A Little Slice of Paris
my friend lydie stopped into patisserie margot in her never-ending quest for the perfect pastry. my friend caroline went there for sustenance to brace herself for fairway's pre-rosh hashanah shopping madness. both gave me glowing reports of the pastries-none over $4, from traditional éclairs and napoleons to rustic raspberry crumb-and told me there were snackworthy items, such as soups (today's is french lentil), quiche and sandwiches.
but how to find? patisserie margot does not even have a sign, and you sense it's the kind of place regulars love but want to keep a delicious secret. hidden within the ansonia hotel, it is a sliver of a café with eight round marble tables lined against one wall, two chairs at each, perfect for a french tete-a-tete with un ami, and, indeed, the room is packed with women talking between bites of simple, ample sandwiches. several are $5.99, including the tuna salad and the brie/tomato/mesclun. it's hard to say which is best-the dense but crunchy french baguette enclosing the brie or the brie itself, which seems to be a quadruple cream. i feel the fat cells multiplying, but with the thought that "french women don't get fat," i order a light, buttery madeleine, which will conjure proustian memories of this very moment. -- patisserie margot 2109 broadway (at 74th street across from fairway) 212-721-0076
- got a snack attack to share? contact nbrand@aol.com