This location is now closed (as is MoA location)!
After the heads up from reader Tearitup, I decided to take Kim and my parents out to brunch at Pardon My French Bakery and Wine Bar which is located in the Thomas Lake Center between Pilot Knob and Johnny Cake Ridge Road.
We pulled into the parking lot and it seemed crowded for 8:30 AM on a Saturday. My parents were concerned that we’d have to wait once we went inside. Thankfully the space is absolutely gigantic, way more than they will ever need, and there was no waiting. While my wife and parents looked over the options available in the display cases I took some pictures of the interior. The place was decorated like many bakery/cafe’s with a fireplace in the middle, a lot of tables, and a counter ordering format. This place, as I said above, is entirely too large and the area behind the counter is so large it reminds me almost of a cafeteria. For some reason it didn’t have the busy, yet comfortable, feel that so many of its cousin restaurants do.
I joined my family at the display cases and looked over the options. Most of what they offered for breakfast were too dessert like with pastries, tarts, cakes, etc. I gravitated towards their quiche and sandwich selections and ended up choosing their Asparagus, Tomato, Chicken Quiche (quiche are two for one) and a mushroom for Kim. They are priced at $6.50 and while that would have been astronomical for one it seemed reasonable for two. In addition to the quiche I also picked up a Prosciutto Déjà Vu sandwich which is described as a buttered poppy seed baguette with prosciutto, swiss cheese, tomato and lettuce also for $6.50. My father ordered their Versailles Croissant which is ham and swiss on a croissant with Dijon mustard, hard boiled egg, tomato and lettuce for $6.50. My mother nabbed another mushroom quiche and we had her get a Quiches Lorraine as well. Our total, after they had to add my father’s sandwich which they forgot, came to just over $31.
The food took a long time to come back to us even though it was already prepared. Instead of delivering it all at once to the table they heated the pastries up in the microwave and brought those out first along with the quiche. We dug into those first and then after that our sandwiches came out, we realized one was missing, and we got that straightened out before digging in to the rest. The asparagus, tomato, and chicken quiche was excellent. I really enjoyed it and found it to be quite enjoyable for $3.25. The mushroom was nearly tasteless and while the Lorraine was acceptable, I would only recommend that you stick to the chicken, asparagus, and tomato quiche if that’s what you’re into. The sandwiches were just “eh”. I wasn’t impressed at all with the Swiss cheese as it seriously looked like processed Kraft singles and the sandwich really didn’t do anything to make me say, “YAY, I am so into this.” The pastries were ok but nothing that I would suggest that you go out of your way for. Honestly, they weren’t anything above and beyond what’s available at Panera and if one of their locations are closer, just drive there as you’ll probably pay less and be more pleased with the result. The sandwiches and quiche came with a choice of side salad or crudité, neither of which are appropriate for breakfast or even brunch items. I could see ordering them with the sandwiches but they really ought to offer a few more options if they expect those options to be successful.
The staff behind the counter were helpful and seemed at least somewhat knowledgeable about the various options they were offering even with it being so close to the opening date. While they didn’t do everything perfectly they did a decent enough job for me to tip 20%. I wished that there had been a better ordering and serving format but perhaps that will change in the near future.
Honestly, this place is a flash in the pan. There was nothing exciting about the options we ordered today and there’s nothing there that would make me want to return anytime in the future especially when I could probably make the sandwiches or buy the pastries and quiche at any number of other restaurants or grocery stores and be just as pleased with the taste. While I realize that Pardon My French has only been open for a short time (the woman at the counter said they opened “last Tuesday” but I’m not sure if that means this week or the week before) but they certainly didn’t come out of the gate with anything other than yet another mediocre South Metro restaurant that probably won’t be around much after the New Year.
If you have eaten at Pardon My French Bakery and Wine Bar located in Eagan, please let us know what you thought — we’d love to hear your opinion.
Address:
Pardon My French
1565 Cliff Road,
Thomas Lake Center
Eagan, MN 55122
Phone:
651-454-2233
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 6 AM to 8 PM
Friday – Sunday 6 AM to 10 PM
See all pictures from Pardon My French on Flickr here (camera).
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October 25th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Just wanted to leave some input on my experience at Pardon My French.
