La Boulangerie

I went to la boulangerie a while a back in my pre-yelp check in days. I'm now slapping myself on the head for not coming back here sooner.

I came in here after a wine tasting wanting either a sandwich or, well, something to eat. They didn't have any menus on hand (odd), but there was a big sign showing off what crepes they had available. Naturally, I my eyes darted towards the crepes and a crepe it would be. I focused on the ratatouille crepe and made my mind up the second I saw it. Soon after biting into it, I  was extremely happy with my decision. I'm not fully used to goat cheese with a ratatouille, but this worked out pretty killer. Not only was it really good, there was a lot of it to be had. So, be forewarned on the crepes, its a 2 person job (or in my case, two goes).

Now, I can't not mention the breads here. They friggin rock. I got myself a small loaf that had herbs in it. This bread was amazing and some of the best bread I've had in a while. Best part was that it was under $3 for a loaf.

La Boulangerie is now back on my full radar. I never should've let it leave my radar in the first place, but that's my mistake. Needless to say, that's a mistake I'm not making again.

A conundrum, wrapped in a riddle, coupled with a burden.

There is something afoul with the genetics here, insofar as commerce and capitalism is concerned.
Rhetorically: How or why would you start business, and then sign a binding legal document designed to ruin your business?

And so our story begins...

Couple walks in with glee and excitement in anticipation of some proper looking French-inspired baked goods..

"Hi, can I have 1 pain au chocolat and 1 eclair please?"

"No, you have to buy 8 choclate krass-ants and 3 E-clares or pasteries.... no exceptions.."

(it gets better from here...)

"OK, we'll have a the Boystown crepe with no almonds and no whipped cream"

$6.56 later

"Whoopsee I forgot to not put on the almonds.. it that ok?"

"ok..."

Cue sound of redi-whip can and cardboard box being closed.

end.

We knew before we walked in, there were some strange if not altogether F'd up rules jerking this place around. Most notably their inability to sell or even serve (for free) coffee...... at a pastry/baked goods shop.

But of course there needs to be enrichment on this lunacy, which goes on to dictate what this place sells, and how they sell it (IE: absurd quantities like wanting 2 and being told minimum purchase would be 11)

HA- and all of this business strangling smothering is legal and was agreed to by the shop-owners.

Alright already- so how was the ONE product I purchased?
Terrible.
The person who butchered our crepe order was at best a first day first hour trainee thrown into the position of making something that takes some skill but certainly some time to learn. The manager person who could give a shit less  was too busy facebooking and was too tired to pay attention to the horror being wielded.

Pre-cut bananas.. I mean pre-oxidized/browned bananas? really? way too time consuming to cut those pesky bananas as needed per order eh??...
The line is around the block breaking this place in half trying to get at these crepes.

Shoved into a cardboard box and filled with rediwhip.

This was supposed to be a hand-held snack, not a boxed up gooey fork and knife affair that turned out to be more messy and haphazard than trying to eat a full slab of Hecky's n hot sauce while driving 80 mph down the Edens at rush-hour.

There is an endless story of competition, discontent and shameful carelessness... and I hope someone wastes the time to properly reference Daniel Plainview screaming and drooling: I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE... I DRINK IT UP....

This place is more levels of F'd up than reaching the kill screen on Donkey Kong.

As I call it "La Boo" has a special place in my carb-loving heart. They came into the neighborhood at the perfect time and offered fresh bread on a daily basis - mind blown!

They have a high quality product and the staff always is helpful.

They aren't super consistent with producing cut loaves which is what I'm looking for on a week to week basis, and they have a really strange card minimum (like $15?).

Their new store set up is dreadful and I hope they realize that. I can no longer just walk in and buy bread, I have to wait for everyone to decide what 8 pastries they want before I can buy a multigrain loaf.

Also the non-compete with New Wave sucks, but as a neighborhood local I'm not a huge fan of the silly game the two places play with each other. Be civil and don't put silly blaming notes on your front door. You look foolish.