Gary G.
Yelp
Small shop that quickly went from overlooked underdog to the darling of the greater Boston croissant scene. There's a couple small tables inside (a relatively recent development) and about a half dozen outside.
Pain au Chocolate: Quite simply the best chocolate croissant I've ever had. From summer 2022 to early spring 2023, they were a sure thing for being slightly warm to downright hot at opening, with a buttery, fluffy consistency, great flavor, and the all-important crackle that leaves croissant shrapnel on your lap. A perfect croissant with plenty of chocolate, often melty. The only possible improvement would be a darker chocolate, but that's subjective. Then the Brookline expansion was announced and the influencers took note. The lines got longer and the product took a bit of a hit: still very good, but definitely a noticeable step down from peak. Still the best chocolate croissant, and one that's better than everybody else's ALMOST every time. Just not EVERY time like in its heyday. The bicolor chocolate croissant is very similar, but with extra chocolate trim. Also great.
Almond Croissant: Sandwich method with filling in the middle. Good crunch and plenty of slivered almonds on top. Another must.
Pain Au Raisins: Always good, sometimes great, sometimes slightly dry. Good flavor in the dough with light crunch.
Plain (Butter) Croissant: Simplicity with good flavor and texture. Fluffy and buttery.
Specialty Croissants: These are the shiny objects attracting the influencers and media attention. My opinion? They're good, sometimes very good, sometimes great, but a bit overrated. The dough is sometimes dry and the creations seem more dependent on bombast than quality. Again, subjective, but definitely worth a try.
Chocolate Cube Croissant: Lots of luscious chocolate outside, much firmer croissant dough (you'll need a knife to cut it), and chocolate cream oozing out the inside. Don't eat this in your car unless you have a spare pair of pants handy.
Ring Croissants: Chocolate, Caramel, Strawberry, all nicely conceived and executed. Firmer, drier dough mitigated by rich flavors on the toppings and creaminess in the fillings.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Croissant: Fabulous mash-up that's basically a chocolate croissant covered with a chocolate chip cookie, with dough that's much softer and much richer. The chocolate melts and leaks (not that it's a bad thing) and the flavor in the two doughs is outstanding.
Chocolate Eclair: Kinda bland. Kinda off. Didn't do it for me.
Brioche Bun: A cinnamon bun often still warm, with melty white icing. Soft, yielding dough and cinnamon flavor. This is one of those items that's best eaten and finished right away; other items store better.
Chocolate Chip Cookie: One of the best. Thick, hockey-puck-shaped vessel with good butteriness and good flavor to the dough. Ample chocolate in both chips and ripples. Bendable and delicious, same day or even next.
Tarts: Not really their thing. If tarts are your thing, I'd suggest Praliné in Belmont or Cambridge. But Lakon's lemon tart was very good, with the right textures in all aspects and an eggy flavor enriching the lemon.