I got the duo cheeses (puff pastries: 1 filled with boursin and the other filled with brie) and thought they were excellent. I have had similar dishes at other restaurants and found that the duo cheeses from P.M.F. to be as good as I have had. My mom got the Asparagus, Tomato, Chicken Quiche as you did and she thought it was excellent as well. I did not care for the large space either ,as it did not give a warm and cozy atmosphere. I thought the individual pastries (although visually appealing) were a bit overpriced, but the creme brulee was SO good. Lastly, I don’t agree with your suggestion of Panera as an equal alternative, as I have a bias against chain restaurants, and prefer places that are small and privately owned. I got to talk to (who I think are) the husband and wife owners, and they were VERY nice, VERY French (they had thick accents), and VERY happy that we were enjoying our food.
I think they have way too much space for such a new business, and I think the location isn’t ideal for it to be noticed. I also thought it was strange that they have a drive-thru in the back. Just doesn’t seem like a fast-food place. However, I liked it a lot, and I really hope that it can last until the next time I am home from college on break!
I have just found your blog, and really enjoy reading your reviews; keep up the good work! I love to hear all about the new restaurants in the southern suburbs from you, as I am in Omaha at school and don’t get to review them first hand.
October 26th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Given the description of the location, and Isabel’s mention of a drive through, I’m guessing this is in the old Snyder Drug space on the end of the mall. If that’s true–the drive through was already there from the pharmacy, so it wasn’t something they had to build if they wanted to try drive up service. (I bet Weight Watchers loves having something like this within a 50 yard dash…LOL!)
October 26th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Patti,
My mother said the exact same thing (re: Weight Watchers) as we pulled up :)
October 26th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I had some of the pastries and croissants from PMF and found them to be quite good. The first and only time I was there I didn’t end up ordering any of their other food items but I definitely will give the quiche a try as I’m a fan. I’m not sure what they can do about the huge space they are occupying. But I agree with your take that it is too large for they type of atmosphere this kind of place needs. I’ll give PMF another try if for no other reason than to support the non-chain family run places that we sorely need in our area. Thanks for the review.
October 26th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Tearitup, given the location and the distance from my home, it just doesn’t make sense for me to drive there for what is basically mediocre food. I am not a huge breakfast person and their lunch offerings just don’t give me a good enough reason to go back. Kim is a breakfast person and was really disappointed in what she had. Unfortunately, because I don’t care about breakfast at all, Kim gets to make the final decision in where we end up when she is hungry in the morning :)
October 27th, 2008 at 9:44 am
I’m the breakfast person in my house and I appreciate all of the places for breakfast that have been covered here. :) While I don’t see PMF making it into the regular rotation, I will get over there for pastry when the in-laws visit and for nice French bread when the mood strikes.
October 27th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
We stopped by on Saturday morning and had an early lunch. We had the tomato/chicken/aspargus quiche, the sausage quiche, the Huate Ham sandwich, the French Onion Soup, and then another hot sandwich from the kids menus, I think the Crouque Monsueir?
The hot sandwiches were very very good. I enjoyed them enough that I almost drove back over on Sunday. We also tried a few of the pastries, and thought the Strawberry Cheesecake was extraordinary. The quiche was ok, good enough that I would eat it again.
I would be interested to see comments from others who have had the hot sandwiches. I really thought they were very good, and will be back.
The space is crazy big, and the service was very slow when we were there, but all in all the people were friendly.
October 27th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Not to mince words, but according to the menu the quiche’s are always 2/$6.50, so you’d never have to pay an astronomical price for one – I like the the way you spun that though :)
October 27th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Gophers, I didn’t realize it was always priced that way. The woman behind the counter made it seem like it was a special price. My bad.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:48 am
No Problem,
By the way, is that an Amish Built Fireplace in your living room???
http://www.heatsurge.com/
I was thinking about getting one, was wondering how you like it?
October 28th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Gophers, it’s not a Amish Built Fireplace, no. While the specs say it is 1350 BTU and can heat a 400 sq ft room, that has yet to be seen in our ~300 sq ft space.
I like the way it looks and I enjoy the way it “ties the room together” ;-)
October 28th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Thanks, I’ll have to look into the Amish one more – by labelling it as amish, i really feel i can trust it since it is electronic, and those guys I hear are pretty ahead of the curve when it comes to that technology.
Pardon My French is a lame name for a restaurant.
October 28th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Gophers, I was more annoyed by the country code used in the domain than anything else.
October 28th, 2008 at 10:00 am
But it looks like they used real Amish in the pictures? Maybe they just buy a vial of Amish tears and sprinkle those onto the wood.
October 28th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Ted Kaczynski thinks the Amish are too forward thinking.
