June Dessert Meetup - PAUL Bakery + Central Restaurant

For our June blogger meetup, we hit up two spots- PAUL Bakery and Central, yummmm.  This was great because I had not yet been to PAUL, and I had not been to Central in a long time!

There was row after row of pastries and other foods in the cases at PAUL - so much to look at!

If sweets aren't your thing, PAUL is also a great place to pick up a quick lunch or dinner on your way home from work.

We split a bunch of items at PAUL, which was a great way to try out a little bit of everything.  Two highlights for me were a lemon tart and a quiche that were both delicious.

Moving onto Central - we ordered a LOT.  And I mean A LOT.  Here's the rundown from what I can recall:

- Celebration Cake
- Banana Split
- Chocolate and Cherry Meringue
- Michel's Chocolate Bar
- Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
- Michel's Napoleon

... I may even be forgetting a dish or two, haha.  The craziest dessert is hands down the Celebration Cake.  It comes out with a giant sparkler on top, and a hard chocolate shell that opens up to cake, ice cream, fruit, cream, you name it.  It's definitely a show-stopper of a dessert!

I took a photograph of the one dessert closest to me when they came out, which is also one of the most fun ones in my opinion - the Banana Split.  I looooooooooooooooooooooove this dessert.  It's whimsical and fun but the flavors are all on point as well.  The ice creams and all of the toppings are delicious.
It's hard to choose just one dessert at Central, as this is where Chef Michel Richard's pastry background really shines through.  I'd highly recommend Central for real food too, but don't skip dessert!!!

I also picked up a loaf of PAUL's signature sourdough bread to take home.  They will slice it for you if you ask, which is a nice plus.  I wrapped these up and froze them and they held up really well.  It was great to be able to take out a slice or two when I wanted them. 

PAUL Bakery

801 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20004

202.525.4500

Central

1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004

202.626.0015