Pascade in the 2nd: good enough; no better.

5.7 Pascade, 14, rue Daunau (you remember Harry's American Bar which helpfully helps you to find it by writing "SANK ROO DOE NOO" on its window) in the 2nd (Bus: 95), closed weekends, 01.42.60.11.00, recently opened by Alexandre Bourdas of the famed SaQuaNa in Honfleur.  It serves pascades and pascades only - and while others describe them as crepes, they are not, they're halfway between a crepe and a quiche.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had invited my favorite cookbook writer/critic/blogger/friend/pal to dejeune here shortly after her arrival from NYC and she called at 11 AM - "John, I can't do it; I'm jetlagged; I'm crushed; forgive me."  Me "Ah, come-on, buck-up, brush your teeth, throw on some clothes, I'll be there at 12:30 with or without you."  Her "No I cannot, I'm sorry."

I walk in at 12:29 and at 12:31 in she waltzes, fresh as a rose.  The place is midway between an 18th Century Auberge and 22nd Century space ship with rough cloth napkins and stone walls but cool holes in the tables for metal cylinders of cutlery and a really friendly hip staff.  Carte.  OK, all pascades, which I haven't had in 25 years, savory and sweet - cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She orders the pascade with cod, spinach, lime, coriander and sea parsley and I that with ham, endives, garlic and lettuce.  Pretty damn good, except I found the pascade pastry too sweet (as have others) while she, a Breton-Normandy girl, did not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For dessert we shared a pascade with truffle cream (so light that I, a truffle detester, didn't object) and 20 other ingredients (again I follow others who feel they pile on too many things in each production) and with our two coffees, chocolate from Ghana, Ghana?  You got it, they couldn't find anything in our neighbors' (Belgium, Switzerland, Italy) stores?   Hummmm.  But you've gotta agree that the presentation was super.

Our bill, with a bottle of Fitou, really interesting roll-ettes and coffee - was 79 E.

Go?   It's pretty good as I say, but I don't think Colette will cotton to the sweetish pastry.

Comments

[Janet]

Hi John,
I had an excellent dinner at SaQuaNa in Honfleur a year ago, and one of the amuses was this sweet pascade, presented plain by itself. It was delicious, but surprised me how sweet it was, especially at the front of the meal. This appears to be a typical Normand specialty, but I am still wondering why a sweet crepe is served among savoury courses, and if this is something which a viable business can be created from? Do you think people will embrace this and want to return?
Cheers,
Janet

[Almudena]

I'm curious to taste cocoa from Belgium, Switzerland and Italy, they must have delicious terroir for Theobroma cacao in the Valais...

[Ptipois]

Nah, the best terroir for Theobroma cacao is in the Belgian Ardennes. Ghana imports it from there, but shhhhh!

[Ptipois]

Janet: pascade is not a Norman specialty, its origin is the Aveyron, South of Auvergne. And it is not really sweet, it has a hint of sweetness.