Name of bakery on 18th in Philly

[Paula E]

Hello everyone,

Due to time and sleeplessness (teething 7 month old here) I find I cannot remember the name of a gorgeous little French bakery that lived in a shop on 18th St, in between Walnut and Chestnut (in Philly) during the 1990's. It was in a stretch of buildings that was later bought out by some disreputable developer.

They had wonderful pastry. I used to work around the corner at Border's (before it moved, or even expanded) and would go there for my fix, a perfect pastry wrapped around an applesauce that was to die for. The Baker (whose name I also cannot remember, shame on me) after a few years of delighting pastry lovers, suffered a brain embolism and returned to France.

I am trying to make my own applesauce pastry now. I want to have the name of the Baker who inspired me in my brain as I work.

Does anyone out there know who and what I'm talking about?

[mrbigjas]

i totally remember that place, and can't think of the name either. i got a lobster salad in a brioche there once that i still remember to this day.

[Capaneus]

Hi, Paula,

Didier Leroux and his wife Maribel owned Mademoiselle de Paris. But it wasn't on the block that came down, it was one over, in the space where recently we had Mantra and... and whatever it is now. Rindelaub's was on the defunct block.

[Paula E]

YES!

Thank you thank you Capaneus! My husband and I were so sad for them. Mademoiselle de Paris was such a special place. mrbigjas...the brioche...oh yes. And in December the most beautiful buche de noel I'd ever seen.

How could I forget Rindelaub's? Their apple fritters, hot out of the ovens...oh my.

Is there anything in town now to compare with either of them?

Now to find a recipe for those apple pastry...

[Holly Moore]

A little before then - Conversations on the 1600th block of Pine. And, maybe Philadelphia's first croissant baker, a french bakery on the 700 or so block of Walnut - I'm thinking maybe La Bagliatelle or something similar or totally different. There was an outstanding casual French Restaurant close by.

[bjcohan]

Holly,wasn't that Le Fournil on Walnut near 7th?

I loved that place, so long ago.

Barb

[Paula E]

Not familiar with those, probably because they were out of my student price range (anything more than a pretzel was extravagant) at the time. Once I actually was bringing in money, though, I had a great time. Wish I could have gone to Deux Cheminées before it closed. Alas...

[Holly Moore]

Holly,wasn't that Le Fournil on Walnut near 7th?

I loved that place, so long ago.

Barb

Much better memory than mine, Barb. That sounds right.

[RobinQ]

After Mademoiselle de Paris (was owned by a couple of Belgians), the shop was occupied by Yann (Frenchman in the states for a long time), who made excellent chocolates and pain au chocolate and served, among other things, the lobster salad on brioche. Yann shut down quite some time ago now. I loved both places. Yann maintains his pastry business in NJ, but I think he only services corporate functions and banquets.

[mrbigjas]

oh right, it was yann i was thinking of

[Andrew Fenton]

Oh right, Yann. I only ate there one time, but I remember their lobster bisque as being about the best I've had.

Man, I could go for a bowl of lobster bisque right now.

[mrbigjas]

Oh right, Yann. I only ate there one time, but I remember their lobster bisque as being about the best I've had.

Man, I could go for a bowl of lobster bisque right now.

ok it wouldn't solve your immediate craving, but if you want to make some, lobsters are still cheap -- $6.99/lb for chicks at the asian supermarket on 4th & spring garden

[Andrew Fenton]

Yeah, I gotta get on that. Maybe this weekend. I do love some lobster...