Ann T.
Yelp
Location: Directly across the street from Milano. If you show up before 1 p.m. on a Sunday then street parking is free, otherwise you'll have to feed the meters. The closest subway is (I think) de Castelnau.
The place: It's pretty simple so don't expect bells and whistles. The space is bright (and clean!) with high ceilings. You walk in and you're immediately presented with that they've got on offer. This isn't really a sit-down place but more of a pick-up-and-go place.
The goods: First off, when you buy 3 items, you get the 4 for free (so the least expensive item is a freebie) - that's awesome. So, as this was my first visit, I decided to try a loaf of bread, a brownie, an olive ciabatta and a double chocolate muffin. The white loaf that I chose (great for toasting - that's what I asked for) is great. It was super fresh and light - I wasn't sure if I was going to like it at first because I usually like something more dense, but it makes for some damn good toasts. The olive ciabatta was also delicious and doughy - but it's not at like the same texture or consistency as an authentic ciabatta (it also lacked flavor). That said, it was still delicious and would be amazing warm with butter. It's just not a proper ciabatta. The brownie was solid - it wasn't too heavy at all, but I'd like it to be chocolatier. The muffin was OK but didn't blow me away. All this to say that everything at Louise was fresh and I think it'll come down to personal preference re: taste and texture.
Service: Great! The fellow who served me was super friendly and knew it was my first time (how did he know that!?). I asked for a loaf that would make great toasts and I got exactly that. He also told me about the 4 for 3 deal, which was cool.
Price point: My 4 items cost under $8, which is a steal!