When you visit Gourmandise, you can either walk up to the case and get baked goods to go, or seat yourself at one of the tables. Highlights of the breakfast menu include the yogurt maison, creme brulee oatmeal, quiche of the day and specialty coffees.
The creamy, homemade yogurt maison is one of the best things I've had for breakfast in a long time. It's served plain or with a number of different toppings, but I tried it with jam, berries, and sugar-glazed toasted almonds. The yogurt itself is not sweetened, so the jam, fruit and nuts add a welcome sweetness. Fresh berries and sugar-glazed almonds also top Gourmandise's creme brulee oatmeal, a decadent creation featuring Christine & Rob's brand oats with a caramelized brulee crust and whipped cream.
Gourmandise is usually packed for lunch, and customer favorites include the quiche, entree salads, hot and cold sandwiches, or half sandwich with soup or salad combination. Overall, the salads at Gourmandise seem to be better than the soups, especially the raspberry and walnut salad with goat cheese and the Greek salad. The curry chicken salad sandwich is a customer favorite. Hot entrees such as lemon roasted chicken, Boeuf Bourguignon and Salmon en Croute are available at both lunch and dinner.
The ambience at Gourmandise is cozy, although a bit hectic at lunch. Executive Chef and General Manager Jean-Jaques Grossi grew up and received his training in France but has been cooking in the Salt Lake area for more than 20 years. Many of the staff have been working at the bakery since it opened, lending the place a familial atmosphere. Gourmandise is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It's closed on Sunday.
Gourmandise, the Bakery
250 S. 300 E.
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
801-328-3330
