Maison Parisienne - Brittany on Clark St

Clicking through Hungry Hound vids on ABC 7 and land on Maison Parisienne, watch the full content and extra content all the while thinking wow, this looks terrific!

Single storefront with pastry case, tables to the side and comfy seating area in front. Spotless, light, airy, charming accented owners, one wearing a traditional toque, damn if I don't fall in culinary love for the second time in 2017.

I still remember surprise as an early teen in Paris by the deliciousness of a simple ham sandwich and the Parisienne baguette ham butter mustard gruyere brought that memory back in surprising focus. For dessert a wedge of warm kouign amann. I've not had kouign amann warm, the chef said it brought out flavor and textural difference, or as a wedge from a tart, which I understand to be traditional in Brittany. Absolutely delicious as were the two macarons I tried and the croissant I brought home.

Glancing through Maison Parisienne's web site its obvious I have a lot more to try, both savory and sweet, though its going to be difficult to get past the 'simple' ham sandwich and warm kouign amann.






Maison Parisienne, Count me a Fan!

Maison Parisienne
3307 N Clark
Chicago, IL 60657
http://maison-parisienne.com/

Their raspberry tart had the thinnest, most evenly brown and crisp, perfect level of sweetness, sweet tart crust I've ever had. It's not flaky at all, but prefectly crumbly in texture, although it won't fall apart as you eat it. Is it the flour and butter they import from France? The pastry chef did say they have a dough sheeter and that's how he gets the crust so thin.

I bake and had just made a tart a few days before, using a tart dough recipe I thought to be ideal after lots of testing. I don't think I'll use it again. This was a humbling experience, and I felt a little ashamed that I thought I knew what a good tart crust was.

... And the pastry cream was very light and velvety in texture... That's a whole 'nother issue.

I'm a big fan of Maison Parisienne, and their chocolate-passionfruit macaron I tried yesterday is phenomenal, an absolutely perfect balance of chocolate and passionfruit.





I'm also a fan of their Parisien sandwich, but I think the similar version at Floriole is much better and one of the very best sandwiches in Chicago. Side salad also - an upcharge.

These guys are the absolute best. Charming, charming people. The flour and butter are indeed imported from Paris. My favorite macarons in the city - had them make 200 for my wedding last summer in 4 flavors - a killer Valrhona chocolate, salted butter caramel, vanilla bourbon, and lavender. Amazing, and they disappeared in minutes among my wedding guests. Super easy to order a few days ahead of time, and they encouraged me to have them ready/picked up the day before - apparently macarons are perfect in crispness the day AFTER they are made.