October 29th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I was craving something new and went one night to pick up a Briand with a side of crudite for to-go supper. I was in my car as the smell overpowered me and forced me to take a bite before even getting in gear- amazingly, mouthwateringly delicious! I recommend the Briand to anyone, the pork was seasoned perfectly and the pastry was buttery and soft. I also grabbed a baguette which was divinely French. I will be going back, especially since I see they have WIFI. Oh, and the take out service was very speedy.
October 30th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Bill–this is a great, great addition to the south side. I’m not an American style breakfast person, but I really dig Continental Style breakfast. Therefore, this is, shall I say (80′s style) AWESOME…
If we want new, imaginitive ventures like PMF, we should support them. After all, most of you blog is complaints about the franchization of AV and BV. I’m surprised you aren’t more supportive of innovative and unique ideas in our suburban waste-land.
To sum up—Give me wine, coffee, an great croissant and I am a happy person. Therefore, I’m very excited about this addition.
October 30th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Sorry, it just didn’t do it for me. It could have been the simple fact that we had eaten at Jensen’s Cafe the day before (and then again the day after per my parents’ request) and PMF just isn’t anywhere near the same league quality-wise (at least for what I had — which was a pretty damn good cross section of what they offered).
*shrug*, YMMV. Glad others had a better experience than the four of us did.
October 31st, 2008 at 10:15 am
Kirk, I liked the place, so dont take this the wrong way, but I dont see what is overly imaginative about this. I liked the hot sandwiches, they were very good in fact. But the place is essentially a soup and sandwich place with baked goods.
November 1st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
The remark in the review about salad and crudites not being breakfast or brunch food was curious. Many of our favorite restaurants serve these at brunch, sometimes as the main dish (i.e. Lucia’s). We also do this at home.
Jensen’s Cafe is, to me, only a tiny step above Perkins-type places. Mediocre bread, meat, and potatoes with no freshness or innovation. Last time we tried it, the pancakes were tough and the potatoes were undercooked.
We do need good food south of the river – after twenty-three years of living here, I have yet to see any. I have hopes for Applewood Rustic Grille and Pardon My French – we will try them soon.
By the way, I’m sorry Ron and Jeff, but your culinary center food really wasn’t very good – if that’s CIA cooking/baking, then the CIA has gone downhill considerably.
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:18 am
I live in the neighborhood and am very excited to have something in that spot. I stopped by and grabbed a pistachio macaroon that was to die for!! I went back the next day to try the croissants which were equally good. All of the bakery goods looked awesome. I can’t wait to try more things.
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I hadn’t been there in several years before going back the same weekend as I went to PMF. Jensen’s has made some serious improvements from what I remember and I was quite pleased with my meal — so much so that I went back with a friend on Saturday again.
The bread certainly isn’t mediocre (at least whatever they provided me with Saturday) and while I didn’t have the pancakes, my father did (with his Eggs Benedict) and said it was great.
As for the crudite and the side salad with breakfast. To each their own and while I’m a huge coleslaw fan, the crudite was sub-par and fairly nasty, especially when paired with the quiches offered.
November 3rd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Looks like your wife was looking for a greasy spoon rather than a unique experience.
I have been in 7 times in the last 10 days. I have found everything to be wonderful! The staff are very nice and are quick to help. I am very excited to have something different in the area. If you want bacon and sausage, go elsewhere. If you want to try to be a bit more cultured and have a truly authentic “French” experience, stop into PMF. Anyone who has actually left the United States will know how wonderful the food is. Seems to me that many Americans cannot appreciate something that is culturally different. I would hate to see your comments deter people from trying something new!
ps. the pastries are desserts, not danish and are not heated as Bill has stated. Try the passion cake!!!
November 3rd, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Maybe you didn’t have them come to your table that way, but we sure did.
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Its always funny how people jump in and state things like “Seems to me that many Americans cannot appreciate something that is culturally different” when someone might not like the same things they do.
First, again, I liked the food I had at PFM. I was not crazy about the service, and it was slow. And we had to go back and ask for a couple of the things we ordered that they forgot. Growing pains for a new place, and I will give them another try. Next, while the food is certainly french in idea and form, I would not say that its so wildly different than anything in the area as to be a shock to the tastebuds. I make hot ham and cheese at home all the time. The one I had at PMF is better than what I make, but certainly not culturally different than what I can get all over town. If you want to call PFM a cross section of French food, I would guess many French Fine Dining establishments would be offended, so lay off on the “Americans” have not taste comments.
Finally, I really dont think anyone who has eaten at Jensens recently would call it a greasy spoon. Good food, good service, clean, friendly, etc. I like a good greasy spoon, but Jensens just does not fit my minds image of a greasy spoon.
