Bouchon Bakery

I apologize for the posting lapse -- there's thing I have called a job that unfortunately takes time away from blogging. I'd quit, but until my "Will Blog For Food!" campaign succeeds, I need the money to fund your literary pleasures. Unless YOU would like to help me fund your literary pleasures...

10 Columbus Circle (59th St. btwn Broadway & W. Central Park)
New York, NY 10019
(212) 823-9366
www.bouchonbakery.com

Let's turn our taste buds to Bouchon Bakery at Columbus Circle. Downstairs from the not-so-wallet-friendly (but-incredibly-amazing-I'm-sure) restaurant Per Se, Bouchon Bakery is also part of famed chef Thomas Keller's restaurant group. Economical friends, this is the closest you will ever get to Tom's illustrious French Laundry, a 62-person restaurant in Napa Valley with $240 prix-fixe menus, $50 corkage fees, and flaming hoops you must jump through to get a reservation. Just consider Bouchon Bakery to be six degrees of restaurant separation from French Laundry, then tell your friends you ate at a Thomas Keller "Restaurant".

The Bouchon in the Time Warner Center consists of a Bakery with simple foods and lovely pastries, and a neighboring Cafe with better food, more selection and, of course, higher prices. This review is based on the Bakery, i.e. the cheapest Thomas Keller food you're ever going to get.

Foodnalysis:

Almond Croissant: A sweet treat. Beautiful exterior abounding in toasted almonds and powdered sugar. Soft inside, could use a bit more raspberry jam... but still a good pick.

Ham and Cheese Baguette: So-so, but definitely not worth $7.95. Served cold, untoasted. The crisp baguette was of good taste but difficult to chew. Ham, swiss and mustard were rather ordinary.

I've also tried other pastries and have yet to be disappointed.

Salary and Wages:

Neutral. They put food on a tray and accept money... pretty hard to ruin that.

Property, Plant and Equipment:

One of the Bouchon Cafe selling points is the beautiful view of Columbus Circle. Fortunately the Bakery has some self-seating tables adjacent to the Cafe, so try and snag a good seat like the following:

Perfect! Way to impress your date. Cross your fingers that they do not see your cheapness (or shall we call it shrewd financial tendencies) behind your classy facade.

Statement of Cash Flows:

Overpriced sandwich, but not too horrible for the area.

The Bottom Line:

A fair sampling of Bouchon bistro fare. Stick to pastries at the Bakery; go to the Cafe for food.