RAVE: Bakery Nouveau

[carter]

It’s about time I weighed in on Bakery Nouveau. I hope you West Seattlites understand just what you have right in your own backyard! I’ve been France and Paris a couple dozen times – no kidding. On my trips I hit every patisserie that’s worth a visit literally hundreds over the past 15 years (and that’s just France). Now, I always compare what I have over there to what is available at Bakery Nouveau. The quality of their products rivals or surpasses every patisserie I’ve been to. Their “Twice-Baked” Almond Croissant is simply the best. (Le Panier at Pike Place does a decent job.) Their macarons are as good as anything in France and much cheaper! Their chocolates rival anything in Brussels let alone Paris. The baguettes are comparable to any of the hundreds I’ve had in France. Probably the strongest argument for superiority is “freshness”. How often, all over the world, I see a beautifully presented pastry and its stale or taste like a refrigerator. So, go there, keep it busy, keep it here in West Seattle – it is a culinary gift!!!! Only caveat is (in my humble opinion) Bakery Nouveau doesn’t have the best plain croissant. It’s still good, just not great. That one is for another forum post.

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[cjboffoli]

carter: Actually, could you please expand on that last point? What is it about Bakery Nouveau’s butter croissant that you think is lacking? I’m curious as to what you consider your reference croissant.

In terms of texture I find the bite of Mr. Leaman’s laminated vienoisserie to be pretty close to perfect. I interviewed him recently for a feature (coming soon to the front page of the West Seattle Blog) and discovered that he even uses special butter with a higher fat content that bumps up the flavor and mouthfeel. Obviously, his croissants tend to be baked until golden (more to American tastes as opposed to the very dark brown that the French prefer). But otherwise, I’d have a hard time saying anything else that is critical.

Totally agree with you otherwise, especially about the macaroons which are so popular in Paris right now that bakeries are reducing the diversity other baked items to free up their ovens to bake more macaroons, which sell for about 3 Euro each ($4.31 US). I’m partial to Bakery Nouveau’s pistachio macaroons which have a filling made of nuts sourced from Sicily.

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[hammerhead]

yes there food is awesome. love the twiced baked chocolate croissants. my favorite.

i also clean there on sunday:)

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[cjboffoli]

I think what I do there could be construed as cleaning too…as in cleaning out their glass cases filled with wondrous sweets.

Please see my related post on the need for a big pants store in the Junction.

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[carter]

cjboffoli,

Thanks for you support of this West Seattle culinary gift. In a win/win sort of way, the finest croissant, in my ever so humble opinion, that I have ever tasted is in (god bless us) Ballard. Café Besalu’s croissant is a revelation; flaky in a subtle crispy way, micro layer after layer of buttery richness, moist on the inside, and yet light (always served with homemade jam). When I told Chef James Miller about Bakery Nouveau’s Almond Croissant, he challenged me to come back on a Sunday (only day he makes them). I did and was VERY disappointed, especially driving all that way to be disappointed. In dignantly, he actually told me that Bakery Nouveau “uses stale croissants to make their” twice-baked almond croissants. Every trip back to France I eat croissants everyday, several times a day, to compare to both Bakery Nouveau and Cafe Besalu’s. Side note: The rest of Cafe Besalu’s limited pastry case is very pedestrian. I’ve tried it all!

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[cjboffoli]

carter: Thanks for the follow-up. I might just have to trek over to Bah-lahrd and do my own little version of “Le Pepsi Challenge.”

As you’re clearly a connoisseur I should mention that my favorite butter croissants in the Pacific Northwest are found in Portland at Ken’s Artisan Bakery (see photo below). Those at Walla Walla’s Colville St. Patisserie are a close second. If you ever have an opportunity to try either, both have my enthusiastic endorsement.

Oh, and I’m not sure if Chef Miller is right about the “stale croissant” allegation. But anyone who knows their way around pain perdu (or as we Americans call it French toast) understands that it works better when the bread is stale as its structure holds up against the liquid egg mixture. As part of Chef Leaman’s transcendent twice baked almond croissant process involves dipping in simple syrup, I suspect the same circumstances may help the process and is hardly something that should be looked down upon.

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[Traci]

I LOVE BAKERY NOUVEAU so much! The tarts, the cakes, the olive bread, the other breads, the pizza, the sandwiches…. All of it! It’s totally worth the wrap-around-the-block lines on a lazy Sunday.

