My wife and I were in San Diego for an overnight stay. We had one more meal before we headed back to LA and I was determined to find something that we would enjoy. I did a search using the hotel address and I was thrilled to find Le Parfait Paris, a French restaurant in the Gaslamp District.
Le Parfait Paris is a patisserie and boulangerie. Like many restaurants, they expanded their operations outside occupying part of the sidewalk. They also created a street barrier for additional seating. I was happy that our seats were on the sidewalk as it felt like we were on a sidewalk cafe in Paris.
The mimosa kit is a terrific idea and a fantastic deal. An ice bucket is delivered to your table with a bottle of sparkling wine and choice of two different french handcrafted fruit juices by Alain Milliat. If you want to impress your date, be sure to order this kit. It’s priced at only $19.95.
Quiche Lorraine is a classic French dish and you rarely see it on a menu anymore. American chefs have morphed this dish with asparagus, ham, zucchini, and an assortment of different ingredients. The quiche was perfectly made, fluffy, and included bacon, french imported gruyere, and nutmeg.
After last night’s meal at Valentina, I didn’t feel like stuffing myself again. While the Croque Madame is what I would typically order, I selected Pain Perdu (french toast). The dish is beautifully arranged with the french toast dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with a raspberry sauce. Housemade whipped cream and maple syrup is included.
Other items on the menu that caught my attention include ratatouille breakfast sandwich, croque madame, and an avocado and goat cheese sandwich on multigrain bread. Order the cheese and charcuterie plate for the quintessential French experience.
After our brunch, we visited the bakery inside and ordered some croissants, macarons and a crème brûlée. Our daughter enjoyed macarons and immediately wolfed them down nodding in approval. The regular croissant is flakey and made with a lot of butter. Chocolate sauce is drizzled on the chocolate croissant to amplify the chocolate experience.
Le Parfait Paris, 555 G Street, San Diego, CA 92101; 619.245.4457
Other locations: Liberty Public Market and Mission Valley
leparfaitparis.com