Carmel Magazine

who brought along French-born pastry chef Pascal Merle to handle the sweet side. "We wanted to know what the customers here want, and what they want is quality." Merle calls Lafayette "a place to rediscover forgotten flavors" and they spared no expense turning the former garden shop into a full-scale bakery/cafe. Nothing at Lafayette is miraculous, Vial says. "When you start with the best ingredients you end up with the best products." They don't cut corners, or calories. Vial speaks unabashedly about how his croissants contain 40 percent butter. And the sugar-filled treats that fill his case should be consumed hap- pily … but in moderation. Lafayette's most popular item is the baguette, with its crackling crust and chewy, aerated cen- ter. Vial also makes a sourdough from a "moth- er" fermented with fruit, calling it "much better than San Francisco's." Not everything at Lafayette is steeped in French tradition. Last week, the family intro- duced a "pig in a blanket," hiding a ballpark-style hotdog inside a brioche roll laden with creamy béchamel, mustard and Swiss cheese. "It's amazing how people have welcomed us," says Marion Vial, 25, who starts work at 3am to bake alongside her father. "Our customers bring sunshine to our hearts." Lafayette Baker y, The Barnyard, Carmel. 831/915-6286. LAST BITES The County's first green restaurant con- tinues to walk the walk. Passionfish in Pacific Grove now recycles or composts 96 percent of its waste, and the staff (led by Manager Jannae Lizza) spends weekends voluntarily picking up litter on local beaches. Lizza hopes it will lead to a litter solution on a civic level. Follow the Litter thugs on Instagram at 86lit- terinthe831…Charcuteria: The Soul of Spain, the ode to Spanish cured meat by Jeninni chef Jeffrey Weiss, is rising on the Amazon char ts, and Weiss received an invitation to cook at the James Beard House…The Hog's Breath has undergone a middle-aged facelift after four decades. The building's new owner subsidized a renovation of Clint Eastwood's former restaurant, including a menu makeover. New pub grub falls under categories "land," "sea" and "pasta," with interesting appetizers like Ensenada fish tacos and pub fries with Parmesan and truffle. C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 159 Lafayette Bakery recently opened to rave reviews in The Barnyard in Carmel. (Above) Jean Bernard Vial, Isabelle Vial, Pascale Merle, Marion Vial, Andrea Chartier and Pascal Merle. Photo: Kelli Uldall 158-159 Food for Thought_Layout 1 4/21/14 10:09 AM Page 2

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