The French Baker

Dinda Kha

3.0

From afar I thought this branch of French Baker only sells bread, pastries and desserts. Come closer you'll spot a poster display of savory dishes and a full blown menu. Good thing I went nearer. I missed French Baker. It's been here for decades and am glad they stayed despite the strong competition. I got to have my favorite raisin muffin like bread again. This is best served a bit crisp, fresh from the oven. For a quick snack, I got one of the best rendition of grilled vegetable sandwich. It was served skewed on almost bite sized pieces. It was flavor rich, thanks to layers of pesto and cheese, making strips of zucchini, carrots and tomato tastier. Their Parisan macaron was also delightful. It stayed together with the right amount of chew, its filling buttery good. And this only retailed for Php 35! Skip the mint lemonade though. It was unbelievably full of sugar, drowning the cool feel and the sour essence of lemon. I should have gone for their lengthy choice of teas.

Lyndd Lindaa

4.0

When I visited The French Baker in Pioneer Supermart Kapitolyo branch, I ordered their French Onion Soup and their Cordon Bleu. The onion soup is served with a thick, buttery pastry dome on top. I recommend lifting the whole pastry dome so it loosens from the side of the bowl. Then I would cut a piece of the pastry with my spoon and dip it into the soup before eating. Cutting into the pastry immediately would collapse it into the soup, making it all soggy. The soup itself is dark, rich, and packed with sweet and peppery flavor. There is also a strong taste of alcohol from the sherry used in cooking. The addition of sweet, buttery pastry helps dampen the strength of the soup. The cordon bleu is crispy outside, but a bit dry inside. The cheese in the chicken is not fully melted as well. However, the creamy herb sauce and mashed potatoes served with the cordon bleu help give it some more flavor.