Claus - the Parisian destination for breakfast (1st arr.)
Claus, la maison du petit-déjeuner (photo credit Claus). The name says it all! A place in the centre of Paris dedicated to serving good quality breakfast 7 days a week. Not only that, they also have a delicatessen across the road offering their lovely produce and other high quality stockists to take home. And...drum roll!..they are opening in a third location soon! I should have known better than just to turn up.. There was a long queue when I arrived but it was worth the wait. Next time I'll certainly be booking in advance!
So who is Claus? Claus Estermann was born in Germany in a family of hoteliers. Apprenticeships in the catering business and later the fashion world brought him to Paris where he spotted a gap in the market: breakfast! The meal of the day that is revered in Germany and in Nothern countries in general is only catching on in Paris in the recent years, mainly in the form of brunch. Claus' offering promises a wide range of dishes: "müeslis, granolas, yogurts, breakfast bowls, jams, breads, egg dishes, roesti with homemade smoked salmon, salads, homemade pastries, Viennese pastries, fine teas, organic coffees, etc." As my mornings are the time of relative freedom, I called up my friend Sam and made her my partner to the crime of stuffing our faces for the day.
The space is warm and welcoming with clean lines, white and pastel colours and gentle music playing in the background generating a charming and calming ambience. It is quite spacious (especially the area upstairs) and you can definitely swing a stroller but I would not recommend coming here with a toddler, unless they are of the angelic kind. The service is efficient (hooray!), polite and considerate and the staff speak perfect english.
Obviously my focus was on the sweet treats on offer which proved to be a tough choice. I mean how do you choose between scones, chocolate cake, carrot cake, lemon cake, financier au matcha (yum!), biscuits, palet breton (buttery cookies from Brittany) and pancakes? So me and Sam decided to divide and conquer in order to maximise our mirth (we were already giddy like little girls in a candy store). We went for scones with figs and cream and the specialty pancakes bavarois with apples and almonds.
The scones were crumbly and buttery as they were supposed to be, taking us for a trip down memory lane; memories of home that is. The homemade jam was truly stunning, flavourful with real fruit and not too sweet. But the pancake was the real surprise (already cut in the photo as we couldn't wait). I've never had a bavarian pancake before and I now know I was truly missing out. It was a fluffy and crunchy dream served straight from the oven, making the smell of caramel even more enticing. It was adorned with thin slices of apples and a generous helping of sliced almonds. I would highly recommend it if good pancakes make your day. Oh! And I forgot to mention the good coffee and tea on offer.
And once you are done with breakfast, you are left hankering for all these treats to take home and recreate the magic so it was inevitable that we crossed the street to visit the deli. If only breakfast was like that every morning!
Claus is a brilliant place to visit for breakfast or brunch with a girlfriend. Excellent quality goods in a comforting and calm ambience with friendly service. Just remember to call and book in advance!
Address:
14, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau 75001 Paris
http://www.clausparis.com/
Metro: Louvre - Rivoli or Pyramides or Les Halles
Reservations +33 1 42 33 55 10
Opening times:
Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm - kitchen open from 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 9:30 am to 5 pm - open kitchen from 9:30 am to 3 pm
Photo credit: all photos are mine unless otherwise stated