Fadel – Bikfaya

Fadel is a patisserie that I first encountered during my childhood. We went up for the occasional ice cream fix, to get a black forest cake to celebrate a birthday, or to get some freshly baked bread. Since then, a large number of pastry shops have opened their doors, but we still do visit Fadel once in a while. Their classic black forest cake was the cake we resorted to recently for my mother’s birthday, certain we wouldn’t disappoint. It surely did the trick; the cake was fluffy and light. The last time I tasted products from Fadel, I had a cheese croissant, a chocolate chip muffin, a piece of success cake (“succès“), and their thyme pain au lait. I know croissants are the epitome of buttery concoctions, but the cheese croissant was too buttery and heavy, in my opinion. As for the muffin, it was fine, and I appreciated their generosity with the chocolate chips. Their succes was okay, but not as successful as another patisserie makes them; I go to that pastry shop exclusively for their succes, yet that is a story for another day. However, the very successful item at Fadel is their thyme pain au lait. I have tasted the regular one with no filling, as well as the one filled with cheese, but it is the zaatar one that I love. The bread is very soft and there is thyme sprinkled in the dough and used as a filling simultaneously, which highlights the taste. That is one item I am sure I will return for.

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Angelina – Beirut

Going to Angelina for brunch made me feel like an excited child about to open a gift on Christmas day. I thought about what I would order, and of course about the pictures I could take there. After we parked the car, we enjoyed the stroll on our way to the famous French restaurant and patisserie. When we arrived and went in, we were greeted by friendly waiters, lovely painted sections of white walls, and mostly brown furniture to balance the brightness. After we were seated and readily provided with a high chair, it was time to order. Being a brunch kind of person, I wanted to taste a variety of their breakfast offerings. Angelina provides different breakfast set menus, an egg menu that starts at 9 am and an additional a la carte menu that goes on until noon, after which there is a brunch menu and lunch platters that begin to be served. We were still in time for the breakfast menus, and opted to feast on Angelina breakfasts and Eggs Benedict platters with smoked salmon. The waiter took note of all the order mentally, including our choices from the options provided for the Angelina breakfasts. Yes, no jotting down anything on a piece of paper, and no inputting the information on a tablet, and our order turned out perfectly fine; no mistakes here. As the food arrived, I had to take photographs of the constituents while they were still in their pristine condition; although, I have to admit that sometimes I slightly annoy the company I am with, who comply despite their hunger. We started with the bread and butter, as well as the selection of croissants and jams; I liked their zaatar croissant. I especially enjoyed the Angelina hot chocolate that I had chosen. It was thick, creamy, and satisfying, and weirdly, it tasted as good (maybe even better) when it turned colder. Let’s just say, if you feel like drinking a chocolate bar, this comes very close to gratifying that need. Then the eggs made their debut. Zooming in on the Eggs Benedict; it was wonderfully appetizing when the hollandaise sauce merged with the bright orange goodness that cascaded from the poached eggs when they were cut open. The eggs seated on hidden smoked salmon and the whole combination of the platter is indeed delicious (all hail the creator of this dish). Another easier, yet delicate way to have your eggs done is the soft-boiled method, and for the eggs to be great, they have to be boiled just the right amount. As I was breaking the shell of the egg, I awaited the oozing of the runny yolk down the sides, creating a tasty mess. I was not disappointed, the anticipation had not gone to waste. I dipped the toasted sticks of bread into the core and reveled in the momentary happiness of the simpler things in life.

 

Another source of joy for me is pastry. Angelina has a patisserie section filled with appealing confections on display. We ordered the staple “Le Mont-Blanc” signature piece, as well as the “Duchesse” and “Bianca” to take home with us. Honestly, I preferred Angelina’s Salted to their Caramel; their pastry is a tad on the sweet side for my taste. However, I would like to note that the great service also extended to their patisserie; the lady that was there was polite and friendly. Moreover, the waiter was knowledgeable about pieces that Angelina had previously had and the components of each dessert, when I inquired about them. I left Angelina knowing that I would be returning to enjoy their breakfast once again.

Bits and Pieces – France

Bits and Pieces IV.

 

Le Nemrod – Paris: More on the traditional side, this French bistro provides platters that satisfy the customer. The food we had was not outstanding though; it did not really trigger a need-to-go-back-there thought in my mind. It does, however, introduce an affair with the fondant, which is habitually wed to vanilla ice cream.

 

Breizh Cafe – Paris: A Breton creperie on the Michelin Guide, it rightfully states that it makes crepes differently: “La crepe autrement”. They use organic buckwheat and stone-milled wheat flour in their recipes to create their signature taste. The ham and cheese crepe was great, and the Japanese influence could be seen in the matcha ice cream. However, the best crepe was undoubtedly the sweet crepe I had; what could be better than vanilla ice cream and Salted Caramel syrup? That is definitely a rhetorical question.

 

Coquelicot – Paris: Do you want fresh bread, French pastry, or maybe breakfast? Well, you can do all three at Coquelicot. At the risk of sounding like an advertisement, I did want to showcase the selection they have. Located in a lovely area in Paris called Montmartre, this patisserie/boulangerie/restaurant, dating back to 1978, was our destination for a wholesome breakfast. I enjoyed the food and sitting outside on the pavement. When we were done with the tea, eggs, salmon, ham, and cheese, I needed to satisfy my sweet tooth with a huge meringue from inside. So, after all the Salted, my Caramel was placed into a paper bag and I nibbled on it as we walked around in the beautiful city of Paris.

 

Le Pain Quotidien – Paris: I have already talked about how I like to go to Le Pain Quotidien anywhere I travel if I am in the mood for a casual setting; Paris was no different. We had a hearty breakfast that enabled us to begin our day energetically.

Pierre Marcolini – Bruxelles

After two posts with no desserts, I have to satisfy my more caramel than salted cravings chez Pierre in my beloved Brussels. Pierre Marcolini is a high-end chocolaterie symbolized by the minimalistic elegance of a cocoa bean. The service is impeccable; the client is highly respected and warmly welcomed. The staff is knowledgeable about their product and you feel important as soon as you walk in to the boutique. The patisserie is showcased beautifully and the boxes are arranged neatly on shelves. Obviously, I am in love with Pierre Marcolini. Not just the pastries or chocolates, but the whole idea of it and how it makes me feel. For me, it is a must-have when I visit Brussels – a daily delicacy to enjoy as I stroll around the city. I would like to commend the ingenious ideas they have as well, from the creative limited editions to the whole store transformations sometimes. An example of a store transformation I witnessed was when I visited during the summer. The whole building on the Sablon had been intertwined with flowers. It was really beautiful. Even the inside kept the same theme with flowers climbing to the second floor and green grass spread beneath your feet. They had put up an ice-cream stand to cool you off and make you smile just because it is summer. Thank you Pierre Marcolini, for your delicious desserts and for making us keep coming back for more!