Apparently J's Steak Frites turns into Cafe de Ville on Saturdays from 10 to 1, which honestly feels like a little secret. Met up with friends for a light breakfast and it turned out to be a really lovely way to spend the morning.
I ordered Le Complet and added the 70% hot chocolate, which was $8 extra when bundled instead of the usual $12. I was curious about the soft boiled egg, so I went with that. Overall, I genuinely enjoyed the meal. The quality across the board was above average, but the real star was that hot chocolate.
I have not had that kind of thickness and intensity in a while. The only ones that come close in my memory are Soma and Starbucks' long gone Chantico hot chocolate. Does anyone else remember that? Being able to add vanilla chantilly to adjust it to my liking made it even better. The cream helped smooth out what could otherwise feel slightly heavy for some people.
Service was impressive too. The server actually showed me how to crack and eat the soft boiled egg properly, which made the whole thing unexpectedly fun. I was also pleasantly surprised that they offered different types of cream fillings for the croissants. I stuck to the basics on my first visit, as usual, but it was tempting.
The only reason this lands at 4 instead of 5 stars is that I wished the croissant, baguette, and eggs matched the standout quality of the hot chocolate. For the price, it is fair. I have seen slightly better pastries nearby, so that extra touch would have sealed it.
Still, for the vibe, the company, and that unforgettable hot chocolate, I would happily go back! read more