Bakery Nouveau - sometimes it's the little things that matter most.
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These days when searching for food online the same places often pop up over and over again. I tend to view them with suspicion, not because they are not good, but because it’s so easy to overlook obscure eateries in favor of the usual suspects. But sometimes good press means that a place is, indeed, really good. And Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle is one of those, as I discovered when I wandered in to see what the fuss was about. It’s just a small glass front and single door, so easy to pass by unnoticed along the Alaska Junction block where this little place sits. But the typical line outside leading down the sidewalk suggests there is more to it than meets the eye.
Inside, Bakery Nouveau feels a little like a Parisian bakery. One side of the narrow shop is lined with a glass counter, behind which is a wall lined with shelves holding baskets of fresh-baked loaves, baguettes, boules and other golden-hued goods. Beneath the glass counter are croissants, slices of cakes and a variety of pastries. Along the other side of the shop are a few small cafe tables and little else. The no-frills decor immediately appealed to me.
As one who is easily intimidated by the science of baking, it’s hard for me to describe what differentiates pretty good bread from really great bread. But like pornography, while I may not be able to explain it well, I know it when I see it. And at Bakery Nouveau it is clear. After sampling some of the goods before I learned of owner and master baker William Lehman’s accomplishments I knew the crew in the kitchen was legit. Makes sense, really — he’s been creating his assortment of pastries and breads at his original location in West Seattle for more than 20 years, and has expanded to three stores around the city. During that time he has accumulated a wide range of local, national and international baking awards for his outstanding skill, including being a James Beard semi-Finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2013. In other words, the guy is the real deal and well respected in the baking world. And for good reason.
Take his ever-popular Twice-Baked Almond Croissant; a thing of gustatory legend. Almost triangular in shape, its light pastry envelops a dollop of whipped almond cream before the golden crust is coated with slivered almonds and dusted with powdered sugar. The flaky dough compresses upon biting, exuding a clean, almond-y flavor and moistness that feels silky and elegant in the mouth. It seems almost wrong to walk out of the little bakery without at least two of them — assuming you get there before they sell out, which they always do.
An almost equal partner in the lineup of baked attention-getters, the Chocolate Croissant is a work of art that compels the eye as much as the palate. Layers of pastry nestle atop one another like the pages of a book. It is then streaked ever so lightly in chocolate on a paper-thin pastry lattice. A gentle pull eases the croissant apart into delicate layers, revealing a surprise chocolate core inside. Its appearance is beautiful; its flavor sublime.
There is such a selection of specialty breads here as well as more common loaves and baguettes that are uncommonly good. But my flour-and-water weakness relates to savory items such as hand pies. Like the Ham and Cheese Croissant: a square meat pie with French baked characteristics. From the flaky delicate layers of perfect dough to the excellent ham and melted Swiss cheese and smoked mozzarella blended light-handedly with a homemade bechamel. The mouth feel is delicate and soft while at the same time delivering big flavors and savory goodness.
Bakery Nouveau may be small in size, but the quality of goods found in that narrow little store are big in flavor and baking expertise. And while bread and pastries may seem like a small thing within the context of a day, it is often those small things that define the difference between good and great. And a baked masterpiece of dough from Bakery Nouveau is one of those things that will put a smile on your face and make any day a little better.
Bakery Nouveau, 4737 California Ave SW, West Seattle
