Croissants of Paris :: Part IV
By Paris Pâtisseries in Other Goodies
Get the latest entries instantly with Paris Patisseries on Facebook
My quest for the ultimate Parisian croissant has now become a full-scale obsession. I wake up every morning already knowing the next shop on the “hit list”; it gets decided the night before. Somewhere between 7am and 8am I bound out the door with a carefully folded plastic bag from Franprix tucked in my back pocket – having discovered that it makes carrying my 4 croissant purchase that much easier. And, yes, I buy 4 croissants from each shop – one to eat and assess immediately, one to photograph, one to savor later in the day, and one just in case. I am nothing if not exceptionally & excessively thorough.
Now the more croissants I eat, the more I realize most taste almost exactly the same. Imagine my disappointment after spending an hour on the metro going to some random shop in the 20th arrondissement, taking my first bite, and going, “This taste just like a Philippe Gosselin and a…[10 other names that spring to mind].” The upside is that once a week or so I stumble upon a superstar. And with that idea of superstars in mind, let’s take a look at five little guys that make regular appearances on best-of lists . . .
Blé Sucré (above): My friend Meg from ParisbyMouth.com kept telling me I had to get one of these. I’d resisted the idea only because I’ve heard terrible things about the owner/chef abusing employees. But between the croissant recommendation and David Lebovtiz’s claiming they had the best madelienes in Paris, I knew I had to swing by. While the madeleines were a very pre-packaged, very stale letdown (note: you’re not allowed to buy fresh ones – even when they’re sitting in plain sight and you specifically ask, in your most formal and polite French, if you may please have them), it turns out Meg was not joking about the croissants. Crinkly skin, sublimely buttery interior, texturally marvelous . . . they were fantastic. Interestingly, there was a quite unmistakable taste of soft pretzels. Yes, Blé Sucré croissants taste a little like soft pretzels, and I love it. I’m going to deduct a half point because I think that would really interfere with slathering them in confiture or enjoying them any way but au naturel, but they’re still spectacular. Score: 8.5
And now on to Thierry Renard…
Thierry Renard: The first line in my notes say, “About as good as it gets before it gets interesting…” By that I simply mean that it lacks any particularly interesting flavor nuances, but it’s otherwise stellar. The exquisitely crispy exterior contains an interior that’s supple and neither too light nor too dense. The buttery tones are delightful and sure to bring a smile to your face. If you like to enjoy your croissants with anything on them, get this. Unlike the Blé Sucré piece, this is probably the perfect croissant to smear with anything you like. Great stuff – even though, yes, it is clearly the most mishapen and physically unappealing croissant (possibly ever)! Score: 7.5-8
And now on to Le Triomphe…
Le Triomphe: According to Le Figaroscope, this was supposed to be one of the ultimate croissants. Not so. I found it to be pretty greasy – almost to the point that it seemed to have been deep fried. The interior was on the edge of being too dense – but just buoyant enough to not offend me. Three saving graces keep the score relatively high on this guy – lovely butter tones, some pleasant nuances to the farine and a more potent zip of salt than one usually gets. My notes say, “…it’s special enough…” Score: 7-7.5
And now on to Frédéric Comyn…
Frédéric Comyn: Chez Pim wrote a blog post a couple years ago that started, “If I had a nickle every time someone asked me where to find the best croissant in Paris. My answer goes like this: the best croissant in Paris is simply a good one within sleep-walking distance of where you happen to be staying.” That should have been a red flag to me that her effusive review of Comyn’s croissant in that same article was to be taken with a grain of salt. Convenience should never be considered when pursuing “the best”. It’s insane to suggest otherwise. Anyway, in the case of this croissant she was dead on in her “cloud soft” assessment, but that means it’s too soft. The piece was a bit comically puffy, and the taste of butter was decidedly muted versus more exceptional specimens I’ve come to know and love. That said, there was nothing offensive about the croissant – not that I would buy it again – but it’s a perfectly sufficient little guy. Score: 7
And now on to Le Grenier au Pain…
Le Grenier au Pain (Caulaincourt): I expected a lot from this, given that it placed 4th in the 2010 salarié division of the annual croissant rankings here in Paris/Ile-de-France. On top of that is the fact that the shop is closed on Thursdays . . . which is the type of bizarre insouciant attitude that says, “We are so amazing we can be closed on one of the busiest days of the week and just not care.” It turns out that the croissant is truly not so hot. Deficient in the butter department, a wee bready, and lacking in any interesting flavor characteristics, it made yours truly sad 
The texture was actually reasonably solid, but that does little to make up for all else. Not quite sure how this little one has placed so high in formal rankings. Score: 6-6.5
So there you go – the latest croissant critiques! You’ll notice that while the last few have contain 3 croissants, I’ve upped these spreads to 5. I realized that showing the 50+ croissants I plan to catalog would take way too long, if I just post 3 every couple weeks. And, btw, I’m very excited to have hit the 35 croissants photographed mark, as of yesterday! I don’t know of any ranking that’s included more than 31, and that 2006 one from le Figaroscope only came with a few photos.
Want me to deliver more goodies like this straight to you? Then get regular email updates or follow Paris Patisseries on Facebook. You deserve the best of Paris.
