Bakeries and Bites, Boston MA

Prior to early 2011 it seemed as though Boston would never quite top my ever growing list of places to visit; an incredibly historic city with a culture quite unlike any other it was a place I knew I wanted to see someday, but one way or another it never quite achieved “destination” status until my profession made me an offer I couldn’t refuse – the 2011 Endocrine Society Conference at the Boston Convention Center. With CME as the backdrop and literally hundreds of lectures distributed across the four day conference I knew the days would be long and full of education and networking, but seeing as how the conference did not see fit to serve meals (meals I’d have avoided anyhow) I also knew that this would prove a great opportunity to explore Boston’s culinary scene; and with the conference/travel/hotel paid for well in advance and nearly six months to plan explore I did with 12 restaurant meals and 11 experiences I’d qualify as “ancillary eats” in between.

Beginning first with my snacks, the list spread over the course of five days and included destinations ranging from Cambridge to the South End, pastries of American, French, Japanese, and Italian heritage, ice cream and “Fro-Yo” both, hot chocolate, plus the North End’s elder statesmen of both pizza and arancini – to say the least I cast my net wide and with the added benefit of a local tour guide for my first day the only thing holding me back was stomach capacity, something I thankfully have a lot of.

Beginning first with the pastries, my very first taste of Boston was not a cream pie or a lobster tail, but rather something more rustic from the ironically named Modern Pastry Shop, a full-service cash-only family owned Italian bakery just down Hanover Street from the more famous Mike’s Pastry. Strongly recommended by national publications and respected palates alike it was with good fortune that I arrived mere moments after they opened their doors and with shelves fully stocked I asked the pleasant young clerk what she recommended – an question to which I received nearly a bakers dozen suggestions from her and one overwhelming suggestion for the Sfogliatella from an elderly couple sitting down to enjoy their pastries with coffee and a newspaper Knowing at this point that my first day in town would entail no less than eight stops (it actually turned out to be nine) culminating with a ten-course tasting at Craigie on Main I decided the better part of valor was to heed my elders advice in addition to the two standards by which I judge an Italian bakery.

With my selections boxed and bowed despite the fact that I ordered my options to dine-in I parked myself at a seat nearest the window and while the world walked by dressed in Bruins Yellow and Black I indulged, first on an authentic filled to order Sicilian Cannoli. True to form and filled just prior to service as they are in Italy my bite was greeted with an excellent crack as the buttery pastry gave way to sweet, slightly textural, and entirely delicious ricotta filling. Not to be outdone, my second selection was a traditional Italian Baba highly recommended by the clerk. Opting for the vanilla custard filled version with a cherry on top this dish was the antithesis to the sweet and crunchy cannoli with the light sponge heavily laden with rum and Strega providing a boozy herbal tone mellowed by the sweet cream. To put it lightly both options, the options by which I judge the quality of an Italian bakery, were textbook.

Moving next to the sfogliatella I really didn’t know what to expect; sure I’d heard of the Neapolitan classic but in all honesty I’m not sure I’d ever even seen one in person let alone tasted one. Served warm and appearing somewhat akin to a croissant but at least thrice as dense this traditional Italian pastry was indeed layered and flaky, but what was inside was quite unlike anything I’d ever tasted before. Reportedly made with “yellow cream” and semolina and featuring a mouth-feel somewhere between mascarpone and ricotta with hints of lemon, orange, and cinnamon this nicely nuance treat was surprisingly light on the stomach despite its considerable heft and additionally – well – it was fantastic, just like everything at Modern Pastry Shop and well deserving of the glowing recommendations.

Having already mentioned Modern’s more famous competition, Mike’s Pastry, another morning would see me visit this North End favorite in a state of flux. Having heard of slightly rude service dissuading some while slightly stale pastries turned off others my plan was to arrive early – before the crowds had time to wear on the staff and while all was fresh – and while the latter was a success the customer service aspect was foiled by a pair of issues, namely a broken air conditioner and the city of Boston jack hammering the sidewalk out front in order to pour a new one (apparently unannounced to the owners.) With the service prompt yet gruff as the owners and clerks wondered aloud how anyone was even going to be able to see they were open let alone enter the shop once the pouring began my order was placed quickly and $17 later I was seated at the table enjoying breakfast with more treats for later boxed to go.

Having already noted my standards two of my selections were no surprise to anyone – the first a Rhum baba nearly 1.5x the size of that at Modern and while equally flawless in texture and creamy balance so boozy that I’d be surprised if it contained less than a shot and a half of rum in addition to the Strega – to be fair it was delicious and quite similar to some of the best I had in France, but at the same time it likely would have been better served after 8am. In addition to the Baba, my other breakfast choice was something novel – a delicacy titled “Boston Bocconotti,” essentially a cream puff masquerading as a Boston Cream pie…or perhaps a portable Boston Cream pie – but either way a lovely balance of sweet vanilla cream housed in a crunchy pate a choux style shell and dipped in semisweet chocolate with a white chocolate drizzle.

