Category: Bakery

Croissant Files – Christophe Rull Patisserie (San Marcos)

Bakery, Croissants

A few days ago “FOY” Kenneth sent me an email regarding a new patisserie opening in North County that had potentially good croissants named Christophe Rull. Funny thing, a day later the Missus mentioned seeing something about a new bakery in San Marcos on Social Media. After checking a bit, I found that the owner is a bit of a celebrity having been on Netflix and Food Network shows. Well, it seemed like a bit of a drive…..but I decided to check the place out.

Man, I hadn’t been in this part of San Marcos in a while. The shop is located in the new North City development with several large apartment complexes; some of which are still being built. I found parking in the multi-story parking structure and headed on down looking for the bakery. This area seems to be developing into it’s own little 15-minute city. Exiting the parking structure, I quickly noticed the bakery across the street.

Even though the bakery was quite busy, the street were quiet, giving it a bit of a laid back feel. Every table indoors was taken, though there was no line at the counter.

The menu featured coffee drinks, croissant sandwiches, French style baguette sandwiches, which reminded me of Jambon Beurre, like we get in Paris.

The breakfast pastry prices seemed to skew on the higher end. Of course, I was basically only looking for one thing.

I ended up getting myself a croissant ($6.50) and Kouign Amann ($7.50) and a Dulce de Leche Cruffin ($7.00) for the Missus. All packed in an interesting bag.

Once home, I immediately tucked into the croissant.

You can tell by the color….yes, it seemed a bit under baked, the laminate a bit dull, though the ridges were fairly crisp.

The interior was decently honey-combed, but still a bit on the doughy – “wetter” side. The fragrance was quite nice.

Just mildly buttery….I prefer more butteriness, but it just seems like lack of butter in croissants is a San Diego thing. Decent salt, but also a bit sweeter than I enjoy.

Overall, not in my “top three” for San Diego, but much better than the last two places I tried.

The Missus did enjoy the Dulce de Leche Cruffin more than the Kouign Amann which had not held up well until the evening. She did say that both pastries were on the doughy side.

Overall, not worth the 50 miles round trip……though perhaps if I lived in that 15 minute neighborhood I’d drop by once in a while. And I do think that $6.50 for a croissant is on the high side.

So there you go! Another one in the books! Thanks for mentioning this place Kenneth!

Christophe Rull Patisserie
251 N City Dr. Suite 121
San Marcos, CA 92078
Current Hours:
Tues – Fri 7am – 3pm
Sat – Sun 8am – 4pm
Closed on Monday

Road Trip – Himalayan Restaurant, Sister My Sister Bake Shop, Alpine Pedal Path Trail, and Boulder Bay Park (Big Bear)

Bakery, Indian Restaurants, Nepalese/Himalayan Food, Road Trip, San Bernadino County, CA, Travel

I really enjoyed the view of Big Bear Lake from our patio at the Marina Riviera.

I found it so serene and relaxing.

We soon headed on out, stopping at Sister My Sister Bake Shop for some coffee and for something small for breakfast.

It’s a cute little bakery, designed for takeout.

Looking for something more savory, I got the Bacon Cheddar Chive Scone ($5.25) to go.

Sister My Sister Bake Shop
40191 Big Bear Blvd.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

We then back tracked thru downtown Big Bear, crossing the lake on the Stanfield Cutoff, finding parking alongside the Alpine Pedal Path. Which was on the opposite side of the lake from where we were staying. We sat on one of the benches and enjoyed the view.

While I had my hefty, dense scone.

I enjoyed the fact that the scone, even though quite dense, wasn’t overly dry.

Once finished, we set off on the paved path. I know it was somewhat too easy for the Missus, but I really enjoyed the view.

And the round trip was 5.3 miles. Enough for a nice morning.

Eventually, you end up around some campgrounds and a forested area.

And at the Big Bear Solar Observatory, which we could see from our hotel across the lake, we turned around and headed back.

We drove back to the Marina Riviera, parked and decided to look for a place to have an early lunch.

For some reason, She was attracted to Himalayan Restaurant, which had a back patio that’s dog friendly.