To each thier own. I will go back to PFM, and I hope the food is good again. I also hope the service is better and faster this time.
November 9th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Came upon your website…..have to disagree with you…..the food at PMF was absolutely delicious…..the sandwiches were well made with an unique taste and the deserts that my wife and i had were just awesome….I am not sure u can compare this to Panera….
November 10th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
We went with friends to PMF yesterday and we were delighted. The food was very good, and it seemed authentic and made from real food, not chemicals, mixes, and other icky things. The baguette was quite good, not marshmallowy or styrofoamy like your local factory “french” bread. Panera does pretty well and is better than the grocery store bakeries, but it is still mass-produced without the artistry and instinct involved in making truly wonderful bread.
Oh, the word “pastry” – I’m not sure at which point in history this word came to describe breakfast goods such as donuts and the like, but that’s just weird.
The crudites were wonderful – the vinaigrette on them was delicious. Same with the baby greens. Oh, and crudites are not coleslaw and shouldn’t be compared to it.
We had an opera cake slice and a lemon meringue tart – they were also very good.
I agree that we need to support GOOD non-chain enterprises. I’d like to add that we REALLY need to support places that use fresh, real food instead of nasty, chemical mixes, frozen foods, and convenience products. You’d be shocked.
I wonder, for example, if the hollandaise at Jensen’s is made from fresh, real, authentic ingredients, or if it comes out of an envelope as a powder (?). Anyone who has only eaten the latter would be in heaven if they tried the real thing.
As consumers, we should always insist upon (aand support) higher-quality food – we are paying for it and we deserve it.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
We ate at PMF yesterday for lunch. I had the hot ham with a cup of brocolli cheese soup. Both were excellent. My Mom had the chicken salad which was horrid and her french onion soup was nothing to write home about. The chocolate chip cookie we share for dessert was crisp and buttery – yum! I will eat there again but might just stick to the bakery items.
November 11th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
From Wikipedia:
“Crudités are traditional French appetizers comprising sliced or whole raw vegetables which are dipped in a vinaigrette or another dipping sauce. Crudités often include celery sticks, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus spears.
The French word “crudité” originates in much the same way as the English word “crude,” from Latin. The Latin word “crÅ«dus” simply means raw. Later, it was refined to “crÅ«ditÄs”, which means “undigested food” and then on to “crudité” in French.”
Nope, not coleslaw, closer to the veggie tray at Cub.
November 11th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Chad, yeah I know what it is supposed to be, but the way PMF serves it (at least when I went) the side was closer to coleslaw.
November 12th, 2008 at 7:53 am
We had something there, but I dont remember what it was called. It was finely shredded veggies. Ours was three different types of finely shredded veggies, I think Cucumbers, Carrots, and Radishes with some sort of dressing on it. Kinda like Coleslaw without the cabbage?
November 14th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
PMF … everything in the cases looks great. We ordered four pastries and cappuchino (which was served in a disposable cup). The pastries we ordered included an apple turnover, benets, almond croissant and a pistacho/chocolate roll. All were visually appealing but dry. To me they seemed like day old. I followed up with a phone call to a manager to advise of my experience. He told me that this is not the feedback they are getting and that everything is made fresh daily. I guess it must be that my standards are too high, but I much prefer my recollection of the falvors and textures in years past at Napoleon’s Bakery in St. Paul and of hot benets at DuMonde’s in New Orleans.
November 14th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Marilyn, imo you did a great thing calling them to let them know about your experience. Most people (myself included) would probably just leave and not come back.
I hope that they listen to both good and bad feedback, as the response you outlined above is a quick way for them to quickly be joining other south metro restraunt owners looking for new jobs.
