Financier Patisserie

Food snobs, avert your gaze.  (Actually, I’m kind of wondering what you’re doing on my site to begin with… haha)  Yes, I know it’s a chain, but I went here recently for lunch with Cookie (who insisted it was good stuff), and I’ve gotten so used to photographing my lunch that well, why not write about it anyway, since I took the pictures? 

Mini-rant: I’m so tired of the negative connotation of being a “chain” anyway.  For the love of – just because there’s more than one location with the same name doesn’t make it automatically suck!  Someone told me yesterday that it’s because the newest location usually gets the chef, thereby making the previous locations not as good.  This may be so, but look at Batali and/or the Denton brothers – they each have a bunch of restaurants (admittedly with different names, but they do steal their old chefs from the previous locations), and I don’t see that many people bitching that once so-and-so chef left for the newest restaurant, the older places started sucking.  Get over the ‘multiple locations’ thing- it’s a sign of success! 

***This does not apply to mass corporations who use frozen foods shipped from a central location to every single location… McDonald’s, I’m looking at you.  Among others. 

Anyway, Financier on Pearl Street is really cute.  I’ve gone into the patisserie a few times to ogle the desserts, and I’ve tried their desserts served at Ulysses down the block, but hadn’t yet gone in for sandwiches or lunch as many of my coworkers do, considering its close proximity to the office. 

As you can see, I opted for the Italian panini and a small corn chowder.  Which turned out not to be what I thought it would be (creamy, thick, and filled with corn kernels).

Fresh mozzarella, San Daniele prosciutto, pesto, basil, delicious.  I was really happy with my sandwich.

Though the corn chowder wasn’t what I expected, I began eating it with an open mind.  At first, I thought it was good, but as I kept drinking it, I thought, eh, it’s alright.  Nothing special, I probably wouldn’t order it again.  I would definitely order my sandwich again.

Cookie (the vegetarian) ordered – what else – the vegetarian.  She said she gets this every time she comes here, so I’m going to guess she really likes it (it looks like fried eggplant, mozzarella, and your normal accoutrements for a delicious panini). 

We also split a gelato afterwards (we dug in too quickly for me to snap a photo), which was tangy and tart (passion fruit and raspberry… sound familiar?), a nice and light palate cleanser to end our meal.

Yvo says: I’m not going to lie.  I really enjoyed my panini, and though I don’t find the $7.50 cheap (I can get a monster sandwich 2 blocks away for just a quarter more), the atmosphere, semi-table service, and the quaint decor makes a difference.  I can foresee myself coming here occasionally for the delicious Italian panini or a cup of gelato as well.
nice little casual lunch spot