La Galerie des Gobelins

 Remember I tried to get into La Galerie des Gobelins with dear Raids-Patisserie and it was no-go?

 Later I found myself in front of the Plaza Athenee 25, Avenue Montaigne 75008 and no # 80 buses running.
What's a girl to do?

 They were filming in front of Hotel Plaza Athenee. And Milla said I could go for tea if I went on a weekday so...

 Voila! Easy peasy

 Completement effortless

 After all I must do dessert research.

Louise/Raids-Patisseries says pastry chef Christophe Michalak is tres important in the Paris pastry world. He has innovated and totally changed old traditional hotel dessert/les douceurs menus to something far more ingenious and fabulous.

 It's a must-do bien sur.
Please do not moan about les prix/prices.
This is an affordable luxury darlings.

 My choice - a verrine of Yuzu/an exotic citrus type fruit plus creaminess plus a thin layer of lemon curd topped with the famous French fraises du bois - tiny rare wild strawberries. A 'crumble' cookie was glued to the lid to add a bit of crunch to the whole thing

The delish cookie crumbled making a bit of a mess. Nevermind. No one is looking. I ate every crumb.

 In fact the whole dessert and the Gobelins experience was quite divine. The dessert is a nice contrast of creaminess + tart acid + crunchy texture. Very well designed, layered and satisfying.
An interview here with Michalak.
5 recommendations from Christophe Michalak:

1. Work with your heart
2. Offer pleasure to others
3. Go straight to the essential, pure, simple, clear!
4. One eats first with the eyes
5. A single goal: to touch the emotions

 You can eat outside on the terrasse at the Plaza...

 Museum-like cases displaying chef Michalak's prize-winning desserts when he won Champion du monde pastry chef his caramel religieuse

 A summery white chocolate tong (flip-flop to you darlings)

 Michalak's famous kissy bear lollie pops, Les Bisousbisous - I told you lollie pops/sucette are hot in Paris!

 Paris is Bear City.

Every classy joint has it's signature bear including the Plaza Athenee. I'm lucky to have classy Bear around to keep me on my toes.

I'm off to catch the train to the Loire Vallee today (wish this was moi). I'll keep you posted on more PB exciting adventures.

Stay tuned PBers!

La Galerie des Gobelins

 Photo by  Louise Chauchard of Raids-Patisserie


Do you know Raids-Patisserie?

You should.

 Louise Chauchard/Raids-Patisserie is the best Parisian pastry expert par excellence I know. Her analysis of Paris pastries are some of the most interesting and most creative. Her photos are delectable.

 Our plan tea at La Galerie des Gobelins at posh Plaza Athenee.

 Louise arrives and I'm instantly smitten with lust for her velvet Repetto ballet bag.

 Getting in La Galerie des Gobelins is not a piece of cake. Even for cake bloggers par excellence. You need to reserve a room(€750) to take tea the salon. Outsiders have a snowball's chance in hell. The pastries by top chef Christolphe Michalak look divine in the case but. We're told we can wait (and pray) for a non-reserved seat for non-residents.

Louise is not best pleased and suggests we go elsewhere.
(I would have waited forever but nevermind).We head to Champs-Elysees to

 Bar Le Lucien in Hotel Fouquet

 Louise shoots our amuse bouche/little mignardises starters.

 The tray of pastries arrives!

 Louise chooses.

 While we wait Louise digs into her exquisite ballet bag.(maim miam)

 And proudly shows me her point shoes, which hurt like Hell she mentions in passing. One must dance if one is to eat pastries all day long.

My only thoughts are, how I can grab the bag, abscond with it and race for the door? But this isn't an option. Louise lets me know I can come and take a free first ballet class if I'd like.

(Hahahaha)

 Louise's violette-framboise macaron 'sandwich' arrives. She thinks the raspberries are too big and doesn't care for the way they are 'spitting out the jam', ahem.
It tastes better than it looks...not too sweet.

 My choice is not so successful.

 It's a knock-off of Pierre Herme's superb Montebello but more to come later.

 Perhaps the most delicious desserts lurk in the ladies loo at Bar Le Lucien.

 I instantly fall in love with this drawing by Maxim's artist SEM.

 Will we ever be allowed into La Galerie des Gobelins to taste Michelak's FAB desserts?
This is the question that haunts.
I've considered going daily and hanging out in the lobby till midnight and making a general pest of myself.

What do you think?

Do you know someone who can get us in?

Do tell.

Meanwhile the teddybear lollies will sadly go unlicked by us experts :(

Please visit Louise at Raids-Patisserie and explore.
You do NOT have to reserve a room first.

You're allowed to PIN too!