The Belgian bakery chain, Le Pain Quotidien, currently operates 260 outlets in 20 countries worldwide, with its restaurants in the United States fully company-owned and maintained. But a brush with insolvency for the U.S. restaurants in 2020, with bankruptcy avoided at the 11th hour, along with recent news that the company is shuttering all but one of its 44 outlets in the United Kingdom, is making Le Pain customers and indeed employees on both sides of the Pond jittery about the chain”™s future.
The name, pronounced le-pan-cot-id-ee-anne, means “daily bread” in French. Founded in Brussels in 1990 by Alain Coumont ”“ who wanted to recreate the bread of his childhood, comprised of nothing more than flour, water and salt ”“ the restaurants are contemporary and unthreatening, rustic you might say, but not too bare-bones. Specializing in simple café dishes, they have always found a ready market with those who want good, quality baked goods, sandwiches and egg dishes at reasonable prices with no formality.
Having not visited a Pain for years, it seemed timely to return to see how the restaurant group was shaping up in the light of feared domestic closures. And with a nod to seeded sourdough, one of the many breads for which Le Pain is known, what better one to choose for my visit than Rye?
Nothing much has changed since I first stepped inside a Pain 20 or more years ago. The takeout counter at the front is still piled high with tempting loaves, cakes and pastries of every description and, in the restaurant beyond, well-worn wooden tables, chairs, floors and counter cabinets still give me the impression of being lost in a pine forest. The signature Le Pain communal table ”“ common to every restaurant ”“ still stands center stage, although individual tables for two and four are also plentiful. All a touch dated now, perhaps, but still wholesome and well-intended.
A Belgian waffle or an almond croissant with a cappuccino, either seated or on the hoof, continues to make an excellent breakfast here as it always did. Then, progressing through the day and with full table service, it”™s eggs, omelets, soups, salads and tartines, which make up the bulk of the savory menu.
A sandwich of prosciutto, manchego and dried figs that comes on a French roll is declared fresh, tangy and utterly delicious by my pal, the bread a triumph of just-baked yeasty perfection, he says. I go for a croque monsieur, which our server immediately suggests I upgrade to a croque madame, by adding a fried egg. I don”™t need much persuading, since I love a sunny-side-up egg, as well as any excuse to get in touch with my female side. Let”™s go for it, I say enthusiastically.
Served on a slate mimicking an artistӪs palette, it comes to the table piping hot, melted Gruy̬re and slices of country ham, bound together in a silky Mornay sauce, all sitting on a regal slice of toasted sourdough. It is quite the dish and beautifully presented into the bargain, although that fried egg, so full of promise when suggested, is unfortunately overcooked and adds little.
A shared French doughnut, the softest sponge filled with dense whipped cream, puts smiles on both our faces. And we both rate the coffee exceptional ”“ rich, well-rounded, a touch nutty and chocolatey, without any trace of bitterness ”“ although served in what amounts to a large soup bowl, without a handle, it might challenge all but the most manually dexterous to hold. Asbestos hands might be useful, too.
What”™s less Belgian or indeed French than coffee served in a handle-less cup the size of a bucket is listing the calorie count for each item, as Le Pain”™s menu does, something which ”“ call me perverse”¯”“ immediately makes me want to order the most calorific thing going. My simple guideline: Everything in moderation and a little bit of what you fancy does you good.
But getting back to the grub: That sandwich, the croque (even with its overcooked egg) and that heavenly doughnut alone, with a bill that seems fair for these inflationary times, make the case for why Le Pain deserves to survive.
A handy addition to any Main Street ”“ or, in this case, Purchase Street ”“ I certainly hope it does.
Le Pain Quotidien has branches in Larchmont, Rye, Greenwich and New Canaan, with another 27 outlets in New York City. For more, visit lepainquotidien.com.
