Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro

I would come here fairly often as I really like Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro after having the pleasure of sampling their chocolates at New York’s annual Chocolate Show. My heart aches as they are now closed. Payard hosted tastings. Payard’s price was reasonable and customer service is superb!
Chocolate warms the heart.

Oh, Payard… the emotional rollercoaster i am on because of you. I sincerely hope news of their reopening is true, it was bittersweet to hear of the close.
I chanced upon this gem when an ex-​lover wanted me to «meet him in Paris tonight» back in February, and so I made the trek from Columbia. It was well worth it.
Walking in I was greeted by a cute little chocolate bar on one side a deli on the other, and the bar, with the stunning dining area beyond.
I made myself comfortable, which wasn’t hard to do with the delectable looking bartender until my date arrived, and we had their signature molten chocolate soufflé (a less pretentious name would be a chocolate orgasm in your mouth). The experience was made al the more memorable by the bartender, who always knew when to refill the wine and gave us a mini wine tasting.
When leaving we grabbed some of the chocolates (they make it themselves!), which i had in class the next day, and must say they were more of a treat than Godiva… i suggest getting the sampler, it’ll be a surprise in every bite.
Do yourself a favor and visit if they do reopen! (crosses fingers)

Sadly found the same thing as Yvonne this morning :(
Just to add that Payard is TEMPORARILY closed and will open in a new location.
Also the catering service is in full effect.
New York real estate situation is nothing to be proud of.
more details:

I can’t believe this — is Payard really CLOSED? Francois’s greedy landlord wanted to raise his rent by 50%!!!
I think I’m going to cry.

I came in again to get the whole roasted banana tart and a lot of other goodies: chocolate croissant, chocolate eclairs, beignets, chocolate mousse. Coconut, passion fruit, pear sorbet… It’s definitely worth the extra pounds that I’m packing.
I heard they’re closing in August, so I’m going to try to stop by every single time I passed UES. So sad. Why are you leaving me, Monsieur Payard? Where will I go when I need to emotionally channel my hot mess by gnawing on all your sweetscrumptiouschocolateygoodness? *tears*

Walking up to the small shop the first thing that struck me was how quaint it appeared — doors open with people sitting inside drinking tea or cocktails while eating small cookies, a back dining area with all the bustle of a French bistro, all casual yet refined. The second thing — the pastries, what else? Stretching both sides of the room were cases full of wonderful looking breads, macarons, cakes, cookies, croissants, and tarts — none of which looked bad and many of which looked superb. Browsing the selections and taking some pictures I noted a large man who looked somewhat like Djimon Hounsou pointing at me from the back — odd, I thought.
Wanting a savory to go with my sweets I noted a nice looking Croque Monsieur in the case and asked for it to be prepared — «this is a full service café, sir, you’ll have to take a table so a waiter can bring it to you» was the response I got. «Well, I wanted it to go so I could catch the bus — I’m on my way to the airport.» Exasperated, «Oh, well I guess we can prepare it for you then» as he placed it in the toaster — yes, in the toaster. Further browsing the selections while I waited I asked a couple more questions which were met with somewhat put-​upon answers, but despite the poor service I persisted — under no time constraints I’d have likely just walked out.
Approximately 10 minutes later my Croque was finally done baking and as I took another picture of the interior Mr. Hounsou came up and said «sir, I’m going to have to ask you to stop taking pictures or leave — we don’t know who you are, you could be an ‘agent’ for all we know.» Having no idea what to make of this I put my camera away and having already paid my bill I made my way to the street. Honestly, there is no excuse for the «service» I received at Payard — but thankfully the food almost made up for it.
Consuming the Croque first as it was still piping hot I must say that for a pre-​prepped version it was quite excellent with two buttery slices of brioche slow toasted housing an ample portion of salty ham. Covering the dish a hefty pile of fresh Béchamel that added a smooth creaminess. While it is difficult to compare a Monsieur to a Madame, I’d say this is easily the best portable Croque I’ve tasted, though not quite as wowing as that at Bouchon or the absolutely transcendent version at the Butler and Chef in San Francisco.
Following the Croque I opted for something sweet — a Raspberry Jelly Donut. Deciding on this one over the more decadent and filling cream custard version, the crispy and surprisingly unoily beignet was perfectly formed and quite light with mild hints of vanilla pulled to the forefront by a dusting of sugar. Inside the doughy shell, the most incredible raspberry compote I’ve ever tasted — and a whole lot of it. Absolutely stuffed from front to back and top to bottom, the pure essence of raspberries gushed forth as I bit in and each bite seemed to yield more than I’d expected to be in the entire pastry. While many may want to brag Donut plant, I’m gathering Payard doesn’t use any «unnatural» ingredients either and the results are far more impressive.
Finishing off the pastries for the time being I decided to have some chocolate — this time in the form of a Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookie. Like a dense and chewy brownie mixed with decadent walnut fudge, this rich little item was another winner and is actually featured in Food and Wine Magazine’s recipe section. Clearly using a high quality cocoa and a plethora of fresh nuts I will definitely be incorporating this into my arsenal of «quick dishes that impress friends and neighbors» in the near future — like Keller’s Bouchons this is a dish that is vastly more impressive than one would expect from the simple recipe.
”) I was seated near the window waiting and decided to try some more of my delicacies — this time the powdered sugar citrus brioche. Pulling apart with ease and similar to the pistachio citrus version I’d had at Yountville Bouchon Bakery in February, I actually found Payard’s to be superior (though not as good as the maple bacon brioche at Bouchon NY.) Buttery and clean, dissolving on the tongue with hints of both lemon and orange — a great piece of bread that would pair well with tea.
I figured I’d end my New York food extravaganza while still in New York and I opened up the box containing my final Payard selection — Saint Honore with egg bavarois and whipped cream filling. A buttery pâté a choux biscuit topped with three small balls of pâté a choux and loaded with fresh whipping cream plus bits of crunchy chocolate and caramel I first wondered where the Bavarian cream was — until I took a bite. Ostensibly using the choux balls as decoration, the three buttery bits were actually used to house the eggy bavarois which was buried beneath the whipped cream — a taste that when sampled as a whole actually resembled the texture and flavor of a creamy vanilla ice-​cream, but warm. See BLOG!

