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144 Larchmont Avenue Larchmont NY 10538 (Map) (914) 833-2274 auraygourmet.com
The WBC trip to Auray Gourmet in Larchmont was so civilized, so peaceful, so sophisticated. Why, you ask? Because it was just the gals of the WBC. Read on to find out how the meal was for these ladies who breakfast.
Attendees: :jump_to_Sylvia:, :jump_to_Shelley:
:a_Sylvia:
Today, the ladies of the Westchester Breakfast Club breakfasted in Larchmont at Auray Gourmet. It was a very lady-like breakfast, and very Parisen themed, which was more incidental than purposeful. Auray is a corner cheese shop off of Larchmont Avenue, across the street from Tequila Sunrise. There is street parking, and what seems to be a public lot off one of the side streets. There was a little cluster of outside seating available, and given the insanely gorgeous weather we were having, we wanted to sit outside, under an umbrella.
First, we had to order. As we walked inside, we were warmly greeted by a woman behind the cash register who pointed out where the menus were. After some perusing and a lot of internal debating (sandwich, or crepe, and then what cheese was I in the mood for?), I settled on the Montagnolo Crepe, which was a crepe with “Cambonzolo, a blue brie cheese imported from Germany and sliced apples, drizzled with balsamic glaze.” That and a Cafe Calabria (I think it was basically an iced red eye: Espresso in iced coffee) set me back $17.14 (about-ish…the crepe itself was $12 and change).
After we each placed our orders and had our drinks in hand, we went outside to claim a table. The very strong iced coffee (as the woman behind the counter described it) was really delicious. I had asked for skim milk to be used to lighted it up, but it still tasted very creamy. The espresso added a very wonderful chocolaty dimension to it. I don’t drink red eyes because I’m always afraid it’s too much caffeine, but this was excellent.
Our food was delivered to the table and it was feasting time! My crepe was tres magnifique! The crepe itself was an excellent vehicle for the filling. It was easily cut with a knife, and had a nice crispy edge to it. The cheese…oh the cheese. It was excellent. It was a very flavorful brie and it went very well with the thinly sliced apples. Both were spread through the crepe in a thin generous layer. The crepe all together was made very well. Nice and thin, not soggy, and the filling wasn’t spilling out all over the plate. I finished the whole thing, and I wanted more.
After breakfast, in true WBC form, we wandered over back to Rt. 1 to find a chocolate shop called Cocoa. Actually we first stumbled into Bread & Cocoa before the owner pointed us to the sister shop, Cocoa, across the street. So, Cocoa is where the fancy chocolate resides, along with the very impressive selections of all sorts of bark combinations, and Bread & Cocoa is where all the desserts and pastries reside. Needless to say, we made it back to Bread & Cocoa. I had a pain au chocolat, and it was yummy. There were a lot of other types of pastries available, like a banana streusal cake I was eyeing, chocolate bread pudding, and Belgian waffles! The feel of this little shop was so much more homey and friendly than other bakeries popping up these days.
The Czar says: Auray’s was charming and delicious. Definitely try a crepe! I’d love to come back. It is totally worth a trip to the shore side of the county for some breakfast (or lunch…the sandwiches looked really good too!).
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:a_Shelley:
Despite being a longtime Westchester resident, I don’t know all that much about Larchmont. I think my last trip to the town was when the WBC dined at Stanz back in 2010. But that was such a good dining experience that I was eager to see what other culinary delights Larchmont could offer.
Cue Auray Gourmet.
Upon entering this large establishment on a corner on Larchmont Avenue, the first thing that struck me was the friendliness of the staff. When we were barely in the door one of the girls behind the counter called over a “hello” to us and pointed us in the direction of the menus. And then came the tricky part: deciding what to order. The array of sweet offerings on the menu certainly caught my eye, but as tempting as a crepe was, I had resolved to opt for a healthier choice. For that reason I scanned down to the Skinny Bee Omelette. Egg white omelette? Well, that would fit the “healthier” bill. It comes with two ingredients, but I opted to pay a little extra and add a third as well: spinach, turkey, and cheddar cheese. I grabbed a canned Aranciata to wash the meal down (for me Aranciata and summer go hand in hand). We paid at the counter (as I resisted the temptation presented by the display of pastel macaroons) and then headed outside to get a table in the shade.
I have to say, Auray gets points for the open, airy feel of the interior of the cafe. Some cafes are cramped, with the tables right on top of each other. At Auray it seems you could enjoy a meal and not have to hear the conversation at the table next to you. However, this is not the case with the outdoor seating; since sidewalk space is at a premium, the tables are clustered much closer together than inside. But, a small price to pay for enjoying a meal in the fresh air.
After a short amount of time our food arrived, brought to our table by another very friendly staffer. My omelette was a very hearty size and came served with two small slices of baguette. Now, I wanted healthy and that’s what I got. That said, I wished I had been more indulgent. The omlette was, in and of itself, good, although it had a stronger egg odor than I typically like and the indulgent part of me wished there had been more cheddar cheese added in. But like I said, I got what I asked for, and I can’t complain. The omelette was well-cooked and the ingredients were fresh. But I’ll admit, I was jealously eyeing Sylvia’s crepe the whole time.
At just around $10, Auray satisfied my desire for a healthy breakfast at an equally healthy price.
But my willpower didn’t hold up too much longer.
To continue our Paris-in-Westchester adventure, Sylvia and I made our way around the block to Bread & Cocoa where the display and inviting aroma of fresh-baked French pastries proved too much for me to resist. When I was told there were no vanilla cupcakes, I switched to a quick plan b: a slice of fresh lemon pound cake. Now, first things first, this pound cake was sliced right from the loaf; no slices sitting around to lose their moisture. This lemon pound cake was, dare I say, the best I’ve ever had. And I’m a fan of lemon pound cake, so I’ve sampled quite a bit. And I’ll say it again: this was the best. The combination of moist cake, butter, and lemon zest was wonderful. There was just the right balance between sweet and citrus. Sure, I probably undid my healthy breakfast with that one slice of pound cake, but it was without a doubt worth it.
This outing, paired with our previous success at Stanz, has strengthened my love for this town on the sound. I left with the thought that maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll move to Larchmont and dine at Auray everyday…or at least just make a return visit to try a crepe.
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