Turning toward my second standard bearer, and certainly Mike’s most famous item, I must say that with more than a dozen options there was no way I could simply select one Cannoli and in the end I opted for three. Well aware of the fact that Mike’s Cannoli’s were pre-filled as opposed to the a la minute style served at Modern my expectations were appropriately tempered – especially as I waited nearly 2 hours after ordering to enjoy mine – but in the end I came away duly impressed both by the flavors and the textures which, while not as crisp as Modern, were still better than 95% of my previous cannoli experiences. With my choices including chocolate cream dipped in chocolate chip, ricotta with hazelnut, and peanut butter mascarpone I will note that given the wetness of ricotta this was certainly the least crisp of the trio and for those looking for a traditional cannoli (with ricotta) the better choice would certainly be Modern – but for those looking for more interesting options you could do a whole lot worse than Mike’s – especially if you arrive early enough to skip the line.

Another pastry stop (actually two) during my 110 hours in Boston would be to Japonaise – first the location on Beacon and subsequently the spot on Commonwealth when the first was sold out of our desired items. Having heard great things about both their Almond Croissant and Azuki Cream (and with my dining companions sporting a groupon) our order was straight forward enough with 2 croissants and 4 creams packed and ready within minutes by a pleasant young Californian looking girl…selling largely French pastries…with a Japanese touch.

Beginning first with the croissant – according to some the best Almond version in Boston – all I can say is “really?” Perhaps it was our timing (around 3pm and not eaten until nearly 6pm) or perhaps I was spoiled by my recent trip to Paris, but whatever the reason I was simply unimpressed. With the exterior appropriately crisp and buttery, the “almond butter cream” interior was more like a wet layer of artificially flavored paste that although sweet and tasty enough entirely bogged down the pastry. Fairing better, perhaps due to lesser experience and expectation, was the Azuki Cream – another flaky croissant-style creation this time filled with mashed sweetened red beans and whipped cream. Again quite hefty with the filling – in this case expectedly – weighing down the pastry I actually really enjoyed the savory aspects of this creation and particularly the way the slightly coarse texture married with the impressively light cream.

Continuing on the topic of bakeries and staying on the South End one of my morning stops en route to the conference would lead me by South End Buttery, a spot I’d noted on my morning run the day prior and on review of their website later that day seemed well worth the visit., especially given the early opening hours, focus on “organic, all natural, locally raised and grown ingredients as much as possible” and coffee from Equator.

Entering the shop to the sounds of Radiohead’s “The Bends” and the smells of cinnamon, vanilla, and coffee this was the first bakery of the trip that smelled (to me) like a bakery and although decidedly hipster and aloof, the clerks proved quite helpful and pleasant in gathering my selections, bagging them up, and at the same time putting together a variety of espressos and foamy coffees for other patrons. With the bill paid and a long walk ahead of me a quick stop for pictures was requisite and afterwards I ate some while I walked and saved the rest for later – nothing like an Endocrinologist enjoying a butterscotch scone during a lecture on inpatient blood glucose management – and a superlative scone it was dense and biscuit-like without being dry and absolutely loaded with pockets of butter juxtaposing toothache inducing pools of caramelized butterscotch.

Not to be outdone by the scone, additional options from South End included a dense and moist Sweet Potato Walnut Blondie with hints of cinnamon and vanilla plus just the right amount of sweetness, an almond croissant that was a bit too doughy on the interior but nicely Frangipane nuanced and perfectly golden on the exterior, and finally the best Pecan Sticky Bun I’ve had in quite some time – still slightly warm and gooey in some areas while crunchy and caramelized in others with ample notes of butter and pecan throughout.

For my final pastries of Bean Town I eschewed the detractors and my own feelings about multi-store “chains” and given its close proximity to the conference center opted to visit Flour Bakery and Café on Farnsworth near the Children’s Museum. Again arriving shortly after the doors opened on a Saturday my first impression of Flour was that it felt corporate – like a regional Panera with its polished fast paced service and seats filled with both families and business folk alike. With this idea noted, my next impressions were of the goods themselves as I stood aside assessing the options while patron after patron moved with the ebb and flow of the line.

With selections made and coffee poured, a somewhat astringent fair trade blend I wouldn’t particularly recommend, I found a seat and began first with my traditional choice – an Almond Croissant that would turn out to be not only the most authentic I’d taste in Boston, but also the best with a golden shell that shattered on mastication and a fluffy interior lightly sweetened and subtly kissed with Frangipane. While perhaps not as good as the “average” in Paris, this warm bite was amongst the five best I’ve had to date in the United States, though admittedly the fact that it had just emerged from the oven may have had something to do with that.

