Restaurant Name: Laduree
Location: Covent Garden, London, UK
Visited: May 2011, Breakfast
Laduree is the home of the Macaron, by far one of the best makers of Macarons in the world. Their core business is making exquisite pastries and cakes with outlets in Paris and London. The first store and Laduree tearooms to open in the UK was, and still is, within the Harrods department store. This visit in May 2011 was to their third site recently opened (May 2011) on the cobbled streets of Covent Garden. Its a great location and despite the brisk breeze, breakfast had to be done.
This isn't the first time I have had breakfast at Laduree, having visited both Paris and Harrods sites. When staying in a hotel in London, no matter how good the breakfast is in your hotel, Laduree is worth getting dressed and out the door for (no need to rush, the breakfast menu is thoughtfully served up until 11:30AM.)
This visit did not disappoint, although I must announce one or two errors of service and delivery (otherwise what would be the point in an honest review...)
I had a simple breakfast of tea, orange juice, and my chosen food of French Toast with maple syrup. The tea actually wasn't as good as I had had previously, I would be suprised if they had changed the tea, possible that I had overlooked the brewing pot in favour of savouring the orange juice and gazing at the passers by, although my dining partner also made a similar comment - too strong and slightly bitter. The freshly squeezed orange juice was however sublime. There is freshly squeezed in the morning orange juice, and there is orange juice perfection, and this was just so good. With the heat lamps wafting every now and then, who needed tea anyway.
The French toast did arrive somewhat later than my partners croissant and brioche, and it pains me to say anything negative but it was also 15/20 seconds over cooked. Like ever so slightly burnt toast, not enough to discard, but enough to amend the taste. However, it was delicious. The best French toast you have ever had - spongy, melt in the mouth, moorish, accompanied with fine maple syrup (you could also have Chantilly cream). I do confess that I love nothing more than a Full English Breakfast this almost has me converted. I do believe I could give up a Full English in favour of Laduree's French Toast. Time will tell.
Laduree isn't cheap, luxury never is, and I stand by my mantra of 'You get what you pay for'.
That said, our relatively small but perfectly shaped breakfast was half the price of the breakfast we would have taken at our Park Lane hotel.
Cheap at half the price and truly an experience not to be ignored.
This isn't the first time I have had breakfast at Laduree, having visited both Paris and Harrods sites. When staying in a hotel in London, no matter how good the breakfast is in your hotel, Laduree is worth getting dressed and out the door for (no need to rush, the breakfast menu is thoughtfully served up until 11:30AM.)
This visit did not disappoint, although I must announce one or two errors of service and delivery (otherwise what would be the point in an honest review...)
I had a simple breakfast of tea, orange juice, and my chosen food of French Toast with maple syrup. The tea actually wasn't as good as I had had previously, I would be suprised if they had changed the tea, possible that I had overlooked the brewing pot in favour of savouring the orange juice and gazing at the passers by, although my dining partner also made a similar comment - too strong and slightly bitter. The freshly squeezed orange juice was however sublime. There is freshly squeezed in the morning orange juice, and there is orange juice perfection, and this was just so good. With the heat lamps wafting every now and then, who needed tea anyway.
The French toast did arrive somewhat later than my partners croissant and brioche, and it pains me to say anything negative but it was also 15/20 seconds over cooked. Like ever so slightly burnt toast, not enough to discard, but enough to amend the taste. However, it was delicious. The best French toast you have ever had - spongy, melt in the mouth, moorish, accompanied with fine maple syrup (you could also have Chantilly cream). I do confess that I love nothing more than a Full English Breakfast this almost has me converted. I do believe I could give up a Full English in favour of Laduree's French Toast. Time will tell.
Laduree isn't cheap, luxury never is, and I stand by my mantra of 'You get what you pay for'.
That said, our relatively small but perfectly shaped breakfast was half the price of the breakfast we would have taken at our Park Lane hotel.
Cheap at half the price and truly an experience not to be ignored.
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