It was a dark and stormy night…actually no, but it was the daytime equivalent. It was a sad, overcast day. There have been an innumerable amount of overcast, sad days. The sun barely shines through the thick layer of cloud. Too bad the clouds are not marshmallows, because that would be more pleasant.

This morning I found myself in the 10ème arrondissement, just a hop and skip from Canal Saint Martin, and a leisurely stroll from Place de la République. The 10th has character; I don’t know what it is exactly, but it’s got a vibe of its own. Quirky, even. I have heard that this is a “hipster” neighborhood, but nowadays, I guess that could mean anything.

Based on my excel sheet of possible Paris adventures, the 10th doesn’t have much (I made five notes). If I am wrong, please send suggestions! The sole purpose of my trek was to taste a croissant from Du Pain et Des Idées, which sounded promising. They have one a handful of awards, and been given the title of “world’s best croissant.” By whose authority? Not sure. But I have to say, I was mighty disappointed.

As we know, I have a certain criteria for a good croissant. Crispy, crunchy outside that shatters into butter shards when bitten. An inside that is feathery, buttery, bubbly, and chewy. While soft, the croissant from DPDI was not quite crispy enough nor was it feathery enough. It did shatter when bitten, but not in beautiful, glossy flakes. It was more like butter crumbs. Small buttery crumbs. The interior was not very bubbly (the croissants themselves are rather short) and more bread-y, if you will.

While the croissant was a disappointment, I did have luck with the chausson aux pommes, or apple turnover. The texture was similar to that of the croissant, but the half-apple filling made it quite pleasing. Not too sweet, incredibly gentle. I’d eat it again.

I’ll also be updating this post as I taste my way down the pastry line — the escargot (pastry kind) looked incredible and I’m wanting to go back to try it!