For my other options, one eaten en route back to the center and the other eaten during a lecture later, I selected Flour’s much revered “weekend only” sticky bun and a hefty chunk of their admittedly unattractive Chocolate banana bread pudding. Beginning first with the sticky bun – my best advice would be to get extra napkins and a fork if you’re going to go at it warm. Dense, soft, and buried under a mountain of salty caramel and crunchy walnuts the most impressive characteristic was actually that something so sweet could also be subtle with yeasty notes balancing the butter and the toasty walnuts preventing the caramel from being cloying.

With the first two options so good it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to the bread pudding – my favorite style of dessert – but unfortunately it would be a bit of a letdown. Bearing in mind that this particular iteration was pre-made and served cold when I generally prefer my bread pudding hot from the oven, the biggest issue in my disappointment was actually that the chocolate was too dark for the quality of the bananas and the bread too absorbent for the amount of cream – in other words, I might as well have been eating a dense chocolate cake as opposed to bread pudding made with chocolate and bananas. Now, keep in mind that for a chocolate cake this was a pretty darned good one – it just wasn’t what I expected when I ordered bread pudding.

Moving past bakeries – at least to an extent – another famous space to make my not-so-short-list in Boston was LA Burdick, largely for their renowned hot chocolate, but also for what a friend told me was the best Cannele he’d experienced outside of Europe. Featuring what they describe to be only the best imported and local ingredients and located not far from Harvard’s campus in Cambridge my senses were ignited the moment I entered the door – wall to wall chocolates and candies, dark woods and subtle music, and a friendly young man offering me a delightful fig and port-wine chocolate. Already contented a mere minute in the door I proceeded to browse the myriad selections before progressing to the back of the store where I was again greeted warmly and after a few moments decision (alas, the single source hot chocolates cannot be ordered as a single-shot tasting) I took a seat and waited for my selections to arrive.

Beginning first with the pastry, an authentic Cannelé Bordelais prepared in a traditional beeswax pan, the texture was spot on with the exterior caramelized and crunchy and the interior lightly tinged with rum, vanilla, and what seemed to be a light note of lavender. A tad pricey at $2 I will note that although excellent they were not the best I’ve had stateside – but a top five contender to be sure. Moving on to the main event and unable to settle on a single choice, my hot chocolate selections included one demi service of Dark with a dusting of vanilla and one of White with a touch of nutmeg – both exceedingly decadent, rich, and complex – both the pure essence of their respective chocolates blended with rich steamed milk – and both rivaling the best hot chocolates I’ve tasted both in America and at Jacques Genin in Paris.

With sweets well covered both by the bakeries and a variety of desserts during proper breakfasts, lunches, and dinners another focus of my visit to the North End was Italian savories from two of Boston’s most storied locales, Galleria Umberto and the original Regina Pizzeria. Beginning first, as I did, with Galleria Umberto – to say there are few places like this left in the United States is an understatement and to be completely honest, if you aren’t looking for it there is a fairly good chance you’ll walk right past it without even knowing it is there…and that would be a damned shame.

Deceptively large given it’s demure exterior, Galleria Umberto seems the sort of place that could have existed in 1911 the same way it exists in 2011 (minus the Pepsi cooler) and with doors opening “around 11:00am” (actually 10:40 on the day I visited) there is no doubt this is a spot for the locals as a small line formed within minutes and everyone in line was not only older than fifty, but also a known friend of the clerks. Assuming my place perhaps ten deep in the line and listening to the chatter both in front of and behind me it seemed the “can’t miss” items consisted of the Pizza, the Panzarotti, and the Arancini (already recommended to me by many others despite my overall distaste for beef) but on reaching the front of the line and seeing the considerable size of each option I decided the better part of valor was to select two and with the modest tab paid ($4.56 cash) I took a seat with nearly a pound of food on a silver tray.

Seated amongst the hustle and bustle of the line soon snaking out the door my first bite was the pizza and unfortunately it was precisely what I expected – a doughy Sicilian style pie with slightly burnt cheese and admittedly nicely flavored sauce. While certainly better than the pie at L&B in Brooklyn, it was almost immediately that I wished I’d opted for the Panzarotti instead – it turns out that save for DiFara’s I’m just not a Sicilian style guy. Moving next to the Arancini, a golden orb approximately the size of a tennis ball, it was then that I realized why Umberto garnered so much hype amongst “foodies” – this was dirt cheap street food done well. Part creamy rice, part creamy cheese, a small pocket of nicely seasoned ground beef, and unexpected green peas lending some sweetness – entirely excellent and a great appetizer for what would follow at Regina.

