Review: Du Pain et des Idées
When it comes to pastries and all things baked in butter and sugar, no better city in the world does it better than Paris. As many soon discover when they arrive, Paris is a true carb-heaven with its hundreds of boulangeries and patisseries decorating each street corner. From croissants to macarons to baguettes, the array of baked goods is truly endless. But if there’s one bakery that’s on virtually everyone’s list, it has to be Du Pain et des Idées, an award-winning boulangerie located in the heart of Paris.
Walking into the bakery is an experience in and of itself. We truly felt transported to the past when we saw the vibrant storefront with its gold lettering and traditional adornments. There’s no seating available inside the store, but there is a wooden bench to the right of the entrance, so if it’s a nice day out, you have the option of enjoying your treats outside.
Inside, we were immediately greeted by the sweet aroma of freshly baked goods and one of the most beautiful displays of pastries we had ever seen. As we looked around and tried to take everything in, it seemed impossible not to order one of each!
Croissants, escargots, tarts, and more!
After carefully considering our appetite and what other people have recommended in the past, we selected two of the most popular pastries – the Chocolate Almond Croissant (chocolatine et croissant aux amandes) and the famous Chocolate Pistachio Escargot (escargot chocolat pistache). The croissant was heavenly, but not your typical flaky, fall-apart-in-your-hands croissant. This one is a lot denser and richer, but you can expect a delicious balance of almond paste and chocolate in every bite!
While the croissant was a good choice, the escargot (aka “the snail”) is what will keep me coming back for more! Perfectly buttery and flaky, one of the things I enjoyed most about this pastry was that it got even tastier the closer you ate towards the center. As the layers unraveled, the pastry gets richer and softer, and the chocolate pistachio paste becomes even more gooey and caramelized. Come earlier in the day and cross your fingers that you can get a warm one – there’s simply nothing that compare to an escargot that has a slightly melty filling. Do note that the pastry is quite large, around six inches in diameter, so if you’re planning to sample as many pastries as you can, bring a friend to share this!
In fact, the escargot was so good that we actually came back the next day to order it again! Here’s another picture of the pastry from a different angle.
Mmmmmm…so heavenly!
In addition to the escargot, we decided we also wanted to try some more of the other pastries. I personally feel that a boulangerie is only as good as its croissants, so we definitely wanted to eat some at Du Pain et des Idées before we left Paris. We ordered a Plain Croissant, which was very airy and soft, but not crispy enough that you get flakes all over your hands. While I was impressed at the time, compared to the best croissant I have ever eaten, this one was just a-okay.
And finally, we also wanted to try the Apple Turnovers (le chausson aux pommes), a magnificent pastry that was baked with an entire apple in it! Again, a delicious treat but not as special as the pistachio escargot. There was slightly too much apple in each bite, to the point where it was a bit overwhelming and made us unable to fully enjoy the puff pastry itself.
Overall, we felt that some pastries were baked better than others, but a visit to Du Pain et des Idées is still very worthwhile. After trying many other boulangeries throughout the city, this one still remains our very favorite. Regardless of what other baked goods you order, just make sure you get the pistachio escargot!
Final Rating:★★★★★
Price: $
Du Pain et des Idées
34 Rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris, France
+33.1.42.40.44.52
Mon-Fri 7AM-8PM, Closed Weekends