So, we got a table. The gentleman who served us was very friendly. And when he found out that we were from San Diego, he told us that he used to work at Himalayan Cuisine in La Mesa! Which is why we ended up visiting upon returning to San Diego.

The Missus saw several dishes that appealed to Her, starting with the Rogan Josh.

Man, that lamb was so tender, but still gamey enough to enjoy. We loved the complex spices and earthy tones and it did have a bit of heat to it.

We also got the Okra dish….which seemed like a version of Bhindi Masala. This actually had some decent spice as well.

We enjoyed the “neba neba” of the okra, which even presented a bit of sweetness; the acidity of the tomatoes, and the pungent and earthy tones from the spices.

Both dishes went well with the crisp, but tender naan.

And we even had some rice….nice and fragrant, fulfilling our carbs for the rest of the week!

The Missus really enjoyed this meal….and now has a favorite restaurant in Big Bear!

Himalayan Restaurant
672 Pine Knot Ave.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

After a short respite, we decided to check out a place I’d read about right on Big Bear Lake with a kind of iconic view, Boulder Bay Park. So we drive on over and in spite of the tiny lot there was quite a bit of parking available. Everything is nicely maintained, grassy areas, with a paved walkway meandering thru the park.

If one ignores the buildings across the street and on the east side of the cove, it makes for a lovely scene.

I was told that sunset was prime time here for photographers, though there was a group taking wedding photos. It was a nice little stop.

As we were leaving the park, there was a line of cars waiting to get in….and traffic back into Big Bear was crazy. Well, it seemed like the weekend had just hit!

We parked at the hotel and walked back up Pine Knot Avenue….but man, things were really hopping. Later we walked back up looking for some places to have dinner, but things were just too crowded. We headed back to the Marina Riviera and just decided to grab a small bite and have some drinks. After all, we still had a $25 credit for food and drink for the evening.

Man, the place was hopping.

While there was seating at the bar, all other tables were taken.

But then Kinzey and then the wonderful woman who I believe is the chef at this location, Jenn saw us. Both of them had been so wonderful, accommodating, and friendly during our stay, so naturally, in spite of the discount, we tipped well. And they also loved JJ! So, perhaps he’s earning his keep? Anyway, they told us to hold on a for a minute and put together a table for us! Amazing!

So, we had a nice light dinner and cocktails at De la Nonna.

At the end of our meal, Kinzey gave me her business card saying to text her if we’re headed up and she’ll give us info on what is going on!

Well, I know where we’re staying and eating when we get back to Big Bear, right?

De la Nonna Big Bear (In the Hotel Marina Riviera)
40770 Big Bear Blvd.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

The next morning we headed out and traffic was pretty crazy….so note to self, even on random fall weekends….things are busy in Big Bear….I’ll need to plan a bit better next time!

K Bakery Replacing Sage French Cake, Kanna Thai Kitchen Replacing Di Chan, Ma’s House has Closed, and the sign for Tang Huo Kung Fu Spicy Hot Pot is up

Bakery, Chinese Restaurants, Thai Restaurants

Just a couple of things I saw during my shopping trips.

K Bakery Replacing Sage French Cake:

Saw this during one of my shopping excursions to Nijiya last week.

So, I did some digging and it seems that Sage’s owner has decided to retire. Man, it seemed like Sage had been there forever! Though I believe it was a one man operation and he worked really hard. Hope he has a great retirement!

3860 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Kanna Thai Kitchen Replacing Di Chan:

Remember that I noticed that Di Chan had closed last month? Well, driving past the strip mall I noticed a sign posted.

I decided to take a look and it seems that Kanna Thai Kitchen will be taking over that spot.

5535 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

While checking that location out, I noticed all signage for Ma’s House was gone, so I walked over.

Ma’s House has closed:

The windows were covered, but one corner was open and all the furnishings are gone.

5537 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117

And the sign for Tang Huo Kung Fu Spicy Hot Pot is up:

I guess we haven’t hit critical mass for Hot Pot in the Convoy area yet?

I believe that Tang Hou is a chain. I know they have locations in LA.

It just seems that only chains can afford to operate on Convoy these days!

