Darian Z.
Yelp
Pretty much the only decent eatery and café in Wayne. While the prices are nothing special (they are about the same as any other business of its type), and while I cannot speak for the beverages (the tea is of slightly better quality than anywhere else I have had it), the food is.
As the name implies, this is a French eatery. But this is not simply a marketing gimmick, not as far as I can tell: the pastries (including the cake) and the quiche are made of high quality ingredients and baked with expertise. The fruit raisins in the Raisin and Cream tart are not chunks of either near-tasteless or overpoweringly sour wrinkles like one would expect, but soft packets of flavor, with a texture midway to a boiled consistency, and just sour enough to complement the flaky buttery bread and smooth sweet cream. The various almond croissants are not bland dinner rolls with a curmudgeonly placed smidge of almond paste squirted into the middle of the pastry as if by accident. Rather, they are filled with the paste as one might spread warm butter upon fresh bread. On the outside, what seem to be chunks of a substance that tastes like almond paste jut out of the flaky crust, making the almond part of its name mean something without being overbearing, and adding to their various soft and hard, smooth and bumpy textures that both parallel and uplift one another. Even the plain croissant, usually offered in other cafes either out of obligation or to exaggerate the little flavor that the other offerings possess, is a treat to eat alone as it is appropriately buttery and flaky, akin to their more savory options, such as the ham and cheese, spinach feta, or leek parmesan croissants. They also offer soups and sandwiches which I have yet to try, but I am excited to sample, so confident am I in the ability and passions of their bakers and cooks.
The ambience is also nicer than most other places. The outside of the eatery is unique but not gawdy, with a simple calligraphic sign, glass front, and a light green paint reminiscent of eaely 1900s Paris that is easy on the eyes (and even gets my appetite going for some reason). The interior is open with an impressive amount of seating considering its small size (compare this to many establishments, especially corporate ones, which seem to be reducing seating more and more every year), as people walk in and out to grab a couple of their pastries before they close around 4:00 everyday. Its walls are painted with the same green as the outdoors and are largely unadorned with the exception of a few mirrors and two lamps, all bordered and constructed with brass, that throw out the same soft pleasant light that the overhead bulbs do over at the bar. There is a counter with napkins, cream, straws, and sugar packets as you would find at a similar eatery, though with a bit more decor, featuring a white marble top with splotches of gray, a white flowery plant with green leave (the same plant hangs from the ceiling over by the front, which you may miss on your first visit if you are anything like me), and an old-fashioned radio (though it does not work as far as I can tell). The small tables that dot the margins of the shop feature a similar marble of thinner width with black metal legs of various designs whose weight makes for a sturdy, if somewhat cramped, table. The wooden chairs that accompany them are of a dark-brown color and, while not especially comfortable, suffice for awhile as the customer finishes their food and drink. Their color and wood complement the lighter wooden floor, which I find to be more welcoming than the typical tile found in many businesses these days.
My sole criticism at this point is the lack of variety in their pastries, which I don't necessarily want to change. It would be nice to see a few other non-croissant options: imagine what they would do with a blueberry muffin or an eclair! Or they could introduce a French dessert that would be unfamiliar to most USAmericans to experiment with and expand our palettes.
I hope to see this place thrive for a long time to come. I know that I will be eating here regularly as long as they remain.
