The County’s Best Croissants
Many consider the croissants at the original Chaupain Artisan French Bakery to be the county’s best: fabulously flaky, crazy buttery, audibly crisp, altogether exuberant. Now Sami Ellouze and his wife, Sarah, present those golden crescents at Newport Hills Shopping Center. You’ll also find sweet and savory versions at the new Chaupain, plus pastries such as eclairs, millefeuilles and tarts — and baguettes, too. There is always a baked good out for sampling, and, Sami notes, “If it’s your first time here, we give you something for free.”
A chic café complements the bakery. Breakfast options include quiche in several styles, Tunisian-style shakshuka eggs and a top-sirloin breakfast sandwich. Lunch stars a Parisian sandwich — with French-style ham, porchetta, saucisson, gruyere cheese and baby arugula on toasted whole wheat demi-baguette — and chef Christopher Reischl’s not-to-be-missed lamb sandwich with melted raclette cheese. Salads and sandwiches are intended for easy grab-and-go. There’s catering, too: Consider a mini-pastry platter for a meeting or elaborate Black Angus short rib Bourguignon for 12 or more at home.
“Our employees make products you can celebrate,” Ellouze says. “They treat people with respect and a smile. Our logo is a wheat stalk turning into a heart in a circle. This is who we are as a company.”