4344 Convoy St,
San Diego, CA 92111

Croissant Files – Nature Forward Socal Bistro and LuckyBolt Kitchen + Bakery

Bakery, Croissants, European Restaurants, French Restaurants

After my recent “Croissant Compare” post, I was lucky enough to receive a couple of emails of places that baked their own croissants for me to check out! So, of course I went to check things out.

Nature Forward Socal Bistro:

I’ve actually walked past this rather new eatery in Renaissance Towne Center during my visits to Joyee.

I recall looking at the menu online and seeing Shakshuka….so I did have it on my “list”. I then received and email from “FOY” Matt who told me that on his recent visit there he saw croissants in the pastry case. Even though he didn’t have a chance to try it; the Server told him that all the pastries were made inhouse. And he was nice enough to let me know. So, I decided to head on over after doing my Farmers Market and other shopping recently.

The place seemed pretty busy when I walked in.

And I saw a croissant on display in the case. Though it didn’t look very good.

Still, since I was here, I decided to order one “to go” from the very nice woman working the counter. It was decently priced at $5. Then I waited…and waited….and waited…. It actually took over 20 minutes for my croissant! Whoa….

Anyway, thinking that they had heated it; I went to one of the public seating areas between Star Anise and Amardeen to have while hot. I opened the container and to my surprise…..

It was served with a dusting of powdered sugar! Well now….. Not quite my preference with regards to a croissant aux buerre. It was also very pale in color and after shaking off as much of the sugar as possible, I tore into it. And the color did say it all as the croissant totally lacked the crisp-flakiness of a decent croissant. It was just too doughy in texture.

The crumb was also on the doughy side, though acceptable. But it was really lacking in butteriness and of course the addition of the sugar made it skew to the sweeter side, nullifying and salt flavor as well.

This was quite disappointing to say the least. And while I may return with JJ to try out the Shakshuka; I’ll probably be passing on any future croissants here.

Nature Forward Socal Bistro
8935 Towne Centre Dr. #110
San Diego, CA 92122
Current Hours:
Sat – Tues 8am – 5pm
Wed – Fri 8am – 8pm

LuckyBolt Kitchen + Bakery:

Also after that croissant compare, KimberlyM contacted me and mentioned that LuckyBolt Kitchen + Bakery in Sorrento Valley baked their own croissants. She thought it was pretty good and wondered what I thought. Sorrento Valley? Hmmm…..wondering where this place was; I headed on over.

Arriving, I recognized this spot, across the street from the Sorrento Valley Amtrak Station as being where Zumbar Coffee & Tea is located.

Right next to that Coffee Shop sign is LuckyBolt.

I strolled on in and immediately saw the croissants “hiding” behind the signs. The friendly gentleman working affirmed that they bake their own pastries daily.

So, I got one. Priced at $4.75. I took it to go.

So, much like Wayfarer, this was one of those round, “chubby” versions. It was also pretty tiny….check it out compared to one of my coasters.

It was also overbaked as the laminate just basically exploded when I tore off a piece….croissant shrapnel everywhere….

Though I did have someone “volunteer” to help me clean up the crumbs!

The crumb was decently honeycombed and fairly light, but in need of more butter as it lacked that buttery-salt balance I’m looking for. It just seems that as a whole croissants here in SD lack the butteriness of their counterparts in Paris.

Still, I’m glad I tried it!

LuckyBolt Kitchen + Bakery
10920 Roselle St. #105
San Diego, CA 92121
Current Hours:
Mon – Sat 730am – 2pm
Closed on Sunday

Thanks again to Matt and Kimberly for thinking of us!

The Croissant Compare – Wayfarer Bakery, Relic Bakery & Kitchen, and Izola

Bakery, Croissants

A little over a week ago “FOY” Kenneth sent me an email regarding having croissants from both Relic and Izola and doing a compare. I did mention that Izola has pretty much come off my “list” ever since the croissant had crossed over the $8 mark! I also mentioned needing to do a compare of croissants from Wayfarer and Relic, which I indicated were my two current favorites here in San Diego. Yes, I admittedly have a “thing” about croissants. In fact, I have an entire category for it! And yes, there are 61 posts (this is number 62). It basically all started during our visits to Paris. And it just gained momentum after visiting La Maison d’Isabelle.

