A Memorable Pastry
The Nicciola at Giardino Paris
(I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! T and I just finished the last of our home-cooked plant-based Greek pastitsio and baked apple crisp for lunch. In the spirit of the season—and all the food that comes with it—I wanted to share a food memory from my recent trip to Paris. This is a bit of a departure from my usual posts, but I hope you enjoy it!)
Bonjour, Madame! Parlez-vous anglais?”
A young woman behind the counter at Giardino Paris nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes, I speak English!”
I mentioned it was my first visit and asked which gluten-free offerings she’d recommend. She gestured toward the glass case. “To the right, we have the classics”—the nicciola, a hazelnut-praline mousse, and a pecan-pear. Then she motioned left toward the fruit-forward options: lemon tart, pumpkin-ginger.
“What’s your best seller?” I asked.
“The nicciola,” she said without hesitation.
“OK! I’ll try that, along with a flat white with almond milk, please.” I said, fishing out a credit card from my pocket.
As she rang up my order, I mentioned that I’d also be making a purchase with the other desserts she recommended to take away before leaving. She nodded and told me to let her know when I was ready.
“Merci, “ I said and smiled after she handed me the receipt.
I took a seat at the wooden counter and scrolled through their website. I learned a new French term for the pastries: entremet—an elaborate layered dessert or cake that, historically, was served between courses during formal meals. In the modern pastry world, entremet refers to a multi-layered mousse.
A few minutes later, a young gentleman appeared and carefully placed a slate-light green petite plate with the nicciola on the wooden counter, along with the flat white in a large coffee cup and a glass of water.
I paused to admire the entremet in front of me, noticing immediately how much care had gone into creating it—evident in every detail: the smooth, spherical chocolate mirror glaze and the delicate wafer biscuit that held the structure below. Four carefully arranged hazelnuts sat atop a creamy layer, dusted with hazelnut shavings.
My spoon pierced through the glaze, unveiling the thoughtfully constructed layers beneath: mousse and a praline coulant that oozed from the core. I took a bite. It was heavenly and uncompromising—a testament to Chef Matteo’s dedication to environmental and animal welfare through his use of natural, plant-based ingredients, without sacrificing taste, texture, or quality. His entremets rival traditionally made pastries. I couldn’t tell the difference.
I paced myself between bites and slow sips of coffee, scribbling notes in my journal about this unfolding moment and perusing the magazine bin next to where I was seated.
After finishing the last bits of wafer and cream on my plate, I noticed the shop had filled with customers, some waiting in line to order. When it was my turn, the young woman asked if I’d enjoyed the nicciola. I nodded and said I’d like to order another, along with two more entremets: the vanilla-almond finger tart and the pecan-pear. A wide smile crossed her face as she carefully boxed them, adding stickers to the base so they’d stay in place during transit.
“I hope to be back again,” I said as she handed me the box. “Please let Chef Matteo know I loved the nicciola—what he’s created is superb.”
“Thank you very much! I will let him know,” she said before helping the next customer in line.
As I pushed open the door and started my twelve-minute leisurely walk back to my brother’s apartment, I realized that in the fifteen years I’d been eating plant-based, I’d rarely found this: craft and taste in perfect balance. I hoped the small shop would still be here next time I returned to Paris.
Giardino Paris
54 Rue de Dames, 75017 Paris
Take Line 2, get off at Rome, and it’s a four-minute walk from the metro stop.
Chef Matteo’s pastries are also available at Hoy Paris.
Bleu de Joie is part of The Marica Notecards project created in honor of my sister. This Picasso-inspired abstract collage celebrates all things French and Marica’s love for travel. Share words of encouragement or gratitude, or offer a simple reminder that someone is loved.
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Ooh, your description and photo is making me hungry, it looks delicious, and it's gluten free - a bonus as it's so hard to find decent gluten free/dairy free food.😊
Wowwowwow!! My fam has been plant-based for a similar amount of time. And in those rare, rare experiences finding such a high level of care and attention given, we feel immense joy. Compliments to the chef are, indeed, a must!