November 26th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
What I found with this place that it’s a sweet and quiet place, only if you sit by the bar or the fire. Otherwise it does remind of a cafeteria. What you must get is the french pizza there. That was very good. I think I ordered it with goat cheese, bacon, onions, and added mushrooms and brought it home. It was good then and I’m sure it’s even better out of the oven with a good bottle of wine. I did try the other things and it didn’t impress me either. But they did have wonderful creme brulee and truffles. I wouldn’t waste my money on the other items that they. =)
December 15th, 2008 at 10:32 am
So far I have driven the 125 miles to PMF three times now since finding it. The taste and quality of the food has been exceptional. The service has been very helpful and friendly. The large size makes a person feel like they can sit and relax while eating rather than being rushed like in so many small establishments. Even with the size, it can fill up quickly which shows how well the products are and how well the customers are being treated (or people wouldn’t come). I happen to love the name PMF. I think it is not only catchy, but one that is easy to remember. I encourage everyone to try it.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
One thing people don’t realize when going into PMF, it is a French bakery, which also offers lunch and limited dinner items. French breakfasts consist of danishes, coffee, and maybe some fruit. Danishes (apple turnover, croissants, etc.) are for breakfast. Pastries (cakes, tarts, etc.) are for dessert. I’m not sure how having a lot of area in the back for food prep makes it seem like a cafeteria, and I’ve seen several times when the entire dining area has been full. Maybe the sense of largeness is due to the open ceilings? Well, it gives the place that urban loft feel that is oh so trendy right now. Yes, the drive through window was already there from the Snyder’s pharmacy. I’m not sure why anyone would want to order quiche from a drive through but if they want to wait five minutes or bring it home and heat it, more power to them.
One last comment before I go, what other “mediocre South Metro restaurants” are you comparing PMF to? I’d love know since they are apparently everywhere. But I thought mostly what we have around here is corporate chains.
January 24th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
The comment was made;
“Its always funny how people jump in and state things like “Seems to me that many Americans cannot appreciate something that is culturally different†when someone might not like the same things they do.”
I’m sure at times remarks like that are true, and maybe at other times, they aren’t. Everyone is guilty of being dismissive.
What I find funny is that the expression, “Pardon my French”, is uniquely American, and is a term used when excusing oneself of vulgar language while suggesting disparaging blame upon, indeed, a foreign culture.
The expression embodies a base dismissal of another culture!
Oh Americans, indeed, do have taste. They can be up to their asses, with “F”ing FLAVOR!
Pardon my French
February 24th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
I think you are quite quick to judge a place during the first few weeks of being open. Have you been back? Or opened your mind to something new for breakfast? It doesn’t have to be a greasy, fat-filled plate. Quiche with salad or crudite is a muh healthier option for us lazy, over weight Americans.
I think PMF is wonderful! I stop by the drive through every morning to get my coffee and sometimes a croissant. I used to go to Starbucks drive thru, but here is is much quicker and better coffee actually. I also have dinner 2-3 times a week at PMF. They have started a “dish of the day”. I am really happy to see they added an “entree” option for dinner! If you haven’t tried the tart flambee, I highly recommend it. I am very excited that a place with multiple uses has opened in the area. I am really tired of the high priced chain restaurants (with lowering food quality) Eagan has to offer. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. If you are looking for a place with a great atmosphere where you can have a full meal and a drink for under $10….I would hilghly suggest you try it out!!
ps…I didn’t even mention the outstanding pastry desserts that are made on-site, along with everything else!! Can you tell I love this place!?!?!
February 25th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
My wife and I tried it for the first time last week for lunch. The loaded potato soup was excellent and the roast beef sandwich with ailo was very tasty. The various macaroons for a dollar are a nice finish with their coffee. I had a white small white mocha for $3.00 that outdid Starbucks and Panera, both in quantity and taste.
It is quite large behind the counter and in the eating area. It needs something, I am not sure. We are going to try it some evening for wine and cheese, to see what the lighting is like at night.
I did talk to the manager who said they are considering adding live soft music down the road sometime. That would create a nice ambiance.
March 26th, 2009 at 11:56 am
I finally made it in after driving by weeks ago and seeing PMF from Cliff Road. I bought a baguette which was marvelous- we go through 2 or 3 a week in our house from various locations and this one was one of the better ones we have had in a long time. I also bought 3 strawberry macaroons for my kids who proclaimed them “the best cookies ever!” I bought my husband a Napoleon and he said it was very good. Being he’s a European and grew up eating them, he’s tried many in the Twin Cities and the only other spot he thought had very good Napoleons is out in Hotel Sofitel. For myself I tried a chocolate croissant which was flaky and good but mine didn’t have much chocolate in it to be honest. The chocolate that was in it was dense and flavorful- I just wish there had been a couple more small pieces of it in the croissant.
I looked at the quiche and wished I could have bought one to take home at $3.25 instead of 2/$6.50. I also wish the sandwiches were offered at a lower price without the crudite or salad, just as an option for someone who doesn’t want the side item.
I also noticed many many changes to the menu- things discontinued or replaced and thought they should make a new menu board when they have that many changes already. All those taped over items looked kind of tacky. And I wonder why the kids menu was changed to not allow an eclair as a dessert choice- the day I was there the case was FULL of them.
