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My breakfast at the Sofitel Paris, Arc de Triomphe will be remembered for a long time. The choices, the presentation, the welcoming, the colors... I was in LaLa land.
After a long night of deep sleep, we went down to breakfast to discover what this five star hotel had to offer. “Good morning Madame, good morning sir,” how nice it is to be welcomed with a smile in the early hours of the morning. After being shown to our table, it was time to discover the buffet.
The buffet looks beautiful from far but you haven't seen it all until you've laid your eyes on the fine little details that constitute it. The eye candy of fruits, the poached eggs, the specialty berries, the macaroons... I wanted to have a bite of everything. Not only that, the cheese selection is up to the standard of a Michelin starred restaurant.
Seated and ready to start, a basket of croissants landed on the table. A unique of a kind croissant that's just awesome and perfect. Buttery, fluffy and crunchy at the same time, all the ingredients are mixed to perfection. It's not too buttery, to the extent of becoming oily, and not too fluffy to be unpleasant to chew, and having just enough crunchiness, finesse and enjoyment. Biting into it is pure pleasure and feeling it staying firm and sharp is even more enjoyable. Two thumbs up for this unique innovation.
The table had two portions of butter and three choices of jam alongside a jar of honey. "What would make you happy today?" asked the waiter as we asked for coffee.
You can choose from:
- Detox breakfast
- Eggs your style
- Treats
- Specialty coffees
- Fresh juices
The buffet of endless tasty possibilities:
- Three choices of salmon, each better than the other. One marinated with dill, another with lemon and the third with red berries. Thick cuts of pure enjoyment.
- I wish I could try everything... The dozen choices of cut fruit, the yogurt cups, the five cereals, dry nuts, homemade crepes, French toast, cakes, croissants and most importantly a pastry specialty called kouigh amann. A small chunk, ready to be devoured... Extremely crunchy layers of baked pastry soaked in sugar. A kind of fried brioche.
- Now for the bread. Squash seeds, cereals, Bonney and spices, walnuts and even gluten free bread. They were superb.
- Every detail counts. They have nuts but it was a special variety, they have gluten free bread, they have a large selection of fresh drinks including light and detox, they have superbly good food.
The items that caught my attention:
- Apricot and vanilla jam
- Kouign Amann
- Cake with hazelnuts and piedmont
- Six choices of fine French cheese
- Three choices of thickly cut ham
- Homemade chocolate and hazelnut cream
To have an even more detailed and complete idea of breakfast, we ordered the eggs Benedict, my favorite, as you may know. In a deep plate comes layered a slice of English muffin topped with thickly cut ham, a poached egg and lots of hollandaise sauce with another muffin on top. A hot plate, warm eggs, cold ham and fluffy muffin, the textures and feelings of this plate are extraordinary. In the mouth, it's pure heaven. Everything melts in style while the flavors caress your taste buds. The only problem is that you have to add salt and pepper to the plate, which I think the chef should do.
The second morning was as good as the one before it. I tried everything from the buffet. The apricot jam with vanilla, the fruits, the gluten free cereals, nuts cake, sausages and Danish pastries, all were exceptional. Don't miss the chocolate butter croissant called pain au chocolat in France; they are addictive. The cake is majestic, the “Financier a l'amande” are to die for... Try the cookies and be amazed! Everything is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
My regards to the chef and to the team back in the kitchen, especially the pastry man behind everything I've eaten here. I rarely book a stay with breakfast, but this time I'm very happy I did so.
I wish I could give them a twenty out of twenty for the food if that grade existed in the culinary world... It was a five star fine dining breakfast I'll surely repeat.