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[JustSarah]

Best baguette I’ve ever had was Bakery Nouveau’s. Perfect balance of crispy crust with just-dense-enough moist bread within. My husband and I polished that off within a day; we couldn’t stand to see it dry out.

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[squareeyes]

Do we know how lucky we are to have Nouveau in the neighborhood? Oh yes, we do.

My favorites include oat-date bread, baguettes, roast beef sandwich on brioche, and, of course, the chocolate croissant. I’ve sampled many more items, and have never been disappointed. You really can’t go wrong with anything there. Props to the staff as well. They’re well-trained and always pleasant.

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[carter]

Hey cjboffoli,

Stale, day old, simple syrup, or whatever Bakery Nouveau does to the Twice-Baked Almond Croissant – it is pure magic (and a waistline expander). Thanks for the heads up on Ken’s Artisan Bakery. I guarantee you that next trip to PDX I will check it out. I always do a mini baked goods tour when I go down there. When I do a Walla Walla wine tour, I’ll make sure I hit the Colville Street Patisserie. Sorry . . . got to go . . . . need almond croissant . . . . now

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[Tacomachine]

Bakery Nouveau is fantastic. We are very luck to have it in West Seattle. That being said, if you are ever in Olympia go to The Bread Peddler. I love Nouveau but the Peddler has them beat.

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[dhg]

Judging by the lines that freuqently form outside the space, I’d say it’s well-appreciated. I occasionally rib them that it’s time to move into a bigger space. The staff shudders at the thought.

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[mogwaiii]

Carter, I agree with you, Bakery Nouveau is amazing but as a French -I lived there 22 years so the number of bakeries I have tried is probably equal with the number of burgers you ate in your entire life-, I don’t find their stuff better than in France, especially their baguettes and croissants – their pain au chocolate is amazing tho!. Then, it depends where you go. Even in France, there are good and bad bakeries but when you find an amazing one, Bakery Nouveau stay behind in my opinion. Plus, everything is at least 2 time cheaper in France.

But whatever who’s best, Bakery Nouveau is amazing and I hope they will stay in seattle for a very long time :-)

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[MargL]

I looooove a good pain au chocolate but I’m not sure I want to stand a half-hour or longer in line for a fresh one. I’ve become a convert of Trader Joe’s frozen chocolate croissants. Take ’em out of the freezer the night before and let them proof – pop them in the oven for a warm, crispy, chocolate treat for breakfast in the comfort of your own home. Mmmmm!

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[JustSarah]

MargL, I’ve never waited longer than 5 minutes in BN’s line (and that was late on a Sunday morning with a line out the door.) They’re always so well staffed, and they know how to move a line along – they move on to the next person if the first person is undecided. I really appreciate their efficiency.

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[MargL]

That’s good to hear – the size of the line has always been so offputting I’ve never actually -tried- standing there to see how fast it’s gonna move. ;-)

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[carter]

Mogwaiii,

Your 22 years sure trumps my couple dozen or so trips. Pastries and baked goods are my passion. Since Bakery Nouveau arrived I have purposely sampled as many patisseries and boulangeries as possible to compare the goods during my subsequent trips. It may come down to taste buds and as you know while the quality is superior overall, there is a lot of crap under the name of baked goods in France.

Two notes: the best baguette I had during the last trip (explorations of Poitou, Aquitaine, Loire, and Paris) was at a gaudy chain patisserie! Secondly, the hamburger analogy fell flat – I haven’t eaten meat for 35 years. Thirdly, the price of a baguette is low – by law! Otherwise, many goods are comparably priced. A 2 Euro croissant is almost $3.00. As a part of my travel notes for my writing, I write down the price of everything I eat.

Finally, MargL, I served the Trader Joes Frozen Croissants to guests at a brunch I held. I wanted them hot out of the oven. They are worthy and I would recommend them to anyone. They proofed with ease. I keep a couple boxes on hand for unexpected over night guests. . . .

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[Irukandji]

My kid will opt for a pistachio macaroon from BN over any other sweet treat around, including some fantastic chocolate chip cookies around.

.

For all the fantastic pastries, their sandwiches are my favorite. The caprese sandwich is a meal, and exquisite personal picnic. I now have college kids who ask me to being these to them whenever I go visit.

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[sacatosh]

Irukandji I would agree with you on the sandwiches. I don’t recall what they’re called but the ham and cheese with little pickles and mustard on baguette? Out of this world. Simply a little slice of heaven.

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