Delicious and Nutritious!
Like that favorite pair of broken in jeans or that sweatshirt that just feels right on a chilly morning, Le Pain Quotidien is a place that the two of you will visit over and over again. While there are locations all over Manhattan (17 currently), and in over 10 other countries, our favorite is the one located at the ABC Carpet on 19th Street.
Flour, water and salt: three simple ingredients are what started it all at Le Pain Quotidien. Brussels based chef, Alain Coumont could not get bread made to his liking, so he decided to take matters literally into his own hands. It took him several years to perfect his product, and in 1990, the first Le Pain Quotidien which means, “daily bread”, opened in downtown Brussels. By 1997, Le Pain was here in New York City.
Le Pain offers breakfast and lunch in a cozy atmosphere that is warm and inviting. Peak hours are weekends around brunch time. During the week, you will find local business people taking a break or having an informal meeting at the communal tables in the center of the restaurant. The clientele is very diverse. It’s truly a slice of Europe in the center of Gotham.
Le Pain bakes its bread in-house daily and uses organic stone ground flour from certified organic farms. In addition to the bread and the croissants, Le Pain offers a full breakfast and lunch menu using organic ingredients wherever possible. Our favorite is a Saturday or Sunday late breakfast (served until 2 PM). There you will find homemade yogurts and granolas with fresh fruits and soft boiled eggs like your grandmother used to make. All of the delicious juices, teas and coffee selections are also organic. One of our favorites is the organic ginger apple juice that is tasty hot or cold.
For lunch, try the scrumptious vegetarian quiche or the homemade soups. We tried the portabella mushroom and the broccoli. They tasted fresh and not laden with cream like some other places. For the adventurous, try the Quinoa salad served mostly as a special. It’s a high protein organic grain that looks a lot like couscous. Their signature lunch dishes are their tartines – open faced sandwiches served with a variety of ingredients and accoutrements. The Atlantic smoked salmon, tuna, and roasted turkey were all very good. They are accompanied by a combination of cornichons, tomatoes, rocket salad, sliced radishes and cucumber.
If you are looking for a comfortable, friendly place to have a healthy, tasty, and affordable meal or a place to hangout in the middle of the day and enjoy a coffee and a conversation, slip into a neighborhood Le Pain Quotidien. You can even take out their breads, pastries, or select from organic coffees, teas and honey. Tell them www.twodaymag.com sent you and have a great time!
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