If you like hot cocoa and French pastries, there is one place you cannot miss in Paris: Angelina, near the Louvres Museum. This spot that opened in 1903 is a little gem where the highlight of their menu is their hot chocolate that has been their recipe for success for many years. Even in the hot weather, you cannot resist it. So, when I heard that they were opening an outpost in New York, near Bryant Park, I was excited (beware that there is an Angelina Bakery close by that has nothing to do with this, that serves delicious bombolone with Nutella).
The place is big, with the to go counter at the entrance and the dining room, with its Belle Époque style in the back. It was for brunch on a Saturday, and it was packed…and noisy!
They have a great brunch menu where you can go with the prix-fixed or à la carte. We went for the former, Jodi choosing the petit-déjeuner Angelina while I picked the brunch menu. Both started with a choice of beverage and I picked the hot chocolate while Jodi went for a tea as she knew she would get some of my drink, the serving being generous considering the hot cocoa is dense and filling, like melted chocolate, where the sweetness can be adjusted by mixing some whipped cream in it. Know that you can also have it cold, as I did few weeks before, sipping it in Bryant Park.
The prix-fixe came also with an orange juice and some viennoiseries (croissant, chocolate croissant and pain aux raisins).
Next was the main course. Omelet with mushrooms and cheese for Jodi and croissant with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for me. Both were good but I thought that the omelet was better, less dry as the scrambled eggs were a bit over cooked. Despite this, I loved the combination with the croissant for its butter taste and the smoked salmon.
While Jodi’s omelet came with fruits, I had to pick a dessert from the prix-fixed and went for the crepe. It was filled with a white chocolate praline cream and accompanied by whipped cream. Good, it is not something I would reorder though.
So, overall, the experience was good. The only negative is the fact that they bring all the dishes at the same time that can be challenging on their small tables. The prix-fixed are a good deal considering the prices à la carte. This is definitely a place to try if you want a trip to Paris without the cost of the ticket. And if you go, you cannot not get the old-fashioned hot chocolate!
Enjoy (I did)!
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Angelina Paris - 1050 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018