Croissant from Boulangerie Pâtisserie Ounissi
On this particular morning, I randomly decided that I should probably eat a croissant and found a well-regarded place that was within a few blocks of where I was; Paris being the magical place that it is, this just happened to be one of the best croissants I’ve ever had. It’s intensely buttery; borderline too buttery, but it never crosses that line (the paper bag it came in was spotted with grease within seconds, and was practically translucent by the time I finished). The exterior was delicately crispy in all the best ways, and the interior was light and fluffy, with just enough substance to hold together (it might actually be a touch too light and fluffy, but that’s a minor complaint). And that buttery flavour. Wowza.
Belgian Waffle from Le Comptoir Belge
They serve liege waffles here with all kinds of toppings, but I figured I’d just get a plain one. This style of waffle is already quite sweet (borderline too sweet, in this case), so additional sugary toppings are probably overkill. It was quite tasty, with a nice cakey texture and some subtle crispiness on its exterior. I feel like it would have been a lot better if it were fresh (it was sitting out, and then put back into the waffle iron for about a minute to heat it up), but even as it was, it was a satisfying dessert.
Croissant from Le Pain Retrouvé
This place was absolutely packed when I came on a Sunday morning, with a line going out the door — always a good sign. And the croissant I was served was so fresh that it was still a bit warm, which was quite delightful. It’s easy enough to see why this place is so popular — the croissant was flaky, buttery, and delicious. Though unlike some other baked goods, I actually think a croissant might be better at room temperature, when it’s firmed up and the flavours are more pronounced. Also, I learned something today: don’t eat a croissant while sitting on a bench. The inevitable crumbs will put instant grease stains on your pants.
Choux a la Feuille de Figuier from Tapisserie – Charonne
Aside from the fact that they served this on the world’s smallest plate, making it somewhat of a challenge to eat, this was quite tasty. It’s basically a choux pastry stuffed with cream and blackcurrant sauce, topped with what tastes like a piece of caramelized pie crust, along with some figs, and more cream and sauce. The choux pastry was a bit soft (I had this mid-afternoon, and I’m guessing it was made in the morning), but this was otherwise quite good, with the cream and the zippy blackcurrant sauce being a particularly tasty combo.
Pain au Chocolat from Stohrer
Last time I was in Paris, I called the croissant from Stohrer my favourite in the city. So I figured I’d give their pain au chocolat a shot, and it was quite tasty — but not amazing. The exterior didn’t quite have that crackily crispiness you’re looking for, and the buttery flavour was a bit too subdued. It was still delicious, no doubt about it — but if this is anything to go by, my best croissant in Paris ranking might be a bit outdated.
Escargot, beef bourguignon from Bouillon Pigalle
This was a solid meal, but alas, not quite the tastebud fireworks show that some of my other meals in Paris have been. I started with the escargot, which was garlicky, herby, and tender. But the beef bourguignon, though tasty, was one-note rich, and every component inside of it was uniformly mushy. It was served on a bed of overcooked, underseasoned pasta that didn’t do it any favours. I didn’t dislike eating it, but mostly it just made me wish I were eating the duck confit from the previous day again.
Croissant sandwich from Saines Saveurs
On this particular morning I wanted something a bit more savoury than the typical croissant or pastry, so I figured I’d try the croissant sandwich from this particular bakery (yes, that is a sandwich, though you can’t tell from the photo). It wasn’t anything too mind-blowing, but it featured decent quality ham and some kind of rich, cheesy sauce; hard to go wrong there. I wish it had been fresher, but it was still an enjoyable sandwich.