Bread to Europeans is more than just a mere sustenance, it
is a way of life! Emanates from Belgium and created by baker & chef Alain
Coumont, LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN is his constant search for the perfect bread to be served
in his restaurants which could not live up to his childhood memories. Hence, he
decided to bake his own. By mylifestylenews.
Le Pain Quotidien literally translates as “the daily bread” and you will want loads of daily bread after sampling all that this new bakery brand has to offer with their first bakery-restaurant communal dining style in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN is now an international brand with more than 235 restaurants in over 18 countries around the globe. He opened his first bakery in 1990 and now has Coming from a restaurant background, he wanted to create an all round experience, rather than just bread alone. This concept embraces simple, traditional food that speaks to all people and allows you to escape your hectic urban lifestyle with an alfresco dining on street level which is quite uncommon in bustling Hong Kong.
To enter the bakery-restaurant, you are transported to a touch of Europe with some lovely wood paneling elements that remind you of a rustic bakery in a country town.
There is more to this European outpost than just bread, before we even get to the food, they have their own branded jams, teas, spreads, chocolates and more, and these are all organically produced in Belgium, excluding the teas which are sourced from different countries but provenance is all and this marks the strength of the brand.
You have a choice of dining inside or alfresco under cover and it seems the preference is outside to see and be seen. Having only been opened for just over a month, it is already attracting dedicated patrons with regular queues to get a seat especially on weekends.
One of the key elements is the communal table, Coumont sterling idea is to place at least one in every outlet as it is the European way to share a table and eat and chat to strangers if you so wish.
Food wise, they cannot seem to put a foot wrong with some classic offerings that are hearty, delicious, generous portions and simply presented. LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN serves simple, wholesome and sustainable food for all occasions. Made with organic ingredients whenever possible, the menu includes soups, salads, signature tartines, homemade pastries and artisanal bread with many vegan and vegetarian options. We tasted a good cross section and here is our take on all that we tried.
<Bakery>
Pain aux Raisins, Pain au Chocolat, Butter Croissant, Organic butter Brioche, Carrot Cake: couldn’t pick a stand out as all were absolutely scrumptious.
<Tartines>
Avocado Toast on organic sourdough bread with citrus cumin salt, organic chia seeds and extra virgin oil and fresh coriander: very tasty and generous dollops of mashed avocado, plus a nice spice kick. You may add shrimps as an extra topping. A must-try!
<Hot Dishes>
Cassoulet & Duck Confit – white bean cassoulet and duck leg confit: a very rich and hearty dish with an incredibly tasty pork sausage and delicious white bean cassoulet.
Chicken Waterzooi – An organic roast chicken in a white beer reduction sauce with carrots, leeks and celery: a great flavoursome dish with a sauce to die for.
LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN is an absolute must visit if you are looking for authentic European style bakery/deli/pastry offerings. They excel at keeping a consistency in all that they do and it seems that everything you try turns out to be a favourite. As their philosophy goes by keeping thing simple starting with fresh, wholesome ingredients and sourcing organic and locally whenever possible, LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN adds culinary innovation food culture the local dining scene with bliss.
Tried
& Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design &
Decor: 4.5/5
Food &
Beverage: 4.5/5
Service: 4/5
Value For
Money: 4/5
Experience:
4.5/5
Highlights:
Bakery
Avocado Toast
Chicken Waterxooi
Cassoulet & Duck Confit
G40-41, 200 Queen's ROad East
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2520 1801
Reviews are based on
actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision
in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement
and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.
No comments:
Post a Comment