Baked Goods
Pain Perdu
Pain Perdu is small and quiet, adorned with flowers and French music and neat, unimpressive furniture. Regulars sit happily alone in a corner, or quietly chat in French with Yannick, one of the bakery owners. Like the taste of the bread and croissants and sweets, the atmosphere is understated, confident in subtlety.
The croissants ($1.80) are a delicate glory with tons of layers and a dense buttery centre. The almond variety has a hint of sweetness on top wrapping around a sweet custard filling that seeps into the inner layers.
The goat's cheese and spinach quiche ($5.95) tastes deceivingly light, with a discreet crust and airy filling. Like the croissants, it has a rich but subtle flavour rendering it immediately addictive.
The Croque Monsieur ($6.90) is enthusiastically recommended, a glorious invention of Swiss cheese baked over bread and black forest ham with bechamel sauce, garnished with a single split grape tomato. The sandwich is heavy and I can have more of it than I should in the presence of the pain perdu ($7.95), the best and most surprising dish ordered.
Pain Perdu translates as "lost bread," originates as an attempt to save the stale or hard. It varies all over France (all over the world i.e. the fried Dempsters sandwich bread with corn syrup I grew up on). Yannick boasts of his grandfather's recipe; a thick wedge of bread soaked in a milky creme anglaise sauce and stuffed with organic maple syrup and raisins. Small chunks of pineapple are scattered over the dish with berry coulis drizzled on top, balancing the sweetness of the eggy insides.
Photos by Alyssa Bistonath
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i hate being so damn picky, but you guys are better than this!
It *is* damn tasty, but I can't justify almost $15 for a (small) slice of quiche, a few Boston lettuce leaves with dressing, and a coffee.
(And his name is Yannick, not Yarrick.)
I live around the corner from Pain Perdu and I'm very disappointed that they are the most expensive shop in the area, making it impossible to go there on a regular basis.
Thanks, but no thanks.
This place is heaven!!! The croissants are the best in the city. They happen to taste the way proper croissants are suppose to taste. The mushroom quiche is ridiculous. Soooo tasty! The pastries are numerous in variety and all delicious. And the ambiance is perfectly created by the subtle and spartan design choices that offer a real slice of old school French hospitality!
This place is a can't miss destination for those looking for
a moringing after cup of coffee with that special someone or
a quite place to read the paper and fritter away a weekday morning!
I have bought bread there once, never again. Can`t stand them & don`t care much for their Breads. Plus, if you want fresh it is best to go early. Tre Mari, there`s a Portuguese place across *North side of St Clair*. They always have great bread. Centro Trattoria is great for bread too, if you go early enough.
I so Heart♥ Paini♥Perdu - I recall my Quiche, Goat Cheese & Spinach. The crust on this Quiche was to die for, "Sublime".
Light, Fluffy. I could never accomplish a Quiche like that on my own. I should of opted for the salad, too. But didn`t, the taste of the Vinaigrette, that I did sample on my "Cornichon" & "Tomato", was heavenly. The wait was worth it, seeing as how they didn`t use the ever so dreaded "microwave". Love the french radio in the background. Great Mosaic art from local artisans on display. And the staff ever so friendly. I met a man from "Basque" Region. In addition, I received free Macaroons, the classy french imported kind !
It`s best to go at a time when it is not busy, small space to begin with but oh so, quaint.
Two women in particular going on about Yoga, then complaining about their co-workers, I do recall.
I speak french, went to a French school. And have been to France, I miss Travel. I figure that`s going to be as close as I get to France, or anything reminiscent of, next to Quebec.
I find some of the crowds on St.Clair.W - Are "pretentious" to begin with. I go alone for the peace, when it`s not busy. Or, when a friend visits.
But there's definitly no comparison with a croissant from metro, they're not made with real butter, the taste is completly different.
Scoop & Bean on Follis ave. at Bathurst also sells their croissants, but you gotta get there early!
I don't have a decent job and so I cannot afford much of what they sell, but I have had the chance to try some of their food and it is outstanding and authentic.
When I can, I drop by on a weekday for an Americano coffee; it's the best in the entire city.
And yes, their croissants can be a surprise for anyone who hasn't had a real French croissant before.
Pain Perdu is like a portal into Paris.