{"id":235201,"date":"2026-05-18T12:38:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:38:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/235201\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T12:38:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:38:06","slug":"heres-the-uws-dish-la-farine-patisserie-et-cafes-strawberry-cardamom-tart-other-delicacies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/235201\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s the UWS Dish: La Farine P\u00e2tisserie et Caf\u00e9\u2019s Strawberry Cardamom Tart (& Other Delicacies!)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>A sampling of La Farine\u2019s sweet and savory offerings. Front, from left, Strawberry Cardamom Tart, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Miso VanillaCroissant. Back, from left: Smoked Salmon in Challah Roll and Mozzarella and Heirloom Tomatoes in Sourdough. Photos by Abigael T. Sidi<\/p>\n

By Abigael T. Sidi<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re anything like me, your life has been sunshine and rainbows since the spring season started. Out with the sumo oranges and Granny Smith apples, in with the gold star of all fruit: strawberries. I\u2019ve always been the kid who tries to force their mom to buy strawberries in mid-January, and who is always met with a slightly apologetic, but definite \u201cnot the season, NO.\u201d But now, there is no excuse; it\u2019s time to eat the berries.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Out of all the pastries you can find in a Parisian bakery, the tarte aux fraises (strawberry tart) has always been my automatic go-to. It\u2019s colorful but tame, traditionally glazed with a strained apricot jam that gives it a mesmerizing shine. P\u00e2te sabl\u00e9e (French sweet shortcrust pastry) is its base, and cr\u00e8me p\u00e2tissi\u00e8re (vanilla pastry cream) supports a generous arrangement of strawberries, creating this remarkable dessert that I call perfection. Occasionally, a p\u00e2tissier will swap out the soft vanilla goodness for a punchy lemon custard, which, although slightly unconventional, I actually prefer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While my parents have been diligently testing all of the baguettes at the French bakeries on the Upper West Side, I personally always look for a tarte aux fraises. The search had been essentially fruitless for my 16 years as an UWS resident, until yesterday, when I discovered La Farine P\u00e2tisserie et Caf\u00e9, between West 87th and 88th streets on Broadway.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I walked in during this bright Saturday afternoon, with low expectations but hope, nonetheless. My \u201cexpect disappointment and you won\u2019t be disappointed\u201d mentality instantly vanished when my eyes fell upon stacks and stacks of flour right next to the bakery\u2019s doorway, all adorned with French words. Yes, you have that right. T65 flour, the BEST flour, imported directly from Quebec. Suddenly, the name of the bakery (farine means flour in French) made sense. Scratch the low expectations; I\u2019m looking for greatness. <\/p>\n

As my family tends to do at bakeries, we promptly ordered half the menu, crafting a well-balanced lunch out of both the caf\u00e9 and p\u00e2tisserie offerings. Amongst the former was the mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes in sourdough ($13.95), a classic Caprese sandwich with the added bonus of a beautifully pesto-soaked bread; smoked salmon in challah roll ($14.95), which I personally viewed as an inferior version of a classic bagel combo (though my parents disagreed); and the spring pea soup ($7.95), which was steamy, earthy, textured, and served with two slices of crispy sourdough. None of the savory elements were letdowns, but the pastries were where La Farine truly shined.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We began our not-so-delicate indulgence with a classic chocolate chip cookie ($6.95), which was delicious and crisp but did not hold a candle to others around the neighborhood (Orwashers\u2019<\/a>, for instance, blows this one out of the park). We then ventured into perhaps the most visually impressive offering at La Farine, the miso vanilla croissant ($7.95), which is shaped in a circular spiral rather than the classic shape, standing vertically on its edge with a piped vanilla cardamom cream nest hosting a few drops of vanilla bean extract on the top. A bit of a mind-boggling pastry to eat\u2014I recommend just slicing through it with a knife\u2014but it was nonetheless spectacular. The croissant was flaky and buttery, a rare find in the city, and the vanilla cream\u2014which could also be found in abundance in between the pastry layers inside the croissant\u2014 was light and airy, with a delicate flavor that turned a simply beautiful croissant into a generous dessert.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0But, of course, let\u2019s not forget the star of the show. The strawberry cardamom tart ($11.95) was gorgeous, with the strawberries arranged pointing up, further decorated with a few cardamom leaves. La Farine does not glaze the tart, and to my dismay, makes it with a traditional cr\u00e8me fouett\u00e9e rather than the more adventurous lemon custard. I still gave it a shot, taking a bite directly into the tart. (It\u2019s hard to cut with the strawberries placed as they are.) Heaven. One of my main concerns with this dessert was that it would be too sweet, but the hidden strawberry jam in the cr\u00e8me fouett\u00e9e brings enough acidity to level the sweetness, making it the perfect dessert for those with a sweet tooth and the sane alike. Also, the cardamom, which infused the creme with controlled balance, elevated each bite with just enough exotic undertones, and the light and crunchy-yet-slightly-resistant p\u00e2te sabl\u00e9e was expertly crafted (the chef p\u00e2tissier has true mastery here). Lastly, the strawberries were fresh, flavorful, and ripe, proudly declaring their 2026 debut. The tart was gone in two minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

La Farine P\u00e2tisserie et Caf\u00e9 is a larger, more open space than a typical bakery, with a second-floor balcony entirely designated for seating. The space is quiet and classy, bright and airy, perfect for a mid-day break now that the weather is (finally) getting warmer. Service is quick for everything on the menu, including the coffee, which I found well above-average. If you don\u2019t want to let any of the sun go to waste, you can opt for the outdoor seating, which is rather vast and accommodates at least a dozen people. <\/p>\n

\u00a0La Farine Patisserie et Caf\u00e9 is open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., with pickup and delivery available at these times. As expected from the T65 flour, the bakery\u2019s baguette, which we tested, is very, very solid, but not cheap ($5.45, perhaps because of the imported T65). Overall, La Farine was just that, on the pricier end, even compared to the French community\u2019s revered Heritage Bakery down in Bryant Park. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The Dish: Strawberry Cardamom Tart ($11.95)
The Restaurant: La Farine P\u00e2tisserie et Caf\u00e9, 2394 Broadway(between West 87th and 88th streets)<\/p>\n

Read all Here\u2019s the UWS Dish columns\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to West Side Rag\u2019s FREE email newsletter\u00a0here<\/a>. And you can Support the Rag\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n