Anyway, Kenneth’s wonderful email got me off my butt and on one recent morning, I first drove up to Bird Rock, which had a bunch of folks waiting, but no one in line to order, to get my first croissant. Then down the 5 to Relic for the second. I was just going to do a compare between Wayfarer and Relic, but since I had already paid for one hour of parking and Izola was just 4 blocks away…I just decided the “heck with the eight dollar price” and went to Izola as well. Needless to say; it was an interesting walk, with some “personalities” along the way.

And here’s what the croissants looked like.

Can you guess which one was $4.80 and which was $8.62 (!!!!)?

Well, let’s start from the most inexpensive. The “Plain” Croissant at Wayfarer ($4.80).

The shape was interesting. I think that “croissant” literally means “crescent” in French. This was not quite that. It’s much different in shape than what I had back in 2020.

Wayfarer seems to sometime overbake their croissant as was the case here, with the laminate too flakey, basically an explosion of flakes upon bite.

On this visit, the crumb was a bit damp and not honeycombed enough. It also seemed less buttery in flavor. Kind of a bummer as at one time, due to the recommendation of RD and CathyGreene, this was my favorite croissant in San Diego.

Wayfarer Bread & Pastry
5525 La Jolla Blvd.
La Jolla, CA 92037

Top left is the croissant from Relic Bakery & Kitchen. To me, of the three, it most resembles a classic croissant in shape and is currently priced at $5.

On this day, it was nice and golden in color, except for the two folds on the top which you can see seems over baked. It was nice and flakey, crisp, not falling to pieces. The interior was quite airy and light. Nice crisp ends and foundation.

I could make out the butter in this, in my mind it could use more as the salt to butter ratio seems a bit off.

A relative newcomer to the East Village/Downtown, this is my current overall favorite.

Relic Bakery & Kitchen
845 15th St.
San Diego, CA 92101

And then we have the $8.62 “Signature” Croissant from Izola. Now, I remember when Izola opened in the third floor of a business building Downtown. Where they’d actually deliver online orders by basket to the curb during Covid. At that time; the croissant was $3.75. Then Izola opened near Faultline Park with a bit of hype in 2024 and their croissants crossed the seven dollar mark. And now….well…you see the price above, right?

As I walked in, I took a look at the Croissant on display and had second thoughts….

It looked pale and somewhat soggy….but, I went ahead and ordered one. It was actually a 15 minute wait for my croissant after ordering….they are quite popular.

But here’s that $8.62 croissant. I gotta say, it’s quite hefty, and has that roundish shape…..

The laminate was not as crisp as Relic’s, but at least it wasn’t over baked. It was decently flakey as well, though one end was not very crisp.

It was decently honeycombed, but a bit on the wetter side. I was told that Izola uses butter from Normandy for their croissants.

There’s a light butter flavor, but for some reason, I detected some sweetness in this?

After doing this compare; I’m sticking with Relic for now. Izola is decent, but the price?

Izola
1429 Island Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101

Kenneth and I had a nice back and forth in our emails…..it was kinda fun!

Kenneth: “Well, if I had known that the croissant cost $8!  It was good but not that nice.  For that price I want tasting it to make me feel like I’m back on Montorgueil!”

Me: “Can you imagine what Parisians would think if a Patisserie on Rue Montorgueil charged like 7 Euros for a croissant aux buerre???“

Kenneth: “There would be rioting in the streets!“

So true! Thanks again for thinking of me and sending me the wonderful email Kenneth!

And I’m always open for croissant aux buerre recommendation for San Diego!

A San Diego Bakery Price Check

Bakery, Sandwiches

My recent visit to Barrio Donas had me a bit shell shocked when it came to prices and had me wondering how much a Huevo a la Mexicana Bolillo was at San Diego Bakery. Surprisingly, it had been over a year since I last visited and over a year-and-a-half since I last posted on the place. So, last Sunday, I decided to head on over to see…..