I thought the interior was lovely and I can’t understand people complaining about having SPACE to breathe. I am tired of being in restaurants where I am practically seated on top of other diners.
I can’t wait to go back to get the beignets- which they said they normally have but didn’t that day because they were using the deep fat fryer to make fries to go with a daily special. I would recommend investing in another fryer as opposed to taking something off your regular menu for a daily special. It makes me wonder when the next time I go what they will have pulled to make something else. Consistency is crucial when establishing yourself as far as I am concerned.
Overall I was very happy and my purchases totalled just over $10 which I thought was reasonable as well.
April 11th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
The wife, kid and I finally got around to trying this. It is in the neighborhood, and we will go back. Everybody enjoyed what they ordered. The fruit tarts were especially good, the fruit tasted very fresh. I was expecting syrupy, over sweet fruit and did not get that at all, much to my delight. The simple side salad that came with my meal was also made with very fresh greens. Very tasty for a no frills salad.
June 9th, 2009 at 9:57 am
As an american i’m not going to say that ‘Americans cannot appreciate something that is culturally different;’ by reading all the comments and reviews on PMF it’s obvious that many Americans are open minded to new food experiences. On the other hand people who are comparing the food offered at PMF to Panera should probably just stick to fast food chains. everthing on the menu at PMF is made fresh daily, from scratch, without preservitates on site so i don’t think you can compare that to any chain restaurant. I think it’s a very nice establishment, i go there frequently and with all the changes they’re making, it seems that they are listening to what their customers want. The desserts are to die for and tart flamee is delicious and they now have happy hr where you can get a $2.50 glass of wine from thier happy hr wine list and I believe its $4 off any tart flamee! I definately recommend this place to anyone who has a sweet tooth or who just wants to get together with some friends for a couple glasses of wine and a few tart flamees!
August 17th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Went to Pardon My French for the first time this weekend. The food was good, not terribly spectacular. Maybe it would have tasted better had I not been fuming about the fact that it took half an hour to get it to our table. Seriously, it’s all sitting in the display case, ready to go — what the hell? What made me even angrier is the pressure I felt to tip at the counter before getting any food. I would have definitely tipped differently after receiving such shitty service.
November 9th, 2009 at 5:12 am
I love to support small, local businesses in the area. This place, though, is the WORST, by far! I took my dental office staff to lunch the week of November 2. When we walked in, the place was packed. Come to find out there were just long lines because of extremely slow service. After waiting in line for 20 minutes, we had to sit at a dirty table. They apparently expect you to bus your own dishes and there is nobody wiping tables.(we had to do that on our own) It seemed that they were extremely under-staffed, especially for the lunch rush. The food that you order is already pre-made in a refridgerated case. So we could not understand what took over 40 minutes for us to get our food. Also, 3 of the 7 meals were not what we ordered. This took another 15 minutes to correct. There was a very rude man named “Brett” who was serving the food and running around like he was lost. After talking to a “manager”, who did not tell us her name and looked all of 17 years old, we were not offered anything for our troubles. The food was bland with low quality ingredients. The deserts we tried were very dry and not what you would expect from a Master French Pastry Chef. This was a terrible experience and I would NEVER recommend this establishment. I don’t see them lasting much longer with this type of service and quality of food. Sorry to say that myself and my office staff will NEVER go back.
November 9th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Jonathan,
Sorry you had that experience. I don’t blame you for not going back. I’ve never been there during a “lunch rush” but my experiences there (probably 10 give or take) have been exactly the opposite of yours.
November 14th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
I guess I should have mentioned that this wasn’t the first time the service was terrible and the food was low quality. This was just the LAST chance we will ever give them. Don’t even bother ordering a danish. They taste like they are a day old. Also, I forgot to mention they only have drinks in a bottle. I could have walked across the parking lot and had a better lunch at the gas station!! I hope this place leaves Eagan very soon. What a disgrace!
November 14th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I had the exact same experience as Jonathan. Almost to the letter. I don’t understand the draw.
November 14th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Here’s the thing, and I’ll try my best to find the words. Pardon My French is NOT at all the best example of that type of bakery/restaurant. But it IS the best one that we have within miles. The bakeries and restaurants around here have never seen, respectively, butter or vegetables. Pardon My French represents hope for the southern ‘burbs. I do wish that they were better; but they are roughly related to Patrick’s, which is also not quite good enough, but attempts to fill a void.
I’ll just have to hurry and open my bakery.