Stopped here for a hot chocolate and croissant. Both were very very good. The hot chocolate didn’t feel heavy at all and I wish it came in a larger cup and was hotter (temperature wise). You can tell the difference from your first sip that is isn’t your ordinary coffee shop hot chocolate. It is also very distinguishable from Max Brenner’s hot chocolate too. Definitely bougie/​upper east side.
The croissant was amazing. Very flaky and the center was so soft and buttery. I would eat 5 of them if I didn’t feel like i’d be eating a stick of butter each.
Had a bite of my friend’s macaroon and loved that too. The center is made with jam like texture and super delicious.
The waiter was super nice for a rowdy bunch of touristy twenty-​somethings. A big plus for this snooty-​patooty looking place.

**This review is for the bakery only. Have yet to try the restaurant!
Man oh man do I love this place. I wanted something different today. The day before I was at La Maison and I always feel like I’m getting ripped with their $ 20 crack bags of truffles. This is not the case here.
When you walk in, things are HAPPENING here. At 30 Rock, its like a tomb. All cold and non inviting. Payard is a happy place. Children are choosing pastries, patrons are drinking french wine and the baked goods. Ah, the baked goods are priced normally!!!
There is no sitting room at 4:00 in the afternoon so I’m on the go. I order a large flourless chocolate cookie and a coffee. The cookie was amazing! Tons of chocolate and walnuts.
I heart it here!
NYBULLY APPROVED!

Caught up with a couple friends at the café downstairs this past weekend… And, as always, it was a lovely time with a perfect harmony of casualness and fancy sophistication. On this pleasant Sunday afternoon, we spent ~2 hrs, chatting, laughing, and — of course, delighting in the French hot chocolate (good Lord — it’s heaven!), pretty pastries, and some paninis —- all without being rushed. Given the limited # of café tables, I was very glad to have found one for all three of us without a wait. The wait staff is very friendly, attentive, and professional. I must add that it’s a luxurious feeling to be sitting surrounded by windows full of Payard sweets and goodies!
I celebrated one of my birthdays at the restaurant upstairs one year (also a lovely time — see my previous review below); those memories flooded back to our reminiscing, and we left well immersed in toasty sentiments of nostalgia.

This place is so cozy and warm that you can’t help loving the atmosphere while you sit in the bakery area enjoying your latte and munching on a pastry or eating inside the seating area with delicious looking sandwiches and soups everywhere.
I’m a huge fan of this place because their bakery absolutely rocks! I’ve yet to have any food here but my latte was hot and full flavored and their selection of cakes and bread are definitely to die for.

