UWS - Epicerie Boulud: New baguette (and banh mi) option
This European-style stand-up at a table or take-out place has just about everything: charcouterie, cheese, espresso, sausages, meals, bakery, desserts, etc.
According to the manager, mostly everything is house-made at the Boulud commissary downtown.
The baguette is quite good and is what's served at all the Boulud restaurants. It is only available for sale, however, at this location. It is crispy and dense and chewy and a worthy and much needed addition to the city's baguette market. (I have not yet tried Maison Kayser, btw)
They even serve a banh mi made with grilled Thai sausage and French pate. Although I'm leery of non-authentic banh mi, I have to say it was surprisingly good. It would have been even better had it not been overly dressed with a somewhat watery "jalapeno mayonaise".
Even the cappuccino hit the mark.
Will definitely return to try more items, including the ice creams and some delectable-looking breads.
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I've tried the banh mi at EB; it works as a hot dog, but it doesn't really have much in common with its namesake.
The pate doesn't contribute much, the baguette is inappropriately dense, there's no cilantro and the pickled daikon and carrot are plopped on ice-cream-headache-cold.
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re: Skillet Licker
Of the sandwiches I find the cubano (again not authentic) to be the real stand out. If you come in the late afternoon/early evening they also have an oyster bar operating back there where the sausages are which is nice. I was not too impressed with the merguez that I got and prepared at home by the way.
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