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34TH STREET Magazine February 13, 2013 Dining Guide
20
COFFEE BLISS AT CAFÉ L’AUBE
This Fairmount gem serves up the essential four C’s: croissants, croques, crepes and coffee
BY RYAN ZAHALKA | PHOTOS BY SARAH TSE
As I stepped into Café
l’Aube, the melancholy
notes of some
French love song ushered me
into the relaxed, charming–
in–a–lazy–way atmosphere
of a stereotypical French
cafe. The high, paneled ceiling,
simple nature–themed
decor and wall of floor–to–
ceiling people–watching windows
lent a vibe reminiscent
of the trendy modern cafes
one would find in Paris or
Quebec City. Though the atmosphere
is decidedly European,
the well–preserved but
cracked stained glass windows
and the colorful mural across
the street remind patrons
AQUA
Malaysian-Thai Cuisine
they are still in the heart of
historic Philadelphia.
On the wall opposite the
windows is Café l’Aube’s giant
menu, offering dozens
of varieties of savory and
sweet crepes, French–style
sandwiches and coffee. I ordered
a café au lait ($2.50),
the Parma sandwich ($9.25)
and the Madagascar crepe
sucrée ($7.95). Though its
milk was well frothed and
sweetened just right, the real
star of my café au lait was
its rich flavor profile. I had
heard great things about the
artful blends created by master
roaster and Café l’Aube
owner Jean–Luc Fanny, and
to my delight his coffee did
not disappoint. My café au
lait had a smooth blend of
earthy and nutty tones, with
a slight smokiness softened
by the added milk.
The Parma sandwich was a
classic baguette spread with
fig preserves and filled with a
hearty helping of creamy goat
Upstairs room available for private parties!
(215) 928-2838 705 Chestnut Street www.aquamalaysianthai.com
cheese and slices of sauccison
sec salami. The pairing of the
mild, tangy goat cheese with
the sweet, almost flowery fig
preserves was a match made
in the heaven–like gardens of
the Mediterranean. The buttery
texture of the Affinois–
style goat cheese also worked
well with the baguette’s crispy
crust. But while the salami’s
savory meatiness complimented
the goat cheese and
figs, its chewiness distracted
from the otherwise great
combination of textures, to
the point where I was pulling
out slices and eating them
separately.
On the recommendation
of the helpful barista, I tried
the Madagascar crepe sucrée,
a dessert crepe filled with vanilla,
cinnamon, maple syrup
and Grand Marnier. Though
I say "filled," it would be
more accurate to describe the
crepe as soaked in maple syrup
and Grand Marnier and
topped with vanilla and cin-
CAFÉ L’AUBE
Fairmount
1631 Wallace St.
(215) 235-2720
DON'T MISS: The in–house
roasted coffee.
SKIP: The Madagascar crepe.
$$$$
namon. It tasted like a crepe
should, avoiding the extremes
of pancake and “sweet tortilla.”
Unfortunately, the crepe
as a whole tasted only of cinnamon,
which drowned out
any contributions from the
vanilla, Grand Marnier and
even the maple syrup.
Although my crepe was
disappointing, the coffee at
Café l’Aube is reason enough
to return. Great coffee, authentic
sandwiches and a relaxed,
unhurried atmosphere
make Café l’Aube the perfect
study spot away from campus.
Did I mention they have
Wi–Fi?