Just as I drove into the parking lot, another car left, so I managed to get a parking space. The shop was doing steady business when I walked in; like Lucy’s Bakery, all those hard working guys needed breakfast, right?

Looking up at the menu; which, since my last visit has transitioned from the chalkboard to a video display, I saw that the A la Mexicana was now $7.50 (I believe it’s just $6.50 at Lucy’s). It was $6.50 on my last visit here a bit over a year ago and $4.99 back in December of 2023.

Still, it’s less than Barrio Donas which is now $10.50 and with prices these days, this seems almost like a bargain!

The sandwich itself was a bit of a mess; though toasted, crisp, light, and yeasty, the bread was crumbling apart as I opened it.

This was oozy, eggy, cheesy messiness. And those serranos had a “bite” of their own too.

This was actually quite filling for breakfast….at least for me. I do wish there was more beans as there barely seemed to be any. And perhaps less chilies; though it did shake me awake!

With prices these days, it’s good to know you can get a breakfast bollilo or preparados for less than $8. I mean, how much is a banh mi these days?

San Diego Bakery & Café
6959 Linda Vista Rd.
San Diego, CA 92111

Sizzling House Has Closed, Juewei becoming L.A. Hot Duck, and Isaki Japanese Restaurant Taking the Former 85°C Spot

Bakery, Chinese Restaurants, Desserts, Japanese Restaurants, yoso-silly

Here’s some stuffs I noticed in the Clairemont Mesa/Kearny Mesa area recently.

Sizzling House Has Closed:

Noticed this during our most recent visit to Eastern Dynasty.

Whoa, Sizzling House didn’t even last a year. So, much for the sizzling plate/pepper lunch fad, huh? Looks like this is going to be an outlet of Las Vegas based Urban Matcha…so one feeds another?

4698 Convoy St. Suite 107
San Diego, CA 92111

Juewei Becoming L.A. Hot Duck:

**** Update: Looks like this location is going to become Coco Bomb

Also during that visit we noticed a new banner covering the Juewei sign.

Funny thing, I just mentioned how dissatisfied we’d been with our most recent visits to Juewei in my post on Spicy Duck Wang La Ya. Juewei seemed to be constantly changing concepts, last I saw they were trying to do Hot Pot, before that they had initiated doing skewers. They had an inconsistent inventory of items we enjoyed and we just decided to stop and not waste our time there.

So, I’m not sure if it’s still the same owners with a new concept….I do know there’s a LA Hot Duck in Rowland Heights. What’s up with all these places from the SGV opening here? They do not appear to be open yet; so we’ll see!

4690 Convoy St. #103
San Diego, CA 92111

And finally….

Isaki Japanese Restaurant and Nothing Bundt Cakes Taking the Former 85°C  Spot:

I noticed some signage on the doors of what used to be 85°C off Balboa so I walked on over. Looks like they’ve split the spot into two businesses.

One of the signs said Isaki Japanese Restaurant.

And the other looks to be another franchise of Nothing Bundt Cakes.

I don’t have much to say about this one…..

5575 Balboa Ave.
San Diego, CA 92111

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Sunday Sandwiches – Lucy’s Bakery & Donuts (Logan Heights) and Barrio Donas Revisited

Bakery, Sandwiches

My recent trip to Imperial and Antojitos Colombianos had me looking at my “list” to see what other places I’ve got listed and have yet to check out. And one quickly popped up…..Lucy’s Bakery & Donuts on 31st. I’m not sure who recommended the place to me…but recently, I decided to head on over.

Lucy’s Bakery & Donuts:

I actually headed over on a Saturday morning after making my usual Farmers Market run. I found parking in the lot next to the shop. I gotta say; it doesn’t seem to be the most inviting neighborhood.

The place was fairly busy when I arrived. Lot’s of working folk….

Most of which were getting coffee or juice and pastries.

I on the other hand was in the mood for a torta……

Being in a “porky” kinda mood; I went with the Pierna…which for some reason didn’t seem cheap at $9.35.

This was a good sized sandwich; though I thought the bollilo was a bit over-baked; the crust crumbly. But the bread was nice and yeasty, held up well, and the shredded pork was pretty good.

