If it’s possible to be in love with a french pastry shop that’s not actually in France…. I am. While visiting the charming town of Portsmouth, New Hampshire last week, The Girl and I popped in to La Maison Navarre not once, but twice during our stay.
The menu is pretty straightforward… Coffee, tea, fine pastries, macarons, and crepes.
And let me tell you people…. it works.
Look at all those lovely desserts. How could you not want to try each and every one of them?
Lemon tarts are my one weakness so of course I had to try one.
And the lemon tart did not disappoint. It didn’t quite compare the the lemon tart I had in Coyle’s Bakeshop last month, but still, after a long day of traveling the dessert was lovely and was the perfect accompaniment to a cup of fancy earl grey tea.
The decor was spot on. Elegant, but not stuffy. Crazy clean and plenty of seating, gorgeous lighting, beautiful display cases and a kind, relaxed and caring staff.
The poached pear tart!
Now that was freaking amazing. I had it for breakfast on day 2 in Portsmouth. Seriously, a little fruit, bread {crust} and few nuts. Does that not qualify as a wholesome rounded meal? I could eat their poached pear tart everyday for breakfast and be a seriously happy clam.
If we lived in Portsmouth, this would be my morning view. I could write the blog from here, sip tea, eat a pastry and people watch to my heart’s content. I’d probably want to change out my pj’s though first.
Maybe I would start wearing dresses, and Dansko shoes and wear a smock too. I could have a pet cactus named Phil potted in an old soup can that I’d bring along everyday and set him on the table. He would be my muse.
The regular patrons wouldn’t say anything, but they’d be sure to glance over to see if Phil was there and I’d be known as the eccentric lady in the corner booth with her cactus.
So… if you ever make it to Portsmouth, New Hampshire… be sure to grab a cuppa and a fine pastry at La Maison Navarre. Their strawberry cake is divine. And so is the pear tart…. oh and the salmon and dill crepe? That’s pretty fantastic too.
Have a sweet day,
~Mavis
P.S. You can see more of my favorite New England eateries on my Good Eats page.
La Maison Navarre
121 Congress Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801
Tanya says
Dresses with a smock and Dansko shoes. Pet cactus named Phil in a soup can as a muse. The eccentric lady in the corner both with her cactus……………………..This is all seems very thought out and specific. Keep making those additional payments on the house and your gonna live out this dream. Love all the pics of your vacation, living vicariously through you 🙂
Carolina says
I can only see 3 little problems with blogging from La Maison Navarre: (1) I suspect it is a little far from your east coast house (2) a daily pastry would not go well with your lose-the-muffin-top goal and MOST importantly (3) you couldn’t bring Lucy!!!
But hey, it does not cost anything to dream. Next time you are in town, check out Ceres Bakery at 51 Penhallow Street. Very different vibe from La Maison Navarre, but a fun place nonetheless.
Vivian says
Oh Mavis, I adore your weirdness! Cactus in a can as a muse, I love it! I too, would love to live in that area if I didn’t live here in beautiful wet Washington. But I do have the next best thing….a sister in law who does live there so I can go visit!