Justin N.
Yelp
*whistles through teeth*
Wow.
Croissants, eclairs, focaccia, macarons, baguettes, financiers, danishes, and several other things I can't even pronounce. And all of it plant-based? Get the eff out of here. I walked into ID-Eclair maybe three or four weeks back. There was no mention of "vegan" on the menu or in the case, so I asked. "Any of this vegan?" The guy looks at me, shrugs, and says, "All of it."
And that, is how my new obsession began.
Their approach is they don't need to boast about how vegan everything is. Honestly, you can't tell. Everything is exquisite, enjoy it, don't get tripped up on labels. If you snag a box of these goodies and head into the office, not one person will say anything other than, "Holy shit, can I have another one?" This place is four blocks from my kid's school, and directly on my route home, so now, I've got a mild pastry problem that I need to keep in check. Are four visits in one week too much? I'm going to tell myself it's not.
I started working through the croissants, both sweet options and savory, before moving to the fruit tarts and macarons. The danishes are fantastic, again both sweet and savory, with the leek and olive oil coming in first place for me. My wife digs the tomato danish, and the blueberry is also up there if I want to lean towards sweet. I've tried the palmiers, cinnamon twists, and anything else I can get my hands on. The variety changes, often with "du jour" items that rotate. There are probably half a dozen choices of croissants alone. Chocolate and almond, jalapeño and cheese, raspberry, "ham" and cheese, it's everything a croissant lover could dream of.
After plowing through the baked goods, I moved on to the sandwiches, salads, and soups. Fresh, tasty, and satisfying. I think my wife and I got the daily sandwich every lunch for three or four days straight. They use high-end vegan cheeses that pair awesomely with freshly baked bread. The richness of the cheese is pulled back by the arugula and heirloom tomato. Sublime.
It's a lovely spot. Small tables with comfy chairs and many windows providing incredible natural light create a great place to relax and enjoy your bites. The staff are beyond friendly and knowledgeable about their craft (shout out to Emily). It's just a great place to hang out and live a little. Even when I'm in a rush, their '$5 plain croissant and a coffee' deal pulls me in whether I like it or not. A fourth-generation French baker runs the place, and I promise he knows precisely what he's doing.
It's beyond good. It's great. And one hell of an addition to the neighborhood.