Consider this a brief summary of two breakfasts, back to back – the first at Kafe Leopolds, the second at Patisserie Poupon – the first good and the second bordering on awful.
Almond Croissant with Butter and Orange Marmalade: crunchy exterior with a good crackle, buttery interior with light frangipane – the butter and marmalade were served with all pastries but unnecessary here.
Kaiserschmarrn mit Zwetschkenroster – Scrambled Souffle with Currants and Plum Compote: light, fluffy, and quite literally like a soufflé in texture yet prepared in a pan with dried fruits and rich jam I definitely understand why this was described to me as a favorite of kings and Austrian Kaisers. Largely milk, egg whites, and a bit of flour this is easy enough to make at home and I’ve attempted to do it twice since but neither were as fluffy as Leopold’s – this is a breakfast must when visiting DC.
Sacher Torte: I wasn’t leaving with trying Vienna’s most famous dish and although some may consider chocolate cake for breakfast a gluttonous sin I’m quite okay with that – especially when freshly prepared dense chocolate spongecake is lightly adorned with light apricot jam and dense chocolate ganache. Excellent on its own, better with a cup of coffee – a beautiful rendition of a classic.
With excellent service I’d strongly suggest checking out Kafe Leopold for breakfast or dessert to anyone in DC – prices are a bit high, but not exorbitant and for food you can’t find just anywhere it is definitely a restaurant that fills a niche and fills it well.
http://www.patisseriepoupon.net/
Walking down the street and browsing some of the Georgetown book, Antique, and Art stores with my endpoint Patisserie Poupon I knew what I wanted walking in the door and although there was a line I emerged from the Baltimore Based bakery moments later with two items…both terrible and given the fact that the store had just opened for the morning so bad that I almost wonder if they served me leftovers from the night before.
Beginning first with the Almond Croissant that many rave – what in the world is that glaze atop the shell? This is a croissant – not a doughnut. Taking a bite the texture was fine, but overly sweet and lacking any subtlety of nuance I’d just as soon have been eating a Krispy Kream. Moving next to the center…it was wet…and not just wet, but cloying and dense with almond paste. An unmitigated disaster – I deposited it in the trash.
Moving next to the “Authentic” Paris Brest, all I know is that if all Choux pastries were this dry and uninteresting there would be a lot less praise of French pastry and culinary technique. Dense and flavorless without any semblance of the hollow crackling shell and subtle cream found in other Brest this was authentic only in shape…perhaps the reason Patisserie Poupon felt the need to put a label on it, hoping to trick the public.
Unquestionably the worst bites of a long trip through DC, Baltimore, and Philly and potential candidates for worst of 2012.