Admitting my gluttony, the meal following my “appetizer” at Umberto would itself serve as an appetizer to lunch at Neptune Oyster, but now traveling with two Bostonian guides my visit to Pizzeria Regina would allow greater sampling; always a plus when it comes to pizza. Arriving earlier than my dining partners and browsing the premises of the establishment that proudly wears its 1926 origins on its sleeve I had to admit it was bigger than I expected, but the hustle and bustle was precisely as billed with patrons entering or exiting nearly every minute. Sitting on a bench while I waited I was grateful to hear the wait was short (“5 minutes for a table, go park the car” in a perfect Boston accent that tickled me greatly) and when my colleagues arrived the wait was zero and we were seated immediately.

With the Bruins the hot topic of the day at many of the tables around us and the restaurant seemingly full of locals as opposed to tourists it was no time before a waitress, abrupt but pleasant enough, dropped off menus and took our orders for drinks – water for myself and cola plus tea for the others – and after a moment of browsing decisions were made to order two pizzas, one plus a single ingredient and the other minus two ingredients (yet we were charged more for it than the loaded as they refused to simply take ingredients off and instead charged the price for a plain plus the desired toppings.)

Having noted the rather old-school style of service I will note that water remained full throughout the meal and although smiles and pleasantries did not abound, I certainly didn’t find the service any worse than expected for a bustling pizza parlor and within twenty minutes our two pies landed on the table hot and bubbling – the first a combination of Mushrooms, Onions, and Green Peppers over top a thin (requested “well done”) crust with plenty of crunch, spicy tomato sauce, and briny mozzarella. While certainly not my style with the onions and peppers the slice I did try was quite good and I particularly enjoyed the crust – crispier than New York style, yet appropriately yeasty.

For the other pizza my choice was the Fior Di latte Pomodoro with added Artichoke hearts and although I really wish I’d have asked for my crust well done, the toppings and balance of mild Fior de Latte with fresh torn basil and sliced tomatoes in addition to the sauce was tremendous, particularly in areas where the cow’s milk mozzarella pooled to form creamy pockets only serving to highlight the quality of the toppings. Was it the best pizza I ever had – certainly not, but it was quite good and I imagine that had I ordered the Pomodoro with a well done crust it could’ve been stellar.

Rounding out the supplementary bites of Boston were three frozen treats – one a frozen yogurt shop recommended by my dining partners from Regina and the others Boston institutions. Beginning first with the Fro-yo, I have to admit that in general it is not my go-to, but when I was told of this locations Japanese spin including fruit and yogurt “caviar” I was intrigued and the location en route to Japonaise was quite convenient.

With the store largely unadorned save for tables, soft serve machines, and a long bar of toppings near the register and featuring a pump-it-yourself 40-cents an ounce selection of ten rotating flavors there really is not much to say about the store itself and the attitude of the attendant was slightly warmer than the fro-yo; but with that said, the flavors that Mixx is turning out are actually quite impressive and although I found the texture to be a tad more “icy” and less creamy than that of Pinkberry, my small sampling of tangy cheesecake and smooth and slightly savory Taro topped with yogurt “caviar” bubbles was well worth the per ounce price.

A second frosty dessert in Boston would be provided by local chain JP Licks, specifically the location on Newbury as I made my way towards Fenway for the Sox and A’s. With the line surprisingly short despite the warm weather and droves of teens shopping the surrounding stores it was with great delight first of all that the soundtrack was sporting Interpol, and second that the young lady behind the counter was generous with the samples. Having already noted my fondness for ice cream over frozen yogurt I will note that amongst my favorite bites was a creamy peanut butter soft serve, a tangy margarita sorbet, and fresh banana oreo – plus the two flavors I ended up ordering; Myer’s Rum Raisin and Maple Butter Walnut – the first intense and boozy and the second smooth and sweet. While admittedly not the creamiest or subtle ice creams on the planet – as a matter of fact, their overall degree of sweetness is amongst the most intense I’ve ever tasted – I really liked the uniqueness of these two options and the service was nearly as sweet as the product.

Rounding out the list – perhaps Boston’s most famous location for ice cream and a spot the New York Times once named “the best ice cream in the world,” I knew a visit to Toscanini’s was requisite for the trip and thankfully a dinner at Craigie on Main provided the opportunity by placing me literally right next door. With the line out the door both when I arrived at Craigie and when I left nearly two and a half hours later the expectations were high and thankfully they were met.

Having already noted the space to be full by simply walking past, the thing that struck me next was how large the space was when I finally made it in the door – never before had I seen an ice cream parlor stating a maximum capacity of over 100 patrons, let alone one so full. With plenty of time to browse the big board and pleasant servers abound my tastes for this evening included the mildly bitter Earl Grey and (obviously) Buckeye – both lovely and spot on to their namesake flavors – plus my eventual decision of a $4.50 small bowl with one half filled with Burnt Caramel and the other half featuring Grape Nut Raisin.

