Le Pain Quotidien

Solía ser mejor. El servicio lento y el café frío y malo. Los bollos estaban más logrados al principio. Una pena que caiga en calidad …
Sus espacios me encantan y sus panes siguen siendo tan buenos como antes!

Mi madre descubrió Le Pain Quotidien en un viaje a NY y volvió enamorada. Alguna que otra vez nos ha cuadrado el desayuno por la zona y hemos ido para allí. El café me gusta bastante y se agradece que la taza sea más bien un bol (por tamaño).
Sólo he probado dulce y todo ha estado bastante bueno.
Me quedo con la decoración, que es muy bonito y simple, y que me parece un sitio muy completo en cuanto a variedad-​oferta.

We come to this Belgian chain a little more often than I’d like to admit. It’s just that on a chilly winter day, Le Pain Quotidien is always so cozy with its rustic wooden beams, softly glowing votives, and loaves of fresh bread piled for sale. It also seems to be one of the only places open when regular Spanish restaurants close post-​siesta/​pre-​dinner (from around 4 to 8) or during religious holidays.
Like other Pain Quotidiens, the Velázquez location incorporates a long communal table into its décor which can accomodate more than twenty people at one time. I’ve always enjoyed this arrangement — communal dining can be surprisingly intimate, as people lean in to exchange quiet conversation. And there is something homey about asking a complete stranger if they wouldn’t mind passing the salt. However, there are also a number of more conventional two and four-​person tables nestled into the niches of the L-​shaped space.
In general, Pain Quotidien excels in moderately-​priced brunch options — baked goods, quiche, soup, hearty salads, and open-​faced sandwiches. The ingredients are always fresh and the Spanish menu incorporates a few local specialties such as jamon iberico and Spanish cheeses into the chain’s classic offerings. On the weekends, they also offer fondue (which I’m hoping to try very soon!).