Loved the ambiance! Very homey but chic. Hardwood floors, wicker chairs and sink-into-me couches lend to the “Come and stay” atmosphere. There's even a rope hammock!
With the choice of just stopping by in the café or sitting down for a meal, Maison Marcel offers all the lovely bakery and breakfast flavours that France has to offer. A gleaming counter filled with decadent desserts and pastries catches your eye as soon as you walk through the door. Friendly and attentive staff greeted me and soon had me seated. I recommend do making a reservation. They can accommodate walk-ins but the restaurant’s popularity will make that difficult at certain times.
Not long after settling in, I had a perfectly made cappuccino in front of me, all frothy and yummy. The fact that I could sip it straight away told me that the restaurant had a great barista. I hate coffee that's too hot! It means they’ve burnt the beans and of course, it affects the taste.
I ordered the Smoked Salmon Tartine (pieces of smoked salmon with herbed cream cheese atop house made triangles of pain de mie toast with a side of mixed greens and apple salad) which was divine. The pain de mie was so soft, fluffy with the lightest, crispiest crust I’ve tasted in a long time. The 4 triangles, along with the salad made sure that I was pretty full. But not full enough not to indulge in a couple of macarons!
Now here comes one Maison Marcel's flaw. I ordered one Nutella and one Salted Caramel macaron. The Nutella was perfect – it crumbled perfectly and it was all gooey and soft. The crust on the Salted Caramel was already tough, indicating that it wasn't fresh. But this is just being picky now. I could not fault the flavour of either one. They were both wonderfully delicious.
All in all, my morning at Maison Marcel was lovely. It was so refreshing just to take a break from the week's hustle and bustle, and just unwind. Yes, it's a little pricey for a breakfast place but, the quality of the food, the service and the overall feel of the restaurant made paying the bill quite worth it.