December 1st, 2009 at 6:35 am
I think this place is awesome! The original review was done a few days after they “quietly” opened. All restaurants take atleast 3 months to iron out their glitches and yes, sometimes they make mistakes. I would try a place more than once. I have been there numerous times & enjoy their food & baked goods, service has improved since the opening. PMF is a great addition to the Eagan community. Support your local businesses, and wish people well. It is much better than looking at vacancies!
December 1st, 2009 at 7:06 am
Laura,
Read here for what I (and several others) think about the importance of good food when a restaurant first opens its doors: http://www.lazylightning.org/new-restaurants-whats-most-important-to-you
Sorry but the food just wasn’t good when I was there and I really had no reason to go back. As a commenter stated in the thread I link above, I’m not paying for training of employees or a test market for what works.
I’m glad people believe that mediocre food and pretty average counter service is a great addition to Eagan and I am glad that a huge and cavernous space isn’t sitting empty but it doesn’t mean that I want to eat overpriced food that I really just don’t believe cuts the mustard.
December 4th, 2009 at 7:32 am
[...] being used on Pardon My French’s Facebook fan page, they have used a photo which I took when I reviewed the restaurant back in October of 2008. While this is all well and good, it’s still against Facebook’s TOS (I have followed up [...]
January 19th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
I just found this bakery online two weeks ago. I drive by that area all the time but the Holiday Station hid the place from view.
I love the space and the number of tables. I find it impossible to get seated at any of the chain restaurants around Eagan and AV, either during the week or the weekend. I am thrilled by the environment. I think of PMF as a cross between a great coffee house/ bakery and an independent restaurant. I have been there three times in these past two weeks and have a business meeting there on Saturday.
Meeting for coffee at the million but still overcrowded Caribous, Starbucks, and even Dunn Brothers has worn me down. Their stupid coffee machines are loud and people bump into me constantly. The area behind the counter at PMF is far enough away that even though they are making divine coffee, I don’t have to pause every two seconds so we can hear ourselves think over the sound of the grinder.
By now, the kinks have been worked out at PMF. I didn’t expect to even be waited on given the fact that there was a counter. They delivered my food fast enough both times I sat at a table and came back several times to check on us. My husband and I went Friday night and listened to jazz while the snow dumped down yet again. With the warmth and the windows and the music, it really was a lovely evening and I didn’t even hate the snowflakes drifting by the windows outside. They were pretty in that context.
The French Onion soup is divine, the bread chewy and reminded me of all that wonderful bread in Europe. My husband found a gluten free chicken salad that he said was wonderful too. GF in a bakery, now that is covering the bases. Bless them for that.
Probably no one is following this thread anymore but I had to put in my two cents because I read every comment all the way to the bottom. I have long loved Patricks in Edina and am thrilled to find a cousin bakery in Eagan.
January 19th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Hi Hope — we’re still reading this thread. Well, I am anyway. Your reasons for liking PMF are almost identical to mine. I continue to like it.
January 19th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
My wife ordered a Lemon Tart for my Birthday (last week) dessert from PMF. It was really good. I like anything lemon, and it was exactly what I wanted. I thought it was a little overpriced, but it was my Birthday, and it is a local bakery.
January 21st, 2011 at 4:50 pm
JaLurker, I know what you mean about the overpriced. But if you do the math (real ingredients like fresh lemons and butter, rent, taxes, payroll/payroll taxes, etc.), it’s sometimes hard to see how a high-quality, hand-made bakery can survive even on these types of prices. I want wonderful things to remain available, even if I only want to spend that much occasionally.
May 1st, 2011 at 9:48 pm
I went there this weekend for the first time with the spouse and child. The “flour cookie” (a sugar cookie of sorts) was fine. The chocolate-chip muffin was not that great. I couldn’t find the chips and the muffin was dry and a bit off the taste I would expect. I took a sip or two of the latte, and while I’m not much of a coffee drinker, it was fine.
The comment about the whirring and grinding of coffee-making at Caribou, etc. is on target. I didn’t experience that at PMF, though I was far enough away from that part of the counter to see whether or not there were a lot of people ordering coffee.
Yeah, the place does have a very large feel to it. I was pleased that the music playing overhead was “there” but not blasting me away.
I noticed there was at least one table that should have been bused.
I’m happy to have an alternative to chain restaurants, but haven’t eaten any sandwiches or deserts (the Napoleons, etc.) to give a full commentary.
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:31 am
The prosciutto sandwich is my absolute favorite thing they make, to the point where I have almost given up on ordering anything else. I haven’t tried it yet, but a friend of mine says PMF burger is very good. He also likes their square pizza (tarte flambe?).