Beginning first with the Grape Nut – all I can say is you have to taste it to believe it. Somewhere between Humphry Slocombe’s Secret Breakfast and Momofuku Milk Bar’s Cereal Milk in flavor and the very essence of Grape Nut’s cereal left to sit in heavy cream too long this was exactly my style of ice cream – not too sweet, nicely nuanced, and entirely unique. Equally unique, my second choice of Burnt Caramel would represent an ice cream so famous that a magazine article posted on the wall told of its accidental creation and although a bit over the top in sweetness I definitely understood the hype as the gelato-dense concoction was a perfect recreation of the flavor imparted to crème brulee by the torch – if I were to return I’d definitely consider pairing it with a fruit sorbet as I can only imagine this would be heavenly.

Patisseries, Boulangeries and Epiceries, Paris France

In 1998 I made my first and only trip overseas – a class trip to Paris. I was 18 years old, a senior in High School, and while my cultural knowledge was actually quite good for my age my knowledge of food most certainly was not. Sure I may have been the only member of our group capable of identifying various artists in the Louvre or Musee D’Orsay but I was also the guy who planned a late night trip to McDonalds to find out of the QPC was actually called a Royale with Cheese (it was) and the majority of our meals on that visit consisted of the burgers, pizza, The Hard Rock Café, and my buddy freaking out when he ate a piece of salmon on a salad that he thought was a carrot. How bad was it – well, my best food memory of that trip was our chaperone biting into a crepe and drizzling a few tablespoons of liquid chocolate all over her shirt.

With the above noted and myself now thirteen years older, many times wiser (at least I’d like to think so,) and with hundreds of great meals under my belt I vowed that it was time for remediation and that this time I was going to do it right and with the right person – in this case with my sister, a young art student who deferred all planning to me and thereby ended up finding herself on a whirlwind tour of nearly thirty museums and landmarks, seventeen restaurants, nineteen patisseries/boulangeries/epiceries and twenty six Michelin Stars over the course of 9.5 days – to say the least the trip was memorable, but to say more it was nearly perfect and between the weather, the sites, the food, and the people I could not have asked for more.

Taking into account our aggressive agenda it goes without saying that our days began early and ended late yet each day one thing held true – every single one began with visit to one of Paris’ most well regarded boulangeries, patisseries, or epiceries for takeaway goods en route to the day’s first destination…and many of the days also included a later visit to another for a snack. From the 1st to the 20th and from old school to new our selections at each generally consisted of a few personal favorites and that which looked best or came most highly recommended. Which place was best? I can’t be sure – all save a couple were better than 95% of what I’ve tasted in the states and as such I feel the only way to describe such an experience is en masse – a simple list of what we ordered, how it looked and tasted, and notes on the location and service if warranted.

Beginning first with the only unplanned stop, Fauchon, a choice that was based more-so on curiosity than a recommendation – or perhaps it was too big, gaudy, and convenient to pass up. Located at La Place de la Madeleine and open early with big glass windows featuring all sorts of jams, pastries and Easter goodies to lure us in I can only say I wish more “chains” in America were this clean, pleasant, and nicely stocked. After browsing the myriad counters of meats, seafood, and confections a quick stop at the bread counter followed by the coffee counter (the only place in the city save for Starbucks where American style coffee was on the menu) found us at the table with our bounty – a Croissant, an Almond Croissant, a Canele, a Kugelhopf, and a Madeline – each quite tasty compared to my American reference point but only the Canele a true standout; the best of a trip where I sampled many with its golden exterior crisp and the interior an eggy custard with hefty notes of vanilla.

Sticking with the 8th, another stop during our visit was perhaps the most famous patisserie in Paris – the Laduree location at 16 rue Royale. Small, cramped, and consistently with a line when we walked past on subsequent days it was with good fortune that on the day of our visit the store was largely empty and the dining room perhaps half full. With the staff both pleasant and patient as we browsed the selections I’ll note that I was never once hassled about taking pictures and as a matter of fact we were even asked if we wanted to take a seat in the dining room to enjoy our pastries after our purchase – an offer we graciously declined, instead opting to take our breakfast with us to the Gardens of Tuileries while we waited for the Louvre to open.

Still full from the night before our Laduree choices were regrettably few, but of those we sampled each was amongst the best of the trip. Beginning first with the famous Macaroons, our selections consisted of Pistache, Chocolate Citron Vert, Cassis Violet, and Petale de Rose – each with an immaculate crispy shell crackling on bite and giving way to lovely creams and ganaches; all in all the best macaroons of the trip save for the Vanilla mignardise at La Bigarrade. In addition to the Macaroons Laduree also excelled in delivering the butteriest croissant of the trip and a St. Honore with dense choux balanced against creamy almond custard, smooth whipped cream, and crunchy caramelized sugar.

