What a week! I wish I could stay longer in Paris, the capital of food and tasty innovations. As you may have noticed, I wanted to try the finest Choux a la Creme... A journey which started with Popelini continued with Choux D'Enfer, Odette followed, and now it was time for La Maison du Chou, the best of the best, I'll remember it for a long time.
What’s amazing about this place is its simplicity, its calm ambiance, simple decor and, most importantly, its enjoyable location in one of Paris calmest roundabouts.
The experience starts with the name that says it all, a simple logo of inspired class, a unpretentious shop and a menu that's just straight to the point; four choices only, prepared a la minute.
Stand in line and choose to take away or sit on one of the three square tables serving the choux and hot drinks. Two employees, smiles on their faces, make sure to make your experience a good one. Service is quick, freshness is guaranteed and the presentation is mouthwatering.
All choux are filled a la minute with a gun; they all use the same dough that's topped only with a centered piece of craquelin. What I couldn't stand at Odette -the sweet, thick layer of sugar - is not available here. You enjoy the real flavor of the filling and surely, and most importantly, the awesome dough that's thin and slightly chewy with a crunch and subtle sweetness of the craquelin.
White walls, a logo decorating the main entrance and some dimmed lighting, we chose to sit and taste them in-house. We had them all... They are delicious. One single Chou freshly filled with different flavors: Praline, nature, chocolate, coffee.
All the choux are filled and served upside down, the craquelin at the bottom and a small part of the filling showing like a flower. Grab it and put it as is in your mouth prepared to be amazed. The choux at "La Maison du Chou" are really exceptional. It starts by the dough which is not covered with a sugar frosting so you enjoy its soft chewiness while the inner filling adds the needed flavors to the mix. This filling is creamy, smooth, lightly sweet and full of taste. Loved the perfection of the "Nature", the bitterness and strength of the "coffee" and the acidity and aftertaste of the "chocolat" while the praline's sweetness marks the end note in style.
The verdict:
I loved their choux and recommend them for sure. I loved the perfection of the dough, the richness and flavor of the filling, but would have preferred it to be a bit firmer. I think I'll put Maison du Chou at number one, Popelini comes second and Odette third. Choux D'Enfer is not worth mentioning.
