Monday 10 October 2011

CLOSED: La Table Exquise- Bed Stuy's Best Kept Secret

This establishment is unfortunately no longer in operation.

La Table Exquise's Weekend Special French Toast: so good it should be illegal.
$5 per portion, or unlimited amounts (yes!) with the $19 Sunday brunch buffet


All-you-can-eat slider burgers served hot on homemade brioche, as many omelettes as you want cooked to your liking, a huge spread of salads and grilled wings and cereal and quiche and rolls and pastries AND juice and coffee and tea and to top it all off, endless heaps of buttery, caramelised, so-good-I-could-die French toast... all for $19, at a shop two minutes walk from where I've ended up living.

Holy wow. What a welcome to New York City, bless you foodie guardian angel!

I apologise dear readers that it has taken me a month to post any updates- since my arrival life in this new city has proven intense, exciting, exhausting and inspiring all at once, with my course at the Actors Studio Drama School living up to its notorious reputation of being tough and challenging (hence the lack of time for blogging). I assure you though that I have been doing my duty to eat as much as possible (ha!), and although I should be doing my homework I simply HAVE to share this little gem with all New Yorkers out there.

La Table Exquise- 370 Tompkins Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Tel: 347-663-6066


"Do or Die Bed-Stuy" is the last place you'd expect to find French baking at its best, but I am not kidding when I say this little nondescript joint is home to the flakiest croissants and pain au chocolat as well as the most sublime desserts (5-layer chocolate cake anyone?) that you can get your hands on. The 11am-4pm all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch also redefines the meaning of "buffet"- far from being a way for restaurants to use up the week's leftovers, mega-talented Chef Sebastien whips up hot omelettes, slider burgers on cute little baby brioche buns and that unbelievable French toast using his own homemade baguettes at your demand.

The menu varies from time to time, but if you love good grub La Table Exquise is a must-try. Go go go, before the crowds find out.

My brunch buffet plate- serving number one :)


Chef Sebastien's alluring dessert cabinet- selection varies daily.
Prices range from $1 (for chocolate mousse cups) to $4

The sublime 5-layer chocolate cake- $4


Profiterole with hazelnut cream (chocolate eclair and pistachio pear tart in the background)

Croissants and pain au chocolat, piping hot from the oven- $2.75 each


La Table Exquise- 370 Tompkins Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216
(Nearest station: Nostrand Avenue, Kingston-Throop Aves)
Tel: 347-663-6066