***3.5***
Hmmm.
Came here for Restaurant Week with my friend on Thursday, and had been rhapsodizing about the pastries and the food for a good week.
However, I have to say that the Restaurant Week menu did not live up to the hype. Similar to my experience at Delmonico’s, the main course (Bay Scallops with winter vegetables) wasn’t well seasoned and wasn’t anything to write home about. I was able to substitute the Lentil Soup (appetizer) with the Butternut Squash soup, and the soup was the highlight of the meal.
As for the pastries, we opted to check out what they had in the bakery as opposed to what was being served on the menu. I think maybe we should have stuck with what was on the menu because neither of us was wowed by the dessert. Maybe I should stick to chocolate confections when I come here.
I only deducted half a star because the décor is gorgeous and the service is fabulous, prompt and friendly.
I think I need to come back one more time to confirm if my disappointment is warranted.

There is in Russia a common cake that can be made by even thumb-​less imbeciles. It is called charlotka and is little more than flour, sugar and apples. It is not the inspiration of my life, but my days have become a type of recipe for a similar sounding Vie d’un Charlatan. It is easy to make and it risks no misfortune of profit or grace. You need only do the following: mix and match discount clothing, wear an iPod everywhere, smoke mercurially and traipse around the upper east side with a slim, attractive woman noticeably, but not unforgivably, younger than you. Using words like myriad, caprice, and magnanimous is a way to mount your sauciness.
And so it was that I traipsed into Payard during Restaurant Week to sample their discounted 3-​course, Seasonal Menu. My dining party made her summer dress slink and shimmer and we were quickly seated under an elegant fixture of art nouveau-​inspired lighting at a table set in similar style. The heavy, burgundy menus are a bit much and allow discourage customers from cheating but are not conducive to convivial, foodie discourse. So there was some silence in the meal’s early moments.
Nevertheless, we were able to find the southeastern corner of the menu that marginalized but offered the Restaurant Week special. It was significantly cheaper and smaller, but not much worse, than the regular menu. My sundress-​clad companion started with the corn chowder and I tried a salad of cantaloupe and watermelon dressed in lime and cilantro then topped with microgreens. The presentation was neat – medium dice pieces of fruit arranged in a short cylinder – and the dish was tangy while the greens washed the palate of any lingering sugars. The chowder was sweet and had a cream texture that coated the mouth.
Just by eavesdropping, I had the distinct feeling that ours was the silliest conversation going on in the dining room and felt younger, more juvenile and thereby closer to my companion.
Neither of us was interested in a chicken couscous dish and we both chose grilled daurades as our entrée. The mediteranean fish – close to bream or red snapper – came as artfully trimmed fillets, skin on and capably grilled. The flesh was easily separated from the skin and revealed a murky opalescence that mingled nicely on a palate of baby potatoes, mushrooms and artichoke. The fish was mounted with a light, white wine sauce and was surprisingly substantial. Conversation turned to Paris as my companion had studied there and I had spent a week checking off restaurants from a notebook while rereading Ernest Hemingway. We had found some common ground and the condescension of our fellow diners began to lift.
Dessert beckoned and I began to become giddy. So giddy that perhaps I should have been in the sundress. Pâtissier François Payard made his bones in the great kitchens of Paris, including La Tour d’Argent. The restaurant leads all diners through a beautiful patisserie where the bar plays second fiddle to the espresso machine. Delicately decorated torts and bon-​bons dot glass counters. I was quick to order a seasonal berry tort – of my waiter’s choice – and my date went for a suspicious-​sounding peach and passionfruit crème brulée. I was correct about the crème brulée. The cream did not make a foil to the tartness or sugar of either fruits, nor did the burnt sugar enhance either. The dish was overwrought. I surmised that I had made the better decision, but the desserts were a draw. My blueberry tart was cold, almost frozen and extra ordinary instead of extraordinary.
Suddenly, the meal seemed expensive instead of affordable and my date seemed annoying rather than charming. I felt cheated. I had expected a dessert to artfully extend and punctuate my meal, her meal. Instead, I had over– and under-​achievement. How could the fish of a pastry chef exceed his sweets? I was nonplussed.
But Restaurant Week promises so much more. Myriad restaurants will offer tasting menus at a fraction of their regular cost. I could come and go to the finest restaurants with all the caprice and nonchalance of a hedge fund broker. Where is my magnanimity?

Sacher and croissants. These are your only nouns needed for Payard. The first describes a delectable chocolate mousse square with fresh red raspberry preserve filing. The square is topped with two tiny juicy red raspberries on a bed of luscious chocolate ganache.
Croissant — oh you buttery, flaky temptress. Order two because you will not leave the store without biting into the first one.
Avoid tea time on Saturdays unless you enjoy screaming rich children and over indulged tourists.

