Carb Your Enthusiasm

We went to the beach over the long weekend in spite of the iffy weather, and Laura packed this kick-ass picnic which included boursin, cured meats, pate and the BEST. BREAD. EVER. I seriously have not stopped thinking about this bread since Friday. So when I dropped by Soho for dinner last night, I immediately texted her for the bakery's address, only to be told that the place closes pretty early. Thank God for iPhones, because I speed-Googled the bakery and saw ten minutes to spare on the clock, so I bounded across Staunton Street and up Aberdeen Street until I reached Bo-lo'gne Bakery.


And almost stopped in my tracks when I saw $18 for two slices. $9 for one slice of bread? It's highway robbery! My pauper's bread only costs $3.5 for four slices! You can tell that I was aggravated by my rampant! use! of! exclamation! marks!

But then I remembered the soft, flaky crust... the butter-infused goodness of it all and the juicy sheen it leaves on your fingers. I envisioned a large chunk of butter oozing through the folds and penetrating every orifice... I started picturing all the different condiments -- the mayos, the meats, the mustards -- and then I decided to stop having a private porn show in my head in front of strangers, and picked up the six-slice package for $53.

Now if you aren't going to take my word for it, I'll go ahead and tell you why this bread is so desirable. This Japanese mom-and-pop shop once had four-day waiting lists when they first opened, so good is this bread, and the so-called "Danish pastry" features 81 folds, which contributes to its croissant-like texture. Apparently if you go during the day, there are lunch treats like Katsu sandwiches or jam spreads. And if you order enough dough (a full loaf is $105, for example) they will even deliver it right to your door, so you never even have to leave your couch.

Images: Shamelessly poached from OpenRice.