It had a decent smokey-savory-earthy flavor, with a hint of acidity. It was fairly tender and the portion was pretty good.

I do wish that it had more avocado and jalapeno….or at least had it evenly spread thru the sandwich.

As it was, the rather sparse avocado was smeared to one side of the torta and the jalapenos stacked on one another. I fixed the jalapeno issue.

Still, a generous amount of pork. If the bolillo was in better shape this would have been a good torta. As it stood; it was decent. I might return someday if I’m in the area. Would you believe this place is open from 5am to 9pm daily!!!

Lucy’s Bakery & Donuts
31 31st St.
San Diego, CA 92102
Current Hours:
Daily 5am – 9pm

This torta had me wondering how the version at Barrio Donas was doing….and even more so; how much the Torta de Pierna was there now in comparison. It had been almost exactly two years since my last visit and even longer since I’d had the Pierna there, so I decided to head on over.

Barrio Donas Revisited:

I paid my visit the following Saturday. Barrio Donas is quite popular, but wasn’t too busy on this day.

The Torta de Pierna here is now $12.75! The A la Mexicana $10.50 Yikes….

It’s always interesting to visit the place since they always seem to be trying out new items. I guess now they have a Matcha Bar?

Here’s the Torta Pierna.

I’m still not the biggest fan of the Bolillo here as the crust lacks crispness and the bread is on the denser side. Still, it’s always nice and yeasty, with a mild, almost sourdough flavor to it.

The amount of filling is adequate; though after having the version at Lucy’s, I would’ve enjoyed some creamy avocado and some jalapeno for spice to cut the richness.

The pork was a bit more chewy than I remember; but there’s still a nice spicy-smokiness.

Barrio Donas
4714 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117
Current Hours
Mon – Sat 6am – 4pm
Sunday 7am – 4pm

It was interesting to see how prices for tortas…well, everything for that matter has gone up. I’m now curious to try more tortas from other places. Any recommendations?

Sourdough & Moore

Bakery, Croissants

When I heard that Sourdough & Moore was opening up a brick and mortar shop I put it on my list to try. I’d seen their stand at the Mission Valley Farmers Market at Civita Park and was interested in trying their sourdough….according to what I’d read, the starter is over a century old.

It took me a bit, but I finally made it down to Newport in OB and Sourdough & Moore.

I’m guessing that 8am on Sundays are pretty quiet right now in OB? Cause I easily found parking and strolled on over.

There’s nothing like the smell of a bakery in the morning, right?

The young lady working was so cheerful and helpful. I asked if they sliced their boule and she led me to the shelves with presliced loaves. There’s a variety of flavors like kalamata olive, rosemary….but I just wanted to try the sourdough straight up. There weren’t any small loaves of plain sourdough available, so I just went with a regular sized loaf. And since I was here; you know there was something else I needed to try, right?

Yep, there’s the croissant aux buerre ($6). I also got the Missus a nice dessert as well!

It’s a Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Croissant ($12).

Which looked so pretty…the light lemon meringue like filling was very nice, not overly sweet, creamy. But the pastry was very doughy and chewy.

As for the sourdough…..

I prefer a bit of a crustier loaf, as the crust was on the chewier side. The sourdough flavor is quite light….so if you’re into not overly tangy-earth sourdough, this might do it for you.

Th bread itself is quite light and fluffy, very soft……not good if you’re into eating toasted sourdough or avocado toast, but it compliments a sandwich nicely.

Personally, we still prefer a assertive tasting sourdough like what Secret Sister makes.

As for the croissant….well, it is really long…..

The laminate looked really baked, but it was on the chewy side, lacking in flakiness.

The interior was decently honeycombed, but also a bit too “wet” for my taste.

It also needed more butter. A telling moment was when I tried to give JJ some and he turned it down! The croissant king?!? What the heck? So, I’m still looking at Relic and Wayfarer being my top 2 here in SD. I need to do a side by side comparison one of these days…..

Anyway, if you like a milder flavored sourdough, ahem, “S&M” might (not literally) be your thing.