Sticking with the theme of fame, a later mid-day stop during our travels in the 6th was to the home of Pierre Herme at 72 rue Bonaparte, a shop that makes Laduree seem large and a line that made all but Jacques Genin seem mild. Waiting patiently after being adamantly advised that pictures were not allowed our selections were this time large and varied – each taken to the park across the street for consumption while watching some elderly gentleman play bocce ball. Beginning first with his (self described) famous macaroons our selections would consist of six - Pistache, Rose Petal, Milk Chocolate and Passion Fruit, Olive Oil and Vanilla, Carrot/Orange and Cannelle, and Reglisse and Violet. More chewy and less crisp than those at Laduree I will first note that two of the flavors were total failures – the rose petal tasting like perfume without sweetness and the Milk Chocolate and Passion fruit tasting somewhat akin to bile – while the others were merely decent and only the Olive Oil and Vanilla presented something truly novel, tasty, and worth the price.

Moving on to the Herme’s less famous but far more successful creations there were five – a Croissant, an Ispahan Croissant, a Canele, an Ispahan Paris Brest, and a Caramel Mille Feuille – and all but the Canele (too soft, too bland) were quite impressive, with the croissant airy and crisp, the Mille Feuille the best pre-made version of the trip, and the two Ispahan options finding success where the Rose Petal Macaroon failed – flawlessly marrying the accent of rose with the butter, sugar, and raspberry tones.

With the area around the Gardens of Luxembourg and the Latin Quarter particularly fruitful for shopping, pastry, and sightseeing another of our early morning stops would be to Gerard Mulot, a large shop where the largely English-naïve staff was surprisingly skilled and navigating my high-school French but rather unimpressive in their delivery of quality baked goods. Arriving just moments after the doors opened our order would be five items – a Croissant, a Pain au Chocolate, a Canele, a vanilla Mille Feuille, and a cafe St. Honore – yet despite our early arrival nothing was warm, the croissant was too dense, and quite frankly I wonder if some of what we received was left over from the day prior, particularly a chewy sponge of a canele, a soggy Mille Feuille, and a St. Honore that was dense with intensely flavored but largely lacking in style or choux.

Continuing with breakfasts in the 6th and greeted with a lovely butter cookie the best croissant and pane au chocolate that my mouth has yet to experience were delivered by the skilled team at Poilâne. A small storefront well deserving of its considerable accolades our early wake-up call was rewarded by a room chockablock full of warm yeasty breads and stellar customer service that delivered a croissant featuring the perfect balance of crisp shell and fluffy interior alongside a similarly textured pane au chocolate with its core still slightly soft. With lunch and dinner plans for the day I’m remiss to say that we did not order any of their famous breads but instead finished our sampling with a warm tart full of caramelized cinnamon apples juxtaposed against a crispy golden shell.

Continuing our tour of the 6th and 7th would be snack at Hugo and Victor – a small and glitzy patisserie that seemed more style than substance on the exterior but actually turned out to deliver excellent flavors despite sub-par textures…or perhaps excellent flavors and textures despite inferior customer service. With all the pastries presented behind elegant glass display cases and boxed up out of sight in the back I will note that although the service girl at the front was quite helpful, the back of the house did a horrendous job of boxing the jewel box creations and as such both were in shambles after a mere five minute walk to a public bench to sit down and enjoy. With the Caramel Fleur de sel Mille Feuille a flaky pile of custard and the St. Honore a smooshed amalgam of choux, coffee, and Chantilly I can only say the flavors were quite tasty while the macaroons - Chocolate, Tahitian Vanilla, Praline, and Cassis were all a bit chewy but very intense in their respective flavors.

Remaining in the 7th, this time for a late breakfast after finally sleeping in one day, our stop at La Patisserie des Reves was perhaps the best breakfast of the trip – largely because there was really nothing breakfast about it. With an elegant collection presented under glass domes and the pastries still warm from the oven the store purporting the best Paris Brest in the city delivered on its promise – unless of course you take into account the version at Le Pre Catalan that costs nearly 4x as much. Flawless choux – crisp on the outside and nearly hollow within – thick praline cream, and a touch of confectioner’s sugar – lovely, balanced, and not overly sweet.

Additional selections from La Patisserie des Reves included a densely packed apple croissant, a light and flaky pain au Valrhona chocolate, an enormous lemon accented Madeline, and a uniquely presented St. Honore with Chantilly Cream atop one finger of Vanilla Custard and Coffee Custard laden balls of Caramelized Choux resting atop a second – it was beautiful, it was delicious, and while such generalizations are always hard to make it might have been my favorite non-restaurant item of the entire trip.

