Coffee and Quiche at Croissant Brioche

Espresso and a latte at Croissant Brioche

Last Saturday, my husband and I were caffeine-starved and hungry, but short on time. Needing a fast bite to eat, we cruised around Rice Village, choosing our destination by parking spot availability.

When an open space presented itself in front of Croissant Brioche French Bakery, it was a great relief. We charged in, ready to order just about anything on their menu. We were tempted by their baked goods but ultimately decided on the quiche, needing protein to sustain our marathon morning of errands and work responsibilities.

I ordered an espresso, for highly efficient caffeine delivery, but when I saw my husband's latte I was green with envy. My espresso was good, but his latte was delicious -- creamy and soft, and the perfect temperature. (I hate a lukewarm latte.) We both chose quiche for breakfast -- salmon for him, spinach for me -- and people-watched while we sipped our coffees and waited for them to be delivered.

We visited France for the first time last December, and Croissant Brioche brought back lovely memories of mornings spent relaxing in a café before heading out into the streets of Paris. It's a small space, but feels intimate rather than cramped, and that felt very Parisian to me.

My quiche was very light in flavor and rich in texture; it was warm, but not hot, and I must admit to eating rather quickly -- I told you, we were hungry!

We were both pleased with the portion sizes. Croissant Brioche doesn't skimp, and the servings are generous. I didn't taste my husband's salmon quiche because I really do not like salmon, but he assured me it was quite good and contained enough salmon for him. I can't say I found anything about my piece of quiche to be spectacular or outstanding, but for a $5 pastry that is delivered within minutes of being ordered, I would say it exceeded my expectations. The crust was particularly good, very flaky and buttery.

I would certainly order Croissant Brioche's quiche again, but maybe not until I return and order the apricot Danish that was calling my name from the display case as I walked out the door. Something tells me the pastry is really where it's at in this Rice Village café.

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