cheese, Smoked Salmon and Tuscan White Bean Hummus, Tomato and Spinach.

The most requested Solar Crêpes sweet offering is Knewtella, according to Dierksheide. "It's locally made by Eric Johnson, a chocolatier with Krishon. He uses organic fair trade dark chocolate and organic hazelnuts," she said. The result is a taste that's "not overwhelmingly sweet like Nutella," replied Dierksheide. The chefs' other sweet crêpes include Sugar Lemon, Tea Rose Petal Preserves and other seasonal specials.

All of the menu items are available all day, with the exception of eggs, which are available during breakfast hours, and chicken, which is served beginning at lunchtime.

Dierksheide reported that Arlington residents and workers have been very receptive to Solar Crêpes. "We have a lot of regulars, many who we know by name.  One of the best parts about what we do is having the opportunity to get to know people and learning about their lives and in many instances, meeting their friends and families," she shared.

Currently, the truck operates on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. in Clarendon (at Wilson Blvd. and N. Highland St.), Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. in Ballston (at N. Stuart St. and 9th St.), Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. in Ballston and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. in Ballston. The company is looking to expand to some weekend venues.

For the most updated information about Solar Crêpes's hours and locations, visit www.solarcrepes.com or www.twitter.com/solarcrepes.

Dierksheide and Andrews are eager to introduce their healthy, tasty creations to new customers, so be sure to stop by the Solar Crêpes truck when you see it parked in Arlington. "We love eating delicious, real food and love serving it to our customers!" exclaimed Dierksheide.