Taking into account our planned trip to Versailles the final notable epicurean stop in the 7th was La Grande Epicerie de Paris – an enormous market featuring an endless variety of French foods and confections; it was there that we would pick up Butter, Peppered Brie de Meaux, and a jar of Christine Ferber’s incredible White Cherry Jam to take on a picnic with pastries collected from Vandermeersch the following morning – a Sunday.

With the small shop located in the 12th, our apartment just outside the 19th, and the RER-C connecting closer to the center of the city I’ll admit that Vandermeersch was perhaps the most “out of the way” selection of our trip, but it was also one of the most rewarding as a quick trip via Metro would land us outside the doors in a line of approximately ten before the doors would even open – having done my research I knew what the people were there for and I was there for the same – their famous Kugelhopf, a $12Euro 1+ kilogram yeasty cake loaded with sugar, golden rum-soaked raisins, and notes of vanilla and honey – a cake alone that would justify the trek.

Never one to be satisfied by just one selection our additional samplings from Vandermeersch would consist of a crunchy baguette that went nicely with the cheese, butter, and jam, a butter croissant and pain au chocolate only slightly less impressive than those of Poilâne, and an almond croissant with a crunchy exterior that shattered on mastication, a fluffy interior not unlike that of the standard butter croissant, and a thin layer of frangipane that added plenty of almond flavor without weighing the whole pastry down – along with Julien it would be the best Almond Croissant of our trip.

Bearing in mind the above it seems only logical to discuss Jean Noel Julien’s patisserie in the 1st next – given its central location there was certainly an aspect of convenience in this visit, but it was also recommended by a couple of well respected palates and the rather large and densely packed storefront would actually provide two stunning croissants – one butter and one almond – along with a respectable Coffee St. Honore and Paris Brest, a fantastic Cinnamon Custard Éclair…and another soggy Canele. Specifically focusing on the croissants both versions were crispy on the exterior – literally shattering to the bite, with a spacious and buttery interior as light as I’ve ever found. With the butter croissant sporting a golden tan and the almond only touched with frangipane I only wish we’d have gotten there earlier to taste them warm because in all honesty under those circumstances I imagine they could have been the best of all we managed to sample.

Taking a break in the pastry department two additional diversions during our visit to The City of Lights were for ice cream – a topic I know a bit more about than authentic French pastry given my home-base in one of America’s supposed ice cream capitals. With advice coming from many angles and supposed authorities our eventual stops would be two – Philip Constant near the Gardens of Luxembourg and Berthillon on the ile de Saint Louis. Beginning first with Constant, a man whose café we would visit days later I have to say I was not impressed – perhaps we arrived too late in the day, perhaps we ordered wrong, or perhaps it just did not fit my palate but the two selections - Chocolate Rum Raisin and Praline were both overly sweet, minimally nuanced, gummy, and overpriced. All things considering I rather wish I would have ordered some of their chocolates instead.

Faring much better than Constant would be Berthillon – a location perhaps as famous as Laduree and Herme where an hour long line seemed present each day we passed by the outdoor scoop-shop – at least until one day a lovely young waitress informed those of us standing in line that there was no wait and no minimum order if we would like to sit inside instead. Taking a seat and browsing the flavors I’ll admit the decisions was a difficult one, but in the end I opted for three tastes – ice creams in the form of Nougat au miel and chocolat noir plus a scoop of sorbet poire. Served with a crispy tuille and each dainty and loaded with flavor my only advice to anyone going would be order whatever you like – but make sure you try the pear – the texture is velvet and the flavor is like that of a pear at its peak of ripeness; it is exquisite.

Two additional quick stops during our travels would be des Gâteaux et du Pain for a cake to take to a friend’s dinner party and to Patrick Roger for what some consider the best chocolates in the world. Arriving at des Gateaux rather late in the day (literally 10 minutes before they were scheduled to close) the selections were largely picked over, but what we managed to come away with was actually quite tasty – a Chocolate Caramel Fleur de Sel Cake featuring buttery caramel dough with a slightly liquid center of salty caramel topped with crunchy caramel and chocolate crisps, large flakes of fleur de sel, ans subsequently coated with a dark chocolate shell. Great on its own and great with coffee I vowed to return to the shop on a subsequent date to try more of their selections but we unfortunately ran out of time.

