Nice Choux's
Choux Factory | 1685 1st Ave. (bet. 87th & 88th Sts.) | 212.289.2023 | on MenuPages
| [mappress] |
I'M UP PRETTY early most mornings. And as the weather evolves into more agreeable climates, my desire to have breakfast indoors naturally declines. So I was on MenuPages scouting other neighborhood breakfast places—besides my staples H&H Bagels, The Viand, and, new to my repertoire, Burger One—when I discovered some pretty decent reviews for a place I've walked by numerous times called Choux Factory.
I had always written this place off as a locally-run Starbucks wannabe, with its crowds of latte sippers on laptops,but there seem to be much fanatical discussion of their in-house creampuffs and a Green Tea latte that I figured it couldn't hurt to sate my morning hunger and so some research at the same time. I alit upon Choux before the lunch crowd, finding a curious little shop a bit less clinical in its design than I had first assumed.
I had no idea they offered such a wide variety of sweet and savory mouthfuls.
A very pretty lady was ordering a dozen of each flavor of their signature cream puffs, available in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. I asked her what her favorite was—fearing less initiating a conversation with her once I espied the lack of wedding or engagement ring! She said she preferred the chocolate, which I ordered only one of, accompanying it with the green tea latte.
I could definitely see—or taste, really—how these cream puffs acquired their popularity. The pastry was light and airy without being too spongy, as well as slightly buttery and flaky. The filling was cloud-like, releasing its flavors immediately throughout my whole mouth and rich with chocolate headiness, probably properly enriched with cocoa powder, and not just saturated in chocolate syrup.
The green tea latte was a fun curiosity. Not being much a coffee or latte drinker myself, I did enjoy the familiar silky consistency of a latte, but countered by an herbal hint of green tea, which nicely kept it from being overly sweet. Ideal when washing down a chocolate cream puff.
This place is three blocks from my apartment, and I can pretty much guarantee that I'll visit this almost regularly to try its other wares—all very conveniently priced—happy if they're just near as yummy is my little pastry.
And, maybe, to possibly bump into Pretty Lady again...?! ;)
Bun Apple Tea!
.kac.
Choux Factory | 1685 1st Ave. (bet. 87th & 88th Sts.) | 212.289.2023 | on MenuPages
