Dive Into the Fall Menu at Bakery Lorraine

by Rhonda Jenkins on November 6, 2020 in Food+Drink, Austin, San Antonio,
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Ever watched a squealing kid dive headlong into a huge pile of autumn leaves? 

Now get that same tingle of delight by jumping face first into the heady goodness that is Bakery Lorraine this season.

I’ll never forget the first time I had a macaron from Bakery Lorraine. It was Earl Grey flavor. The taste and the textures were utter perfection. Since then, the dainty, elegant confection and it’s beautiful signature box have been marked on my mind.

Everything you need from land and sea. A Salmon on Everything Croissant with caper and dill cream cheese, smoked salmon, pickled red onions, sunflower sprouts is part of Bakery Lorraine’s all day fall menu. Courtesy photo

Today, the French bakery originally created in San Antonio by chefs Anne Ng and Jeremy Mandrell along with Charlie Biedenharn has spread beyond the Alamo City and opened up in another location befitting its sunny cafe experience in the Rock Rose District of the Domain Northside in Austin. Among other local and national accolades, it was recently highlighted in Food and Wine’s 100 Best Bakeries in America and after our experience in Rock Rose, we can see why.

Our Top Picks from Bakery Lorraine’s Fall Menu

Macarons

Featured fall-flavored macarons  of Pumpkin Spice, Cereal Milk, PB&J, Zinfandel, Caramel Apple, Pistachio, Earl Grey and Raspberry. We love them all but cheers to the Zinfandel and Cereal Milk for ingenuity and fond memories.

Available at locations in San Antonio and Austin, Bakery Lorraine’s Honey Almond Tart buzzes seamlessly from summer into fall, featuring Gretchen Bee Ranch Texas honey atop toasted almonds and vanilla cream cake. Courtesy photo

Pastries 

So many heroes here, including the Pistachio Croissant – a twice-baked croissant with pistachio cream and toasted pistachios; the Everything Bagel Croissant – a flaky croissant rolled in everything bagel spice; and the Orange Cranberry Muffin – gluten-friendly and baked to a fluffy perfection.
And let’s hear it for the tarts: the Chocolate Pear Tart (vanilla poached pears baked in a rich, chocolate cream), the Honey Almond Tart (toasted almonds, vanilla cream and honey-drenched cake). Texas tip: that’s local Seguin honey, from our friends at Gretchen Bee Ranch.
How could we not love the Malted Chocolate Sandwich Cookie – malted milk chocolate ganache and dark cocoa shortbreads. Need we say more? (‘Cos we can!)

All Day

Both sweet and savory items are available all day to tempt you.  On the savory side, there’s the Frisée aux Lardons (with poached egg) and, our fave, the Blue Cheese & Arugula Tartine (baguette, blue cheese, dressed arugula, hazelnuts).

Available at the Bakery Lorraine location at Pearl in San Antonio, the Croque Madame on house-made sourdough has a poached egg smothered in a mornay sauce that would have Parisians singing. Courtesy photo

Weekends Only, All Locations

Top picks here are the Patty Melt (rye bread, mayo, comté cheese, caramelized onions) and the to-die-for French Toast (caramelized banana, maple buttercream, candied pecans, warm maple syrup). Deep frying gives it a nice crispness that doesn’t fall apart under the heavy layers of decadence placed on top. Be prepared to share.

Thanksgiving Pie pre-orders have also begun at Bakery Lorraine. Order online or in-store at any location. Choose from Roasted Pumpkin, Whiskey Pecan, Dutch Apple, and Apple Cranberry. The 9” pies are $26, and pickup day is Wednesday, 11/25, during regular business hours. Courtesy photo

Limited Release

Some of the new dinner items are available only at the Pearl in San Antonio location (Friday and Saturday evenings). But I’ve got to mention these two as they spoke to my Cajun roots: the Crème Brûlée and the Croque Madame (house-made sourdough, jambon, and a poached egg smothered in a mornay sauce that would have Parisians singing). 

Check the Bakery Lorraine website for locations, times, menu and carry-out options for the location you’re visiting.

Cover photo courtesy Bakery Lorraine

Rhonda Jenkins is a Cajun-rooted Louisiana transplant who lives in Georgetown, Texas with her haggle of children, grandchildren and a lab mix named Gizmo. She leads the team on the TLM Instagram @texaslifestylemagazine and you can find her on Instagram at @atxlovelist.