Moving on to Patrick Roger – all I can say is that their customer service was unparalleled and both young lady’s had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of the “artist’s” works. Admitting my unfamiliarity with the line I was treated to three chocolates while in the store – one cocoa truffle, one black mini-rocher, and one citrus ganache – and subsequently asked them to pick out the two bars that they felt represented the best of Roger’s line. After much debate the selections included two tablets at $9EU each; the 65% Madagascar and 70% Equateur with the first featuring a smoky and lightly fruity taste and the second a sharp citrus with a peppery finish. All in all I have to say I understand the hype but all things considering I’d be hard pressed to pay the price again – I love chocolate, but like wine there seems to be a degree of diminishing returns when comparing the price of the “best” with something simply “vastly better than average.”

Getting back to the pastries, another morning stop during our travels was one of the older and more well respected boulangeries in Paris - Stohrer Pâtissier Traiteur, a rather large store open seven days a week in the 2nd. With a large variety of breads and pastries both sweet and savory plus multiple demi portions our selecting here were myriad and ran the gamut from a mini Croissant, Almond Croissant, and Pain Au Chocolat, to full sized Canele, Pain Framboise, Baba Au Rhum, and Mille Feuille. Largely unimpressed by the croissants and pains au chocolate and Strawberry – not crispy, not flaky, and far too dense – it was here that we would find the second of three excellent Canele on the trip and a pair of nicely executed pastries in the form of a crunchy pre-made vanilla Mille Feuille and a buttery Baba with whipped cream that held up nicely to a full shot of spiced rum.

Moving further out from the center of Paris on the day of our early morning visit to Sacre Coeur we were fortunate to find Arnaud Delmontel open bright and early with an entire store full of warm products on our arrival – as a matter of fact, the croissant and almond croissant were so fresh that we had to wait for them to come off the wire rack and were gifted a pair of Macaroons (Cassis and Lemon) “for our patience.” With each golden and crunchy I very much enjoyed the Croissant and lightness but found the Almond Croissant to be a bit too full of Frangipane – tasty, but a bit soggy. Additionally opting for yet another Coffee St. Honore and a Paris Brest both were spot on with the Brest crunchy yet hollow and the St. Honore’s filling by far the most bitter and bold of any we tasted.

With the rest of these comments in no particular order the last two stores in this longwinded review were indeed the last two we visited – one for a pre-dinner dessert on our last night in Paris and the other for items taken to the airport while we awaited our plane. Beginning first with dessert, the location was one of the most hyped (by “foodies” and friends both) and therefore came with high expectations – some met, some not. Owned and operated by Jacques Genin and considered by many to produce some of the best products in Paris, I will first notice that if you want a seat, good luck – we waited nearly an hour and that was with only two small parties in front of us. Secondly, if you want a good selection I’d recommend getting there before 5:00 because by the time we were seated at 6:00 they were already sold out of multiple items.

Getting past the logistics and moving on to the experience I will note that everyone at Jacques Genin including Monsieur Genin himself was extremely friendly and while my sister waited for the table I took the time to do some shopping for my mother and aunt – a box of chocolates (I was gifted two, a lovely honeycomb dark chocolate and a café milk chocolate) and twelve of the famous Caramels (call me crazy, but the Mango Passion fruit did not wow me nearly as much as the traditional and pistachio.)

With the flow of traffic no fault of the restaurant and patrons taking time to enjoy desserts, coffees, and teas it is notable that although there was only one young woman working the room once we were seated the service remained exquisite – orders taken promptly, gifts arriving in the form of four basil chocolates, and finally the desserts – the famous Mille Feuille (Vanilla since Chocolate and Caramel were sold out,) a flawless Paris Brest as thick with luxurious cream as with choux, and a pitcher of hot chocolate so intense that I cannot imagine one person consuming it on his/her own. Made to order and considered by many to be the best Mille Feuille in the city I must say it was a stunning specimen with the pastry literally exploding into shards on pressure. Was it the best in the city – well – it was the best we sampled from a patisserie (or under $10EU.)

Moving on to our final taste of Paris the decision was made to check out something close to the apartment – first the Market at La Place de Fetes and then La Boulangerie par Véronique Mauclerc – a tiny boulangerie reported to be one of the few in the city still using a wood burning oven. With excellent customer service and most options available in “normal” or “well done” (apparently due to temperature variations throughout the oven as best as I could ascertain from my limited French and the clerk’s limited English) we selected here the crispiest and lightest Croissant and most crunchy baguette of our trip, both from the “well done” section and both very…pardon the play on words…well done. Additional orders included a rather average Paris Brest, a lovely Pistachio and Fig Snail loaded with halved figs, a nearly cake-like chocolate Almond Croissant, and a perfectly made cinnamon Canele – many of the items things we’d not seen anywhere else in Paris and all but the Brest well worth a visit.

So there you have it – call it gluttony, call it crazy, or call it a typical Mike vacation – I never claimed to be an expert, just the sort of guy willing to go out of his way to have a great time. I’d do it again in a heartbeat – or at least as soon as I can fit in pants fit for leaving the house again.