It was restaurant week so the restaurant was quite packed (the sommellier informed us it was about 60 percent fuller than usually).
The age group was mixed but as some other Unilocalers noted it was not just older people. The Japanese tourists (the majority of them very young) predominated the night we went.
The Maitre d’ was super nice (it didn’t hurt that we spoke French with him and he is from Paris) and gave us a fantastic table upstairs on the balcony.
As you walk in, immediately on your left, you see the bakery and you just know you are in for a treat.
The architecture and décor also exude class and is simply beautiful.
Due to restaurant week the menu was limited, my only complaint.
I quickly remedied that by not eating off the RW menu. (The cheese soufflé was sadly not on the restaurant week menu).
So we ordered one RW menu and I went with two appetizers and, of course, desert.
The RW menu consisted of a choice of seasonal soups, or mesclun greens or a the crab roll.
Among the entrees choices were 1) risotto 2) dorade 3) chicken.
The RW menu ended with one of their deserts (your choice).
We ordered a decent bottle of Sancerre. The wine list is extensive and mostly expensive but you can find a couple of bottles that are values. Again, speak with the wine steward. He was extremely helpful and knowledgeable as were the rest of the staff.
From the RW menu we chose the crab roll and the chicken. They were not extraordinary but good. I seasoned the chicken with extra salt and asked for freshly ground pepper. It elevated the dish from being bland to very good. The little pieces of fois gras were the only unusual thing about it and it could have used some kind of herbs and or garlic, too.
The crab roll was so-​so. I have had better in Chinatown in holes in the wall places. But it was nicely presented.
I ordered the cheese soufflé. It was not your usual soufflé (it came right away not in twenty minutes). It also was very rich and dense served with a wonderful Parmesan sauce they pour around it (as much or as little as you want). I asked the waiter to leave the the gravy boat as he was about to waltz off with it, but the sauce and the soufflé were so rich I didn’t add extra. But its good to ask in case you want to dip the little baguette they serve to start. (BTW, the baguette was surprisingly soft and bland for a French baguette but I wasn’t here for the bread).
The cheese soufflé was filling but I still had room for something else besides dessert.
I asked my waiter for a recommendation and he suggested the salmon tartare appetizer ‘because although its a common dish they really make it quite differently here.’
He was spot on. The salmon tartare was out of this world: buttery and unusual, and I thought I could taste bits of fennel. It was a huge portion, too. I highly recommend it. (Here, again, the only thing I would have done is added some kind of spicy sauce on the side to give it a little kick. Wasabi or ginger would have been a welcome addition in the mix, too, or a bit of caviar, like they do at Nobu’s). On the whole, though, it was a great choice and I was very happy with it.
Finally, came the show stopping deserts. We shared the Piedmont and Sicilien — not sure of spellings).
The Piedmont was a chocolate and hazelnut mouse-​like round piece of heaven with little squares of thin chocolate decorating the sides. (The waiter personally has tried most of the pastries so his recommendations were extremely helpful. I wouldn’t have known what to choose from the huge array. The Siclilen was some kind of cheesecake-​based confection. Both out of this world.
I didn’t feel like having coffee but had a Calvados instead. It was a generous portion of French liquore (made from apples, I believe).
Even with the wine, the drinks and ordering off the non-​RW menu the bill was not huge.
But the bottom line is when I go back it will be for the pastries which are like no other that I have had in my life. (Most everything else you can have elsewhere and there are too many restaurants to try).
The desert s, no pun intended, took the cake. They were little master-​pieces of confection. I do not have a sweet tooth but these are beyond sweet. They are indescribable and extraordinary in texture and taste.
Luckily (and dangerously) the restaurant is only a few blocks (and a few million dollars) away from my apartment. I will definitely go back for deserts, coffee or drinks in the café downstairs.
The deserts won my heart above everything else and are worth the splurge calorie-​wise and otherwise.
So go, anytime, and go for the deserts!

I ate breakfast here on Saturday: one flourless chocolate cookie, one petite chinon, and one iced coffee.
The cookie is chewy and moist. The Chinon has several layers that you should look for. If you eat it too quickly, you’ll miss the delicately crunchy bottom. The iced coffee was so smooth that there was no need for sugar. Just a drop of milk.
Top notch choice for a bad girl vacation breakfast.

