La Boulangerie

As if I haven't reviewed enough French restaurants, here is yet another delightful spot. This is more cafe, patisserie, and coffee stop than sit-down eatery, but it has certain qualities that make up for that. It's called La Boulangerie (meaning "the bakery" in French), located on Magazine St. ("magazine" is actually the French word for "store", so it sort of makes sense, since all those shops are seemingly endless! This has nothing to do with the restaurant; it's just an interesting bit of info). I've often popped into the Boulangerie to get pastries, and, in my opinion, they have the best croissants in the city, but I've never thought of going for lunch or dinner. So as I was biking down Magazine one brisk autumn day at lunchtime, hungry and tired, I noticed I was near the Boulangerie and decided to go in for a quick lunch. I had never eaten lunch there, so I decided to give it a try.

I locked up my bike and went inside, and was immediately engulfed in the warm, buttery, croissant-scented air. I chose my food, which was a Mediterranean panini with mozzarella, pesto, and sliced tomato, and a cream puff for dessert. I chose my drink and sat down at a table. I had a fun time looking around the shop, at all the people bustling around and the pretty displays of breads and pastries. My sandwich came, and I dove right in. The bread was crisp, crusty, and pleasantly chewy, and had the beautiful brown grill marks in it you see when the panini is made in a good panini press. The pesto was nicely acidic and really delicious. It was spread thickly on each slice of bread, creating a super flavorful burst in each bite. The cheese was gooey and molten, and the tomato was juicy and toothsome. All in all, a really delicious sandwich.

My dessert was amazing, too. The pastry shell was flaky, and had a nice custardy webbing inside as well. The outside was deliciously crusty and golden, and was topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. The whipped cream was my favorite part, and was wonderfully fluffy, sweet, and creamy. So come to the Boulangerie if you're feeling peckish, and I'm sure you'll be downright happy. The pastries and croissants are divine as well, so come over for breakfast, too, and have your morning croissant and coffee. Stay tuned for my next post, tout le monde, and au revoir!