BE reopened by Alain Ducasse, ...just saying

[julot-les-pinceaux]

BE reopened. I don't know what exactly happened and the shop hasn't changed much. The food offered is the same -- great tourte and other breads, visitandines and sacristains are still there as well as the sophisticated excellent sandwiches and salad. The only major change is, they don't "do restaurant" anymore. They still have tables, and now you can have the truffle pasta all day. But they're not made on order anymore, only reheated. And the portions are way smaller than the big bowl they used to bring you.

Happy to report that the passion fruit tart is as a good as ever -- maybe the crust is somewhat thicker, but it is very good anway.

[tupac17616]

I went to the BE in the Printemps department store last month.

Quite a nice foie gras and fig jam sandwich.

Lovely lemon tart, with bit of lime zest on top.

Pretty decent loaf of fig bread, a little too chewy though.

My brother liked his pain au chocolat and the chocolat viennoise, even if he preferred other places.

The crema gianduja they import from Italy rocks. I'm eating it as we speak.

One of the girls who works there is stunningly beautiful.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Sorry I gave no background information.

BE is Boulangépicier, the bakery that is owned by Alain Ducasse personally. When it opened it was a joint with Kayser but I suspect that the recent closing has to do with their parting.

It's on the bd de Courcelles in the 8th (borderline 17th), close to the Place des Ternes.

Tupac, I too am eating crema gianduja as we speak. Viennes pastry are not their strong suit. As I wrote, try their visitandine, sacristain, passion fruit tart, sardine sandwich, walnut bread, cheese bread, cereal bread, tourte, coquillettes jambon/truffe for a taste of what they do really well.

Edited January 27, 2009 by julot-les-pinceaux (log)

[olivier]

Happy to report that the passion fruit tart is as a good as ever -- maybe the crust is somewhat thicker, but it is very good anway.

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I may be alone there, but I'd say that a thicker crust is good news. It was almost non-existant before, and I like my tarts with a real crust!

And indeed, the sardine sandwich is really good, too. Exactly the kind of shop I'd like to have near my workplace.

[tupac17616]

Tupac, I too am eating crema gianduja as we speak. Viennes pastry are not their strong suit. As I wrote, try their visitandine, sacristain, passion fruit tart, sardine sandwich, walnut bread, cheese bread, cereal bread, tourte, coquillettes jambon/truffe for a taste of what they do really well.

You've reminded me, I also had the walnut bread. Good stuff. (Still prefer Kayser's... or is it.... the same?)

Will keep the other recs in mind next time.