Not perfect but close. I’d really like to give Payard four stars but the place is so promising, so enticing, so French, so classic, so Euro, and so yummy that I will give it 5. One extra star because I want to come back and have high tea, lunch, dinner, and dessert. I’d really like to try it all.
We were going to have high tea but then decided on simple drinks and dessert. We had just come from lunch and a three tier display was just too daunting to tackle. We thought we’d alleviate the pressure of packing it away by taking it easy in the patisserie.
Payard is bustling. There are people along the sides, upstairs, in the café, and in the main room. The waiters are here, then there, arms in the air, and going in circles. The smell of croque monsieur is in the air and everything looks so sweet but it is not. The desserts at Payard are light, smooth, and a different kind of rich.
They were out of everything but we were fine with our second and third choices. We had the Pont Neuf, the Notre Dame, and Pave Nicois along with coffee, peppermint tea, and that thick European style hot chocolate. Ooh la la!
Our table was tiny and squished next to the others. I was immediately transported to France and did a quick people watch moment. The funniest thing was looking at the kids at Payard. One toddler had snuck behind the counter and made their way into the macarons. Another was sitting at the bar having a drink. Payard was kiddies gone wild. And if the rumor is true then don’t you dare bring a bugaboo inside. Strollers are not welcome.
All the food, dessert, cookies and chocolate looked so delicious at Payard. I feel like we got the full service of dessert and drinks. Payard puts Veniero’s to shame. Payard is class all the way.
Things can get a little scary though. Francois Payard was overseeing the patisserie and he was yelling. He is very particular how he likes his patisserie run and how the people are served. I have no complaints about the service. It was quick and with well intent. Francois Payard was also wearing a Caesars Palace chef uniform. Um, hello aren’t we in NYC? Or were we in Vegas? Or Paris?
Payard has nice looking bathrooms. They are very yellow with lemon trees, white porcelain, and striped wall paper. The regular bathroom lock was broken but the handicapped bathroom was fine. So use that one unless you want to be walked in on. Very risqué.
Payard is perfect for brunch, a treat for high tea, a great place for dinner with friends, an excellent spot for coffee and cake, etc. It’s one of the few places on the UES that feel unstuffy. That alone is worth 5 stars.

We enjoyed dinner at Payard during restaurant Week. The regular menu is a bit pricey, but the Restaurant Week prix fixe suited us well. The atmosphere is very nice, a bit crowded in a bustling sort of way. I loved the light fixtures, they added a nice warm glow to the dining room.
Beginning with the usual basket of bread, it was warm and soft and thoroughly enjoyable. I ordered the cheese soufflé, roast chicken, and dessert.
The fourth star on my rating is for the cheese soufflé alone. This soufflé was an AMAZING, CREAMY, GOOEY Parmesan delight that makes you want to eat it for the rest of your days. But it gets even better: the soufflé is presented all alone on the plate, and then is joined by a wonderful creamy Parmesan sauce that is poured generously over the top. It was a positively gorgeous monument to the beautiful ingredient that is cheese. *swoon*
I must admit that after the cheese soufflé, anything would have paled in comparison and the roast chicken certainly did. It was presented nicely, stuffed with foie gras that had a delicate flavor. The chicken was done just this side of done (almost undercooked, but it squeaked by) and had a nice flavor, but it didn’t knock my socks off.
As a side note, if my socks had indeed been knocked off, I am sure that a waiter would have appeared instantly to retrieve said socks. At one point during our meal, my beau excused himself to the loo. Because the tables are so close together, every path is essentially a one-​way street. One of the waiters working the room began walking down the aisle, spotted my beau coming at him from the opposite direction, and did an about-​face so quick you’d have thought he was Pac Man being chased by a Ghost (I’m amazed the dishes he was carrying didn’t go spinning off into the air like Frisbees). I wonder if the waiters are specially trained to get out of the way as all costs? It was quite humorous to see.
The real disappointment came when it was time for dessert. We were escorted to the pastry counter at the front of the shop to choose our dessert. While I loved the idea of having a choice, I was disinclined to be put on parade «And now, doing the Restaurant Week Walk of Shame because they want to eat here cheaply are Mr. and Mrs…» by getting up as a group from our table (I can’t imagine the shuffle a party of four would generate) and escorted to the front of the room. That said, my passion fruit tart had a lovely flavor.
The star of the evening was the cheese soufflé, I would recommend Payard simply for that one dish alone.

