I guess you can say, lately I have had breakfast on my mind, so today let’s talk best breakfast in Paris! As the birds are chirping as you open your eyes to a brand new day and you really feel like treating yourself to a true breakfast of champions, look no more! The Champs Élysées is always full of hustle and bustle, not to mention the famed Ladurée with a queue normally slithering around the corner. But if you’re an early riser like me and fancy a special treat, head down to the famous patisserie for a slice (...or two) of their pain perdu, or what us Anglophones know as French toast. Now, you might be thinking, Ladurée?! But aren’t they known for their swanky little macarons? Well, yes, of course, Ladurée is the founding father of the macarons that will keep you lining up out the door come rain, snow or hail, which will set you back a pretty price for just a few delicate little pastries (this is a nice option for dessert!) However, first thing in the morning, there is no line! Just walk through those glorious green doors where you will be greeted by an impeccably dressed server with a smile.
Personally, I like to sit in the front dining room so you can watch the world go by as you sip on your cup of tea which comes served in the prettiest silver tea pots and finest china tea cups and makes you feel like you’re suited to be having a tea party with the queen! Staff will be dashing to and fro and the others around you (surely tourists) will be laughing and planning their day. Then the time has come, the server approaches you and suddenly you are the one in the spotlight. He puts down that dazzling dish of pain perdu in front of you and it is finally your turn to taste the best breakfast in Paris!
So what makes this pain perdu so special, you may be wondering? Firstly, they use fresh brioche as the base of the dish that is then doused in chocolate. To top it off, it is served with a darling little bottle of maple syrup that is imported from Canada (cream of the crop!), and a big dollop of whipped cream on the side, which is like the cloud that accompanies this heavenly dish. This all combined together, is what I like to call, pure enjoyment in life.
When I brought my friend Adam last week to try this bread I have been banging on about for months, he didn’t understand all the fuss; this is, until he had his first taste. As I watched him take that very first bite, the flavours bursting through his mouth, Adam left me for a moment, sitting at that table by myself as he went off to a far, utopic place. He went completely silent but his eyes said it all. He was in love. Not one of his tastebuds was left unturned by the sweetness of the bread. It was fit for the king and queen of France, and surely if I were Marie Antoinette, this pain perdu would have been my last request before facing my fate at the guillotine!
Personally, I like to sit in the front dining room so you can watch the world go by as you sip on your cup of tea which comes served in the prettiest silver tea pots and finest china tea cups and makes you feel like you’re suited to be having a tea party with the queen! Staff will be dashing to and fro and the others around you (surely tourists) will be laughing and planning their day. Then the time has come, the server approaches you and suddenly you are the one in the spotlight. He puts down that dazzling dish of pain perdu in front of you and it is finally your turn to taste the best breakfast in Paris!
So what makes this pain perdu so special, you may be wondering? Firstly, they use fresh brioche as the base of the dish that is then doused in chocolate. To top it off, it is served with a darling little bottle of maple syrup that is imported from Canada (cream of the crop!), and a big dollop of whipped cream on the side, which is like the cloud that accompanies this heavenly dish. This all combined together, is what I like to call, pure enjoyment in life.
When I brought my friend Adam last week to try this bread I have been banging on about for months, he didn’t understand all the fuss; this is, until he had his first taste. As I watched him take that very first bite, the flavours bursting through his mouth, Adam left me for a moment, sitting at that table by myself as he went off to a far, utopic place. He went completely silent but his eyes said it all. He was in love. Not one of his tastebuds was left unturned by the sweetness of the bread. It was fit for the king and queen of France, and surely if I were Marie Antoinette, this pain perdu would have been my last request before facing my fate at the guillotine!