Tucked away unobtrusively on Fairfield’s Post Road is a gem of a bakery, Isabelle et Vincent. Attracting visitors from as far away as Boston, this is no ordinary bread shop. For one thing, every item sold is made on the premises. Wonderful French bread is certainly a staple (and worth the trip) and the handmade patisserie, chocolates, and ice cream make the bakery heaven for its customers.
Isabelle and Vincent Koenig, the owners and bakers, arrived in Fairfield in 2007, determined to make a life for themselves. They had run a bakery in Strasbourg, France, but decided that if they were ever going to change the way they lived, they should do it before they became set in their ways. Their next door neighbors, an Irish couple who ran and Irish pub, were familiar with Westport, and suggested Fairfield County. Luckily for us, they ended up in Fairfield.
Isabelle et Vincent’s is the sort of place you didn’t know you were missing until it shows up. Open every day except Monday, the inside has a glass showcase full of luxurious chocolates, handmade by Vincent, baskets full of baguettes, brioches, croissants and olive loaves, and a long counter full of cakes and desserts. When I was there just before Valentine’s Day, the showcase was full of heart-shaped cakes, as well as tiny heart-shaped macarons, the latest craze among lovers of French patisserie. I asked Isabelle which of the many items they make were most popular among the clientele.
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“The baguettes, of course, and the crusty olive loaf,” she said, pointing them out.
“Croissants?” I asked, my mouth watering
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“Of course, but maybe even more the pain au chocolat,” (a type of chocolate-stuffed croissant).
For desserts, people like the napoleon (flaky pastry layered with cream and preserves), the vanilla mousse with strawberries, and the three chocolate cup.” I had to know more.
Isabelle pointed out the cups layered with three different kinds of chocolate mousse. I decided I had better move along to the less sweet part of the counter, where delicious individual quiches, and croque monsieurs were displayed.
“We make the croque monsieur on the weekends only," said Isabelle. "We have customers who come here just for that.” I can easily believe it.
The bakery has a number of tables so that if you can’t wait to sample your purchases, you can buy a cup of coffee (or Vincent’s excellent hot chocolate) and enjoy them right there. Small groups of people reserve a regular table after their tennis game, or just for fun. Once every couple of weeks, an enthusiastic group of Francophiles gather on Saturday morning to eat French patisserie and drink coffee. Some of them claim that doing this makes it easier to talk French without an accent. I have to say, I’m sure the raisin and hazelnut brioche with cinnamon sugar worked for me. Bon appétit!
1903 Post Road, Fairfield
Open from 6am-6.30pm Tuesday through Friday, Saturday, 6am-6pm, Sunday 6am to 4pm.
