le petit café & bakery
Almond Croissant
Apple Turnover
Salty Caramel Cookie
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ginger Snap
Peach Danish / Strawberry Danish
Newly opened on Medical Center Street, two-doors down from Tipsy Coffee house with high ceilings and decorating that is best described as Paris-by-way-of-Ikea, le petit café & bakery looks to continue a recent trend of great baked goods on both sides of The Valley, a recent visit showing that the restaurant has a long way to go if they wish to compare favorably.
Visited early on Saturday, the doors already open with the manager, baker and two staff present at 8:40am, even though the internet seems to indicate they do not open until 9 o’ clock on this day, it was to cheerful faces and pleasant service that the group greeted patrons from behind a countertop, items still rolling out of the oven as questions were addressed, words such as “authentic” seemingly misplaced for a case of outsourced Gelato flavors while a menu of desserts listed overhead were reported as “not ready yet.”
Finding a seat after placing the order, a total of $16.00 exchanged for seven tastes including a complimentary Ginger Snap, the choice to start with a pair of Danishes was made because the choices were still warm from the oven, the pocket of Strawberry tasting of good Jam juxtaposing Butter while the version described as Lemon was, in fact, Peach – and questionably the soggy sort straight from a can.
Moving on to the Turnover, described as “Caramel Apple” on the menu but more like Motts Applesauce in flavor with a bit more texture from diced Fruit, the Almond Croissant proved to be nothing short of disastrous, prompting one local Chef to ask “Is that a Biscuit?” when he saw a picture of it, the flavor thankfully natural though the lamination was poor while the whole thing certainly would have seen a bit of moisture as a benefit.
Ending on a high note, the Salty Caramel Cookie sort of like a Sugar Cookie with crunchy ribbons coursing through its crumb as large chunks of Dark Chocolate Chip riddled its counterpart, it was in noting that neither the Croissant nor the Turnover had been completed that the manager asked if a box was needed, a response that the former was far too dry leading to the suggestion that I might want a “fresh one to-go” leading to assumptions about what had actually been offered…and not much interest in making a return.
TWO AND A HALF STARS: One year ago le petit café & bakery would have been another average choice amidst many substandard Bakeries in town, but with the launch of Rosallie on the West, CRAFTkitchen on the East as well as the improved quality elsewhere there is very little reason to visit this place when better can be found just a few minutes away.
RECOMMENDED: Chocolate Chip Cookie, Salty Caramel Cookie.
AVOID: Almond Croissant. Anything Peach…or Lemon?
TIP: Closed on Sundays, free Wi-Fi code offered at the top of the receipt.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
http://www.lepetitcafe.vegas/