I recommend this place for anyone who loves making fun of rich people; the tables are so close together that it’s next to impossible not to overhear insipid conversations of wealth.
HOWEVER, if you also enjoy good, if traditional food, I’d also recommend Payard. I went here for Restaurant week with my dear friend and enjoyed an appetizer of warm skate and lentil salad. The greens were crisp, the lentils fragrant, and the skate, though a bit bland, still had a great texture (and besides, I always wanted to try skate).
I was disappointed with what seemed like a paltry selection for the entrees: skirt steak, risotto, and a chicken salad. I would have liked to see the bouillabaisse on there, but that’ll be for another time. My friend ended up ordering the skirt steak, which was amazingly tender and in a great sauce. I was not interested in the whipped potatoes, but the selection of salsify, carrots, and mushrooms (roasted) was very good. My entrée was the lemon and tomato risotto with shrimp. I told myself I’d only eat half, but ended up eating the whole thing! The rice was slightly al dente (for a risotto anyway), but actually ended up being a positive attribute.
For dessert, we chose from the selection of pastries, which I, embarrassed, asked the waiter to describe in detail (he was a good sport though). We finally decided on the Sicilien, which is a tiny little cheesecake encircled by pistachios and filled with a cranberry gelee, as well as a chestnut mousse which had a pleasing and boozy citrus filling (Well, at least I liked it). Both desserts were good, if not my usual choice for a dessert (I rarely like mousse), and overall I was happy. We also shared a pot of earl grey to wash it down, and had enough for three cups.
Considering the prices, I would probably not return for awhile, though I’d love to stop by and pick up one of their many sandwiches which, set in the display cases, looked quite tempting in all of their expensive glory.

I brought a group of 7 here for dinner one night before we went to the opera.
The staff was great. The food delish.
Yes, the age group was closer to 80 than to 30, but who cares! The desserts… DO leave room for the dessert! That’s an order!!!

I had always been meaning to visit Payard, due in part to its erstwhile association with Daniel Boulud. So I jumped at the opportunity to do so with five other Unilocalers, with Atif I, the über dessert master, leading the way.
The six of us Unilocalers were seated in the dining area. While I do not accurately recollect the demographics of the Payard crowd, it was something like this, which is par for the course given the UES location.
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| Couple in | | 70-​year old | | 45-​year old w/​|
| their 90s | | with parents | | grandparents |
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| | | | | |
| Family | | Six | | Four women |
| of four | | Unilocalers! | | in their 70s |
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Our table was a distinct outlier. We discussed important matters, taking a brief interlude for Atif I to give us a guided tour of the patisserie. Some of us were craving for food and chose to have dinner as a prelude to indulging in dessert. These hungry Unilocalers (HYs) were munching on foie gras, fancy seafood and whatever else refined UES folks consume. Meanwhile, the other Unilocalers were starved of participation in the talk threads (let’s call them talking Unilocalers or TYs), and chose to guide the conversation accordingly –
TY1: here is a scenario. A girl interacts with a guy online for six months, loves him for his personality, and eventually meets him at Payard. Turns out the guy stands 4’5″, is hugely overweight, balding, and lost his job the day before. But he has saved up just enough money to pay for dinner at Payard. As the girl, how would you react to this situation?
HY1: if I find him to be an engaging conversationalist at dinner, I’d give him a chance.
HY2: if he has just lost his job, what is he doing spending what little he has left on me?
HY3: but isn’t that a lovely gesture on the part of the guy?
TY2: well, I can’t believe I wouldn’t have seen his picture in six months!
HY4: you all aren’t being honest! Let’s change the scenario. What if the guy was 4’10″?
And our conversation continued along those lines. Meanwhile, the desserts arrived. I had the Chinon. Made with pistachio, complemented by wild cherries on a chocolate wafer. Delicious – just the right consistency and sweetness.
The Japonais that followed was dense, with a milk chocolate mousse and a hint of citrus. Appropriately chocolate-​y yet interesting. I was in heaven. And with dinner (at home) now two hours behind me, I had room to spare. Next up was the Vienne – chocolate mousse with a caramel center. Perhaps a tad too creamy for my taste, but enjoyable all the same. Last to come was the Chocolate Raspberry Tart. Filled with chocolate soufflé, dark chocolate mousse and raspberry jam. The blend of chocolate and raspberry was just right. Quite a fitting finale to our dessert sampling session.
All said, I shall return soon for more. I am risking a five-​star rating without sampling their much-​touted macarons, petit fours or savories. Why? Because I am comfortable extrapolating from this experience, and from Master Atif I.‘s discerning judgment of Payard.
Meanwhile, here is the cast of TYs and HYs, in no particular order: Ahu S, Caroline A, Serena K, Atif I, Sean T and Srini V.