The Friand is so so. It could use more pastry. The Croque Madam was way to rich for me and was cold in the middle. The quiches are ok. The seafood one I had was very salty, capers were just too much I think, so maybe just avoid that one.
I’ve never tried the muffins. The breakfast pastries I’ve had have been good.
I’ve had great desserts and some that have been sitting in the case too long. I think the next time I’m in there I’m going to tactfully as possible ask them how frequently they make the desserts and what’s freshest.
The free kids meals (Sun, Mon) are nothing special or healthy, but the fries are good enough that I’ll steal some from their plates, and it makes dinner very affordable for a family of five.
The bread is really great. It is priced at or less than the grocery stores but the loaves are bigger, fresher, and have better flavor. If I have 15 minutes to spare I’ll drive the extra few miles to make a stop here just for bread.
The busing thing is kind of weird, as they have the coffee shop self bus bins out, but at the same time there’s a psudo table service thing going on… I just tip a couple of bucks at the counter and leave the dishes. Especially if I’m wrangling three little kids.
Frankly they are hit and miss. I have been there many times. I go because I do love some of their food, I like the atmosphere (some people don’t), and they’re the closest thing to my house of that type of establishment.
January 14th, 2013 at 1:16 pm
Pardon My French closed yesterday.
January 14th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
Must be so successful at the MOA that they didn’t need this one.
January 14th, 2013 at 3:39 pm
they both closed with little notice. they posted it on their facebook page friday that sunday was the last day. I loved that place. MOA not so much
January 14th, 2013 at 3:45 pm
I shed no tears for those who use photos without proper attribution, payment, or permission.
Marked as closed.
January 14th, 2013 at 5:59 pm
Lifting photos ain’t cool. I liked the place the couple of times I went there, though. It was a nice change of pace for a suburban breakfast spot.
January 15th, 2013 at 10:42 am
So……. what would everyone like to see go into this soon-to-be vacated place?
January 15th, 2013 at 11:09 am
January 15th, 2013 at 11:10 am
I format for shit.
January 15th, 2013 at 11:17 am
You’d have an endless supply of old tires right next door. Plus some used oil to wash it down with from Jiffy Lube.
Personally, I’m undecided what I’d like to see, though a Trader Joe’s would be cool. The parking lot is about the right size, keeping with their bumper-car theme that they have going at 99.99% of their stores.
January 15th, 2013 at 11:18 am
January 15th, 2013 at 5:13 pm
What we could really use around here is a good nail salon or tanning place. Or a cell phone store. Of course, I’ve also been dying to find a cheap pizza and Americanized Chinese take-out/delivery in this part of town. Or even chain coffee. Really how do you narrow it down?
January 15th, 2013 at 5:27 pm
A Pizza Ranch, obviously.
*ducks*
January 17th, 2013 at 3:22 pm
Does Eagan have any good massage parlours yet?
January 17th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Keep in Touch is probably the worst of the evils.
No Happy Endings, though.
January 17th, 2013 at 6:23 pm
Oh, my part of town certainly has some sketchy-looking massage parlors (though they seem to be popping up all over recently). There’s even one just a few doors down from the location of the place that was busted for prostitution several years back.
January 18th, 2013 at 8:34 am
I have my suspicions about *Heavenly Asian Massage* over on Nicols where Trail TV used to be.
Any place that posts on CL with pictures of underage-looking females raises a red flag to me, you know?
January 18th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Since I have all but given up hope I throw my vote in for a Dunkin Donuts
January 21st, 2013 at 7:52 am
A friend lives near Heavenly Asian Massage, they are open at 2am for massages. Its so blatant that I have to believe it is a sting operation by Eagan’s finest. If not, then it is obviously plying the world’s oldest profession.
Pardon My French, during the holidays its MOA store was quite busy the 2 times I went by. I would have to think however that the lease overhead there and in Eagan were too much to overcome.
April 16th, 2013 at 4:44 pm
Ha. Just ha. my suspicious may have proven correct.
From the Eagan Patch:
” The council may schedule an administrative hearing on Tuesday to review possible ordinance violations committed by a massage parlor in Eagan. Heavenly Asian Massage, located at 4215 Nicols Road, has violated city ordinances by allowing unlicensed massage therapists to practice at the parlor, according to a city report. The business, owned by Julio Alaniz, may have its license revoked, and manager Yang Yu may also have a massage therapist license revoked. The council isn’t expected to take action on this item on Tuesday. After an administrative hearing is held, the city will schedule a public hearing regarding the ordinance violations.”