Green tea caramel fleur – a small flower-shaped cake (moist from yogurt
and cream) with soft caramel at its center – comes mantled in white
chocolate, tinted pale green from a touch of matcha green tea. It’s as
lovely and delicate as a fleur for sure and one of my favorites
($5.50). Le Carré is lighter still – fluffy, vanilla-scented Bavarian
cream mounted on a buttery tea biscuit, smoothed with raspberry purée
(plus a dribble of raspberry brandy) and fresh raspberries.
The tarts are probably my least favorite desserts because their
fillings can be a bit thick and dry ($4.50). This is true, at least, of
both the pear-almond and lemon tarts. The lusciously notable exception:
a milk chocolate-caramel tart that’s as sinful as a candy bar but
worlds better, given its superior ingredients.
Obviously, Scratch is the mother lode for anyone with a sweet tooth.
Start the day with flaky butter croissants, pain au chocolat and
fabulous muffins, or drop by mid-afternoon for dessert and a jolt of
caffeine, supplied via organic, fair-trade, locally roasted coffee;
Mexican Coke in glass bottles; and extraordinarily good teas, both
green and black. Whatever you do, don’t overlook the savory offerings,
which include four quiches and six sandwiches, the latter served on
house-made bread studded with sesame seeds.
These are not American sandwiches by any stretch, so if you require condiments
and 15 different ingredients all heaped together, you’ll have to take
your Dagwood-loving self next door. Here, you’ll find smaller portions
and a good deal more subtlety. Many of the sandwiches are moistened
with herb-seasoned olive oil and topped with organic greens. But no
matter what their variation, I like them every one – the French Brie,
the grilled goat cheese, the smoked duck breast (my No. 2 fave), the
chicken breast with Dijon-mayo, the Italian ham with aged Comte and
French butter, and the foie gras with sweet caramelized onions and baby
greens on a soft sesame roll (my No. 1 sammie). The latter costs $10.
The rest are $7.50. Meanwhile, nutmeg-scented quiches are among the
best I’ve had, thanks to perfectly flaky crusts and fluffy fillings
($8).
There are so many things to love about this sweet place you’ll hardly
know where to begin. May I suggest standing in front of the pastry case?
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday.