LRP Redux* installment 9: Jeannot’s Patisserie & Bistro

Jeannot’s is quite new and in fact is still in “soft opening” mode, with hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. It’s in the Atlas Valley Shopping Center at 95th and Arapahoe (2770 Arapahoe Rd., Suite 124), where Lunada used to be. It’s a pleasant space with a nice patio. The woman who took our order told us that the pastries are all baked in house, but they are not able to bake bread because of the limited kitchen space (apparently they have been getting a lot of inquiries about French bread!).

Jeannot’s is owned by Julien and Teresa Jeannot. Julien is from Provence and, after years of  working at various restaurants in Europe, Canada, and the US, most recently was the executive pastry chef for the Mediterranean group in Boulder. I got this info from the website, but he was serving pastries when we went through the line, and it was nice to hear the man in front of us talking to Julien in French because we could pretend that we were in France for a moment.

I’m running a bit behind on my reports again because I actually visited this place almost a week ago, last Saturday. I was meeting my friend Deb to celebrate my birthday with a breakfast excursion. We thought 8 a.m. on a Saturday would be a nice quiet time, but it was actually fairly busy, although the line moved quickly. We decided to take our food back to my house to eat it.

Deb ordered quiche Lorraine, which came with a side of greens, and I got the croissant sandwich (1 slice of ham, 1 slice of cheese, and scrambled eggs on a croissant), which came with a side of fruit. We wanted to try the pastries too, so Deb got a lemon croissant, which was a sort of open-scheme croissant filled with lemon and topped with fresh berries, and I got a chocolate croissant.

We both liked our food very much! The croissants were flaky and buttery, just as they should be, and I thought the proportion of egg to ham and cheese in my sandwich was about right. I also thought the fruit was amazing—I would like to know where they buy their berries! Deb wasn’t sure at first about the large chunks of ham in the quiche; she initially thought it should be diced finer, but she ended up deciding she liked it that way. G had already eaten breakfast, but he split the chocolate croissant with me, and we both thought it was delicious. The amount of chocolate was just about right, and it was distributed in several smaller pockets instead of one big slab. None of us had ever seen a lemon croissant like this before, but Deb said it was fabulous. She went back a few days later to try an apple tart and rated it “amazing.” She also let me know that Wednesday at 9 a.m. was a nice quiet time to stop in.

There will now be a brief hiatus in the LRP Redux because I’m currently out of town and won’t be back until March 31, but I should be able to wrap up the last few in April. When I will also be revisiting Jeannot’s to try more things from the pastry case. Incidentally, I forgot to photograph the pastry case, so if anyone has a photo of it, pop it into the comments!

* Lafayette Restaurant Project Redux: visiting all the new places that have opened since the end of the previous round of the LRP.

Top left: Croissant sandwich with scrambled egg, ham, and cheese and a side of fruit; top right: quiche Lorraine with side of greens and lemon croissant; bottom: chocolate croissant.

Jeannot's on a sunny but chilly Saturday morning

LRP Redux* installment 7: Button Rock Bakery & Kenny Lou’s Deli

I had been to Button Rock a few times back when it was in its old location at 95th and Arapahoe, but it had been a while. It is now located in the District Mall at 400 W South Boulder Rd., Suite 2200, and has added the deli in the same location as the bakery. It has a wide variety of deli-type foods in addition to the baked goods—and sushi!

My friend Sarah and I had a lunch date last Wednesday, so I asked her to meet me at the District, and we ate indoors. The bakery has a little patio, but it was a chilly, snowy day. The indoor part of the mall has quite a few tables and easy chairs with small tables, and they are fairly spread out in the large open area.

While I was waiting for Sarah, the kind server at the counter answered about a hundred questions that I had about the menu and the pastries. I can’t remember them all now, but I appreciated the help.

I wasn’t planning to get sushi because I had my eye on some other menu items, but Sarah got an order of the crispy rice bites. They are actually served cold, and they had them premade in the refrigerator. I tried one, and it was delicious! For our main dish, we each ordered a breakfast sandwich. I got the fried bologna and cheese because I was intrigued by the combination with the potato latke (fried bologna, over-medium egg, provolone, arugula, giardiniera, and potato latke in a warm brioche bun). Sarah got the avocado and egg (scrambled eggs with feta & spinach, avocado, gochujang ketchup, and arugula in a warm brioche bun). These were both amazing sandwiches and extremely filling—so keep that in mind because you will need to save room for dessert! Fortunately, we had planned ahead, so we knew to pace ourselves. Although I liked the combo of flavors and textures very much, I could only eat about 2/3 of the sandwich because it was a lot. My egg was more like over easy than over medium, so next time I might ask them to cook it a bit more. 

For dessert, Sarah got a raspberry napoleon, and I got a chocolate cake bombe (a layer of cake topped with chocolate mousse and coated in chocolate). I am a fan of chocolate mousse in almost any form, so I thought the bombe was the bomb! G wasn’t with us for this meal, but I suggested that he pick up some bombes for him and a friend a few days later, and he also loved them. Sarah was happy with her napoleon, which I sampled and agreed was excellent. She said that she is always trying to match a napoleon that she ate 20 years ago, and this one came close. There are many more things to try from the deli and sushi menus and the bakery case, so we’ll be back!

* Lafayette Restaurant Project Redux: visiting all the new places that have opened since the end of the previous round of the LRP.

I forgot to photograph the outside, so I borrowed this from the Button Rock FB page. 

Me with my fried bologna & cheese breakfast sandwich 

Sarah with her avocado & egg breakfast sandwich (we were dressed like twins, but it was totally accidental)

Top: Crispy rice bites. Bottom: avocado & egg breakfast sandwich and fried bologna & cheese breakfast sandwich 

Chocolate bombe and raspberry napoleon

SBRRP redux: Amanecer Mexican Food Truck

I have included food trucks in the restaurant project if they are always parked in the same place, as this one is. I saw someone mention it on social media recently and realized I had missed it when we did the SBRRP a few months ago. It is located on the southwest corner of 120th and South Boulder Road in the Lafayette Lumber parking lot.

I visited on a Monday morning about 10 a.m. in search of breakfast burritos. The cook had a mask, and there was a barrier in the window so that customers don't communicate directly face-to-face. When I ordered, he asked where I was parked and then brought my order to the car. There was a fairly steady flow of customers (who were giving each other plenty of space), but my order was ready in what felt like just a few minutes.

The breakfast burritos have eggs, cheese, potatoes, green chile, and your choice of bacon, sausage, or chorizo. I got two with chorizo, one medium spicy for me and the other hot for G. They were nice big, stuffed burritos for only $3 apiece, and they were delicious! I thought the ingredient ratio was just right (I like lots of egg), and the medium-level green chile was also just right for someone who likes a little heat but does not like her face to melt off. G liked the spice level of his hot breakfast burrito as well.

Amanecer also offers the usual tacos, tortas, burritos, quesadillas, and a few other specialties. I'd be happy to try one of everything. The Juarez hot dog looks intriguing!

Food truck with 120th St in the background 

The Amanecer menu. Breakfast burritos were listed on a separate board.

These are on a small plate, but they were big and nicely stuffed.

Delicious breakfast burrito with chorizo!

A95RP installment 5: Morning Glory Farm Fresh Café

I know the Morning Glory very well, as it has been one of my go-to breakfast and lunch spots since it first opened (at a guess) about 10 years ago. For a short time, there was a sister restaurant in the Peloton in Boulder named Poppy, but it closed down. I miss it sometimes when I am in Boulder around lunchtime. G and I went to the MG for Thanksgiving just a couple of months ago (excellent roast turkey!), and I've been there for brunch and lunch at least twice since then. 

This time, we met three friends for dinner on a Friday night. The mall where it is located, at Forest Park Circle and Arapahoe, with four restaurants that were open for dinner, was hopping, and the parking situation was insane! Most of us ended up parking out on the street a little distance away. It was nice to see such a lively scene. We walked into the MG at 6 p.m. and did not have to wait for a table, but half an hour later, there would have been at least a short wait. One thing I liked, being moderately hard of hearing, was that the noise level was not too bad even with a full house.

Here's what we ate! From the "Brinner" menu, one dining companion ordered the vegetarian migas (eggs, green chilies, tomato, vegetarian chorizo, and crispy tortilla chips) with a side of french fries and a side salad, which was reported to be tasty. Two people ordered the hand-made seasoned beef sirloin burger and said it was delicious. G had the black and blue tuna (with sauteed spinach, shiitake, and onions, mashed potatoes, and bleu cheese) and enjoyed it very much. I am still on a restricted carb intake, so I tried the steak with rainbow vegetables and asked to double the veggies and leave off the mashed potatoes. I also had to leave off the blue cheese sauce, but there is an espresso spice rub that I said they could leave on. I ended up scraping most of this off because I didn't care for the texture, but the flavor was nice, and the meat was very good. 

The MG staff do not flinch at special requests! They were very kind and efficient considering how busy they were. Note that the MG has many GF and vegetarian/vegan options and emphasizes fresh, organic ingredients. I know several people who swear that their GF pancakes (the only kind they serve) beat most regular pancakes.

Vegetarian migas with a side of fries and a side salad

Black and blue tuna

Burger no. 1

Burger no. 2

Me with my steak and rainbow veggies

SBRRP installment 8: Tacos Aya Yay

Many of you already know and love this place, as is evidenced by its appearance in fifth place on this list of "the best Mexican restaurants in the US, according to Yelp" (based on a Yelp algorithm that ranks user reviews). We had not been there before, but we knew it would get very busy around dinnertime, so we went at 5 p.m. on Sunday night and happened to hit a relatively quiet moment (though as we arrived, someone was leaving with a huge takeout order). There isn't a lot of seating inside, and it is all counter seating along the walls and front windows. We managed to find two chairs next to Freddy and Tyler (whom we were meeting for the first time) and had a nice chat with them about the food here as well as the general Lafayette/Boulder County restaurant scene. Freddy, who works in the restaurant business himself, said Tacos Aya Yay is his local favorite and noted that the line is sometimes out the door.

Although I initially thought that I should order tacos, I ended up trying the taco torta with chicken instead--this is a torta with the addition of beans and possibly some other ingredients. It was delicious, with tender shredded chicken, cheese, and very nice flavors. G had a burrito with asada and chorizo and liked it very much too. We washed the food down with horchata and considered ordering more after we finished, but we were too full, so we will have to go back. I'm sorry I didn't photograph the menu because the online versions I found (on sites that post menu photos) are out-of-date, and I don't think there is an official online menu--but it has all the standard taqueria options plus some. Freddy and Tyler both said the barbacoa is one of their favorites, so that is on my list for next time.

It was hard to photograph the food, as all the good stuff was inside the bun.

I couldn't really show all the deliciousness inside the burrito either. But G said it was excellent. 

I took away half so I could show the inside of the torta.

The inside space, with counter seating along the walls. There are a few more seats around the corner to the left and along the front window.

From the outside

SBRRP installment 4: Off-Campus Café

Off-Campus Café is NOT on South Boulder Road, but I had to include a couple of outliers that are on the south end of town and are not near any other restaurants. This place is just south of the medical complex on Campus Drive. It's popular with people who work on the campus, and I have heard others mention it as a favorite breakfast and lunch spot (it closes at 2:30 on weekdays and 2:00 on weekends). We had never been there before, and we decided to go for breakfast, which they serve until 11. We arrived at 10 a.m., which was a nice quiet time on a Friday morning. 

 We were all very pleased with our food. Our dining companion ordered "The Usual Suspect," a traditional Benedict with ham and an English muffin with hash browns on the side. I ordered the "KGB" Benedict, with house-made smoked salmon on potato-leek latkes with chives and hollandaise, topped with roasted pickled beets and with a house-made biscuit on the side. I think the jam might have been house-made too. This was an amazing dish! The latkes stayed crisp even under the eggs. I wonder how they do that? The salmon was tender, and the beets were a nice flavor note. G ordered French toast (maple nutmeg brioche with cinnamon and orange) with a side of bacon. The server told us the brioche is made by a local bakery, and G said it was delicious. We all ate everything on our plates, which is a testimonial to how good it was. We'll be back to try the lunch menu and more breakfast options!

Action shot of G walking in

Traditional Benedict with hash browns

French toast (maple nutmeg brioche) with bacon

"KGB" Benedict: potato latkes, house-made smoked salmon, poached eggs, hollandaise, roasted pickled beets. Amazing! House-made biscuit on the side.

The steam wasn't really pink, but I thought the effect was fun. I liked the round Off-Campus Cafe mugs. 

This says it all--backward.

SBRRP installment 3: Taqueria La Esperanza (CLOSED)

Update January 2023: This place closed after a fire in August 2022. I'm sad because we really liked it.

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Another place we have never been on account of tending to stick to the north side of town. We drew this one out of the jar and then decided whether to go for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as it is open for all three (8-8 Mon-Fri, 9-7 Sat-Sun). We decided to head over for a late-Saturday-morning breakfast. When we arrived about 10:15, we were the only customers, but several other groups came in right behind us. We liked the diner atmosphere with the checkered floor and the chugging drink mixers on the counter--and there are quite a few tables, as the space is larger than I would have guessed from the outside.

G ordered the enchiladas (cheese) topped with two eggs, and I got the huevos rancheros. Both of our meals came with rice and beans, a little lettuce, and small scoops of sour cream and guacamole, and mine also had chorizo fried with jalapenos and onions. I asked for scrambled eggs, and they were topped with green chile and had a tortilla on the side. We both liked our meals. The green chile was on the mild side with just a little heat, but there is a salsa bar with options ranging from mild to hot if you want to try different flavors and spiciness levels. After photographing the drink mixers, I got a cup of horchata (rice, milk, sugar--maybe cinnamon), and it was tasty. There is a large menu of taco, burrito, torta, and plate options, so we'll be back to try some other options.

Lots of menu choices! I was going to crop this tighter, but then I noticed that you can see me and a couple of other customers in the mirror at the bottom.

The counter

Horchata! Rice, milk, possibly a little cinnamon. I usually avoid sugary drinks but wanted to try one of the aguas frescas.

G's cheese enchiladas with eggs

Huevos rancheros (scrambled)

The salsa bar

PRRP installment 21: Tangerine

For our FINAL installment, we walked over to Tangerine, which opened not quite a month ago in the space at Public Road and Cannon that has been home to so many short-lived restaurants. When it first opened, it was Rocky Mountain Joe's, and in between (I'm sure I am missing some), I recall Pulcinella, Mataam Fez, Angelo's, and Apeizzo. Let's hope Tangerine has some staying power! It probably will because the one in Boulder is very popular, and this location has been busy since it opened. 

I ordered something I'd never tried before (having often been to the Boulder Tangerine), poached eggs over polenta with roasted local Hazel Dell mushrooms, charred asparagus, and pecorino romano cheese. It was different and delicious! G had the two-egg breakfast with bacon, potatoes, and toast and also enjoyed his meal. We were especially impressed by the homemade jams (blackberry and strawberry). 

The space is pleasant with lots of natural light, but it's also quite noisy. You might have to wait if you visit at the peak lunchtime or on a weekend, but at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, we got a table immediately.

G's bacon-and-egg breakfast and coffee

Roasted local Hazel Dell mushrooms and charred asparagus with poached eggs over polenta 

We didn't order any of these, but the menu looked appealing.

A nice bright interior, but noisy

Brightening this corner of Public Road

PRRP installment 20: Senor Gomez

We visited Senor Gomez for a midmorning weekday breakfast (actually last Tuesday, but it has taken me this long to get around to posting). We had never been there before, partly because it is only open for breakfast and lunch. When we first moved to Lafayette, it was still the Plum Tree, which we remember well because we could both eat dinner there for less than $10. I was also fond of its next incarnation, Nikko Cucina. We visited often because we loved the crusty Italian bread and the chocolate-hazelnut cake, but it only lasted a year or so. It might have been something else in between, but Senor Gomez has hung in there for a long time now. 

I had read reviews praising the green chile, so I got the huevos ranchero with the green chile on the side, just in case it was too hot for me (I tend to prefer medium-spicy). It was definitely hot, but not intolerably so, and it was delicious. G got the chilaquiles and ended up with a huge plate of food and leftovers to bring home. We liked the cozy booths and the sunny interior and even ran into some neighbors who were enjoying brunch in the next booth.

We liked the sunny space and cozy booths.

Huevos rancheros with green chile, and (background) chilaquiles

G's chilaquiles

PRRP installment 11: Deli-Cious Z's (CLOSED)

Update, June 2024: Deli-cious Z's closed permanently on May 31, 2024.

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We drew Deli-Cious Z's from our breakfast/lunch restaurant list, and it was true to its name: delicious! They serve breakfast and lunch all day (6:30-3:30). 

I had the Mountain Benedict, and G had the Big City Breakfast (steak and eggs with pancakes). The food was excellent, and I was pleased that they have decaf coffee, which some breakfast places don't bother to offer. You can add a donut to your order for 30 cents, and the donut was fresh and amazing. 

They were doing a steady business but were not full at 9:30 on a Saturday a.m. You order at the counter, but there is plenty of seating and nice morning sunlight from the east-facing windows. We heard the boy at the table next to us (age about 12) refer to the cinnamon French toast as "the epic gooeyness of epicness."

Our 30-cent add-on donut. I picked a cake donut, and it was awesome. 

Steak and eggs plus a pancake for G, and the Mountain Benedict for me. All delicious (or should I say "deli-cious"?).

The pastry case at Deli-cious Z's. I would like to try one of everything, please. 

PRRP installment 8: Santiago's

I put the remaining restaurant names into two containers, one for breakfast/lunch and one for dinner, and we drew Santiago's from the breakfast/lunch container, so we walked up at around lunchtime. Of course, they serve dinner, but we meant to try the breakfast. Next time! 

Of course we know Santiago's very well, but I have not been there for years (for no particular reason). G, however, goes often when I am not home for dinner. He usually gets the combo plate, so he tried something different this time. We hoped to order the breakfast burritos, but it turns out they stop serving them at 11 a.m., so we switched to the Indian tacos (pick two items off the burrito menu, and they pile them on crisp frybread and smother it with green chile). Mine had chicken and beans and half-and-half (mild/hot) green chile, which was just about right for someone who likes things medium-hot, and G's had carnitas and beans and hot green chile. They were delicious!