Paris. Poilâne. Boulangeries.
I'm looking for some thoughts on boulangeries to hit up, if anyone would care to share. I've been back in Paris for two weeks now, with another two to go.
Yesterday, I swung by Poilâne for the miche. I was expecting to have a life-altering experience. I didn't. It's excellent bread -- not transcendent, which has me confused as to why it's so fabled. I've tasted it warm from them at 7:30am, cooled and untoasted, toasted, toasted and with Bordier butter, buttered and salted, too. There's still a good bit left in my kitchen, and I'll go back for more, in hopes of my life being revolutionized :)
I had a Pain Noir from Des Gâteaux et du Pain. It's mostly rye, some wheat, coated in white sesame and black poppy seeds. That did change my life. Best bread I've ever had.
Just ate some of a l'Auvergnat loaf from Utopie. Pure rye, by all indications. Very very good.
Had a pain de seigle (rye) from Sébastien Dégardin. Eh. Got some pain de campagne from Farine & O. Good. Purchased a loaf whose name I cannot remember from Dupain. Good. And I've been regularly getting my baguettes from Gerard Mulot. Always nice.
Might hit up Au Duc de la Chapelle for a few things next week.
Any other thoughts/recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks! - Mr. Waffles
the first thing i did when we landed in Paris 4 years ago was to trek to Poilane.
i thought it was fairly burnt on the bottom. for my palette, it was hard to concentrate on anything else. and when i had it at restaurants that featured Poilane bread in sandwiches, it was the same deal.
123 RDT (rue de turenne) had recently won best baguette, and they were really really great, but shocker of shockers, their schwarzbrot was hands down the best bread i had the entire week i was there. i was teased mercilessly about it. go to Paris, fall in love with a German bread.
la Patisserie des Reves has a great display, and I'm still in love with their Brioche Feuilletee. just slicing it down the middle and looking at all that holey lamination. lovely.
i'll have to look up that Pain Noir. sounds amazing.
happy eating.
This info is three years old, but the best baguette I had in Paris was from Delmontel. And we sampled a lot of baguettes! Delmontel is at the corner of Rue de Navarin and Rue des Martyrs in the 9th Arr. (Appears to be one of three locations.) We just stumbled on the bakery walking, so it was my lucky day.
Be sure to check the web for this year's winner in the best baguette in Paris competition. And check for past years as well. That's pretty much how I scheduled my time in the city!
Bon chance!