Sourdough & Moore
4853 Newport Ave.
San Diego, CA 92107
Current Hours:
Wed – Fri 7am – 3pm
Sat – Sun 8am – 3pm
Closed on Monday & Tuesday

Relic Bakery & Kitchen

Bakery, Croissants

I first heard about Relic Bageri back in early 2024 at their weekends only location in a commercial kitchen on Commerce Avenue. They started doing preorders, but that just wasn’t my thing. I did try to visit, but the lines were crazy. Now you just know that a place so successful was going to grow, right? And finally, in October of last year they opened a brick and mortar shop in East Village.

With all our road trips, I waited a bit to finally visit the shop in East Village. The area seems a bit sketchy, but heck, SDPD HQ is there and there always seems to be parking available.

It’s a nice looking shop, in a sort of transitional area.

Anyway, it wasn’t overly busy on this day and I strolled on in.

Lots of pastries to tempt you…and the price point is lower than Izola!

The same really nice young lady was working on each of my visits.

There’s both indoor and outdoor dining available, a coffee stand, and breakfast and lunch is served. But you know I was really only interested in one thing at the moment, right?

So, I got myself a Butter Croissant, which was $5. And a couple other savory stuffs.

As for the croissant aux buerre……I like the lamination, nice and flakey, good, light, fluffy and airy interior.

In terms of flavor; it’s got a lighter butteriness than I prefer, and perhaps a bit too much salt for our tastes. Still, not overly sweet, nice texture, not over baked as many versions.

As for the rest; well I just had to get this beast.

This is the Chinese Five Spice Sausage Croissant. Well, let me tell you, this is pretty huge.

Nice porky flavor, good, not overpowering anise tones. There’s a bit of herbaceousness and the size and texture reminds me of Lao/Thai sausages. And with a croissant wrapper around it?

Still, I really enjoyed the Jalapeno, Speck, and Cheese Croissant the most.

Love the tangy-sour spice of the pickled jalapenos, with the mildly smoky-savory speck, and the light milkiness of the cheese. If anything, I think a stronger cheese might be even better. Along with the crispness of the croissant, slight buttery-sweetness. There’s something about this combo I enjoyed.

The Missus tried all three and them asked me why I didn’t get anything for “Her”. So of course that issue had to be rectified.

I got the Double Pain au Chocolate which the Missus absolutely loved. And she enjoyed the texture of the Bear Claw, but it was too sweet for Her.

As for me…well, it was another Croissant aux Buerre. Now this one had a bit more butteriness and was still wonderfully light and fluffy. Except that it seemed to have been over baked and was too flakey…as in croissant laminate shrapnel everywhere.

Still, this might be my current favorite croissant aux buerre in San Diego. And of course, there’s a certain someone who was volunteering to “clean up” the fragments.

The Missus enjoyed the pain du chocolate so much that She sent me back on a Saturday to get more. This time, I decided to forgo the regular croissant…..

There was a line on this day and the dining area was almost full.

Still, the folks working have always been so pleasant.

So, this time around in addition to the Jalapeno, Speck, and Cheese Croissant – which I still really like and the Double Pain du Chocolate; I got a couple of others to try.

The Missus absolutely loves the “Mocha Bomb”.

I didn’t care for the Lamb Rillette Croissant.

The pastry itself had a really great texture, flakey and crisp, but the rillette was really chewy and it didn’t feature the typical aromatic-rich-gaminess that I associate with lamb rillette.

Still, we’ve enjoyed exploring various items from Relic. I have gone back 3 more times since this last visit. And the croissant aux buerre has been my favorite in SD so far…. It’s not perfectly to my taste….I’m thinknig a bit more butter but I’m not expecting say…what we get at La Maison d’Isabelle, our favorite boulangerie in Paris, which I’ve posted on like four times. But it has still been enjoyable. I need to revisit Wayfarer….or maybe do both in a side by side comparison, right? Meanwhile; the Missus has been craving that Mocha Bomb! And we need to check out the various kitchen offerings as well.

Relic Bakery & Kitchen
845 15th St.
San Diego, CA 92101
Current Hours:
Wed – Sun 8am – 2pm
Closed Monday – Tuesday