New Orleans, Louisiana
Signature Dish: Croissants
Located in the northern part of New Orleans' French Quarter, this little bakery provides pastries, quiche, king cake, and a variety of coffee products. When we arrived on a Saturday morning at 8:30am, the line was starting to go out the door. The clientele seemed to be primarily locals but there was a spattering of dorky camera-packin' tourists like us. The croissant selection included plain, apple, cherry, raspberry, chocolate, and almond. There was ample indoor seating but the dining preference was in the interior patio. This is where a fountain could be found, highlighted by a statue of child urinating with a steady adult-sized, post-beer-drinking stream.
The baked goods were indeed savory. Urban Spoon had this place listed among the top bakeries in New Orleans. Frommers says it is "highly recommended". Most ratings had this at four-and-a-half out of five stars and it was sometimes noted as the best bakery in the area. Although the service was merely average (something I had come to expect from most French Quarter dives) the croissants were flaky and tasty beyond what is expected from such a simple pastry. We tried the plain, apple and almond. Almond was my favorite. But don't be shy about trying some of the other treats. The spinach quiche was great, with a rich, crunchy crust and perfectly contrasting fluffy egg filling. The cafe au lait was among the best in New Orleans - and among the best values at the price. We have to say, when you're in New Orleans, be sure to stop by Croissant D'Or for a quick breakfast with one of their famed croissants and a locally famous cafe au lait.
