After receiving a quick education in Swedish candy on rue des Martyrs in Paris, including an introduction to salted licorice, I decided to continue along this street and go for a late lunch.  Rue des Martyrs, about a half of a mile long, begins at the church of Notre Dame de Lorette and winds uphill toward Montmartre.  From one end to the next, it’s chock full of gastronomic delights.  There’s Käramell at #15, the Swedish sweets shop where I began, Arnaud Delmontel at #39 with his irreproachable Renaissance baguette, for which he was awarded Paris’ best baguette of 2007, and a restaurant on my to-try list, Miroir at #94.  I stopped well before that though, at #46, a spot filled with organic produce, delicious British desserts and plenty of Anglophones.

That would be Rose Bakery, a casual tea salon/epicerie/café, opened in 2002 by Rose Carrarini (English) and her French husband Jean-Charles. It’s perfect for a light lunch, a bag of crispy granola, a cup of tea and a scone, or a slice of carrot cake.  I was especially hoping for the latter, but got there too late.  Not only do they stop serving at 4pm, but that carrot cake is a hot item, their best seller along with the fruit crumble.  Kath, the manager, told me to call in the morning and they’d gladly put a slice aside for me, should I be passing by in the late afternoon like I did.  I might just have to do that the next time.  

 

Seeing the disappointment on my face, Kath reassured me that the “guys in the kitchen were real excited about how the sticky toffee pudding came out.”  Didn’t take much to talk me into ordering it.  And they had all reason to be excited – warmed up, it was plenty sticky and sweet and made me forget the carrot cake for sure.  Not only did I forget about the carrot cake, but I forgot about lunch.  A small menu that changes daily included curry cauliflower as the soup of the day, butternut risotto, an omelet, a tart, a “pizzette” and a plate of crudités.  I read all of that while devouring the pudding.  

Next time I might just have to try the bakery’s savory side, especially if I go to their new address in the 3rd arrondissement.  The very same day I had my Sticky Toffee Pudding in the 9th arrondissement, on October 28th, a second Rose Bakery opened with a Japanese chef in charge of the kitchen – the same concept as the original, but a new twist on the plat du jour.

Tags: British, France, Paris, Restaurant