Nuvrei Pastries

I’ve been loving Nuvrei Patisserie & Café for several years now. I remember when they originally only had the downstairs space and going in you felt like you were making some secret kitchen deal. Then they opened up a small little patisserie and cafe upstairs that was bright with light and the smell of goodness while being super cozy – there were times I had to eat using the little counters they had on the outside hallway because there was no space in this teeny tiny adorable shop. Recently this year they opened up the MAC Bar, an additional little space specifically for ogling the beauty and putting together your fresh macaron boxes (and the upstairs Nuvrei Cafe space continues to be the devoted space for your warm beverage needs and to ogle/order the amazing baked goods).

In case you haven’t visited Nuvrei before, let me give you a little visual tour of their deliciousness. If you are thinking of bringing some wonderful treats as you travel for the holidays, or having some guests visit and are looking for a quick place to grab a bite to go and keep on (say then off to a trip to the Gorge area, or the Coast, or up to Mt Hood) I cannot recommend stopping and visiting Nuvrei enough.

Besides the various coffees and cappuccinos and lattes and Valrhona Mocha, they also have Valrhona Hot chocolate, chai, and Foxfire Teas as well.
The love from Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe in vanilla latte form and what magnificient pastry did you choose...? The love from Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe in vanilla latte form

I’ve written previously about their macarons, which you now can go straight downstairs to the Macaron Bar in order to get. There are seasonal flavors they change out, such as my latest visit they had chestnut and also a chai flavor.

The Macarons at the MAC Bar below Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe in the Pearl District of Portland Macarons from Nuvrei, Nuvrei Patisserie and Café

In that same post, I also loved their Fried Egg Bagel Sandwich. In another breakfast and lunch sandwich focused post, I gushed about the cheddar jalapeno bagel with cream cheese, and their bagels which uses with their homemade pretzel dough to add extra flavor and chew. I also like how they make pretzel sandwiches, such as the Pretzel with chive cream cheese and smoked wild sockeye salmon. 

Fried Egg sandwich that includes fontina, tomato, frisée and dijon butter and cream cheese, Nuvrei Patisserie and Café Nuvrei Patisserie and Café breakfast sandwich pretzel bagel Nuvrei Patisserie and Café breakfast sandwich salmon pretzel

You may think you are going to just take this to go to eat later, but maybe you should get 2 sandwiches – one for breakfast AND one for lunch. For instance, you can get the Salmon Bagel Sandwich with cucumber, dill, red onion, butter lettuce and choice of bagel and cream cheese for breakfast, or perhaps the Sausage Bagel sandwich with housemade sage sausage, fried egg, dijon butter, onion, brie and basil. And then for lunch, go with the Avocado Turkey or BLT.

Here’s a little bit more detail on that Avocado Turkey bagel sandwich… they have a large variety of bagels, varying from plain, onion, sesame, poppy seed, fleur de sel, everything, cheddar jalapeno, or asiago, but I personally prefer the cheddar jalapeno and everything myself. I mean look at the beauty of that cheddar jalapeno..
Details of the Avocado Turkey bagel sandwich at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe, here on a cheddar jalapeno bagel with avocado, turkey, tomato, red onion, butter lettuce, choice of bagel that is made with some homemade pretzel dough and cream cheese of course Details of the Avocado Turkey bagel sandwich at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe, here on a cheddar jalapeno bagel with avocado, turkey, tomato, red onion, butter lettuce, choice of bagel that is made with some homemade pretzel dough and cream cheese of course Details of the Avocado Turkey bagel sandwich at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe, here on a cheddar jalapeno bagel with avocado, turkey, tomato, red onion, butter lettuce, choice of bagel that is made with some homemade pretzel dough and cream cheese of course Details of the Avocado Turkey bagel sandwich at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe, here on a cheddar jalapeno bagel with avocado, turkey, tomato, red onion, butter lettuce, choice of bagel that is made with some homemade pretzel dough and cream cheese of course

And maybe a cookie too. Seriously, look at how packed with chocolate and walnuts their Chewy Chocolate Walnut cookies are. You can also just take home a mix and bake it yourself at home to eat, unashamed, a half dozen all by yourself.
Chewy Walnut Cookie, one of the many many delicious options at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe Seriously, look at how packed with chocolate and walnuts their Chewy Chocolate Walnut cookies are at Nuvrei Patisserie YUM, Take Home Cookie Mix of either flourless chewy chocolate cookie with walnuts or flourless double chocolate brownie from Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe

Or go a little lighter and just go with a croissant – plain buttery one is simple, but so light and buttery.
The buttery light as air croissant at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe The buttery light as air croissant at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe

Or go for a flavored croissant, such as chocolate, or sesame, or sesame thyme, or almond, or chocolate almond, or walnut, or chocolate walnut, or berry croissant or seasonal fruit croissant… and save the sandwich for lunch. Let me tell you, they know what they are doing with their croissants.
Chocolate Croissant, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe Sesame Thyme Croissant, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe Almond Croissant, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe Chocolate Walnut Croissant, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe Seasonal Fruit Croissant, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe

Or go with a glistening cinnamon danish. Or scone (like these lemon poppy seed scones or blueberry blackberry scones). Nuvrei pastries are amazing, all of them.
Cinnamon Danish, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe Lemon Poppy Seed Scone, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe Blueberry Blackberry Scone, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe

Or pretzel or bacon cheddar biscuit. Or their Granola, made with Pepitas, coconut flakes, dried wild blueberries, rolled oats, Oregon honey, thin sliced almonds & a dash of cardamon, all lightly toasted (and you can get it with their yogurt and seasonal fresh fruit too).
Gruyere Pretzel, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe, and it can be made to be your bread for a sandwich Bacon Cheddar Biscuit, one of the many many delicious baked good pastries at Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe Granola, made with Pepitas, coconut flakes, dried wild blueberries, rolled oats, Oregon honey, thin sliced almonds & a dash of cardamon, all lightly toasted! At Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe

You can see the problem is I just want to eat everything in the display, and you will also have a hugely difficult time choosing just one. Which is why I say, get two!

Or, bring them home for a holiday breakfast treat for your family – you get 10% off on a box of 12 or more pastries (excluding macarons). I barely need the excuse of a family in order to get a bunch of bagels and biscuits and scones.

Nuvrei is located at 404 NW 10th Avenue – the patisserie and cafe where you can get the various pastries and coffee is up the stairs when you first walk in, while the macaron bar aka MAC Bar is down the stairs. They are open 7am – 5pm daily except Sunday where they open at 8am.

To go sandwich from Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe

Have you ever been to Nuvrei? What did you like- macarons? Pastries? Both?

Do you have guests visiting you this holiday season that you want to spoil by upgrading their continental breakfast basket with some of these pastries? I don’t have guests and I’m still thinking of putting that kind of basket together just for myself…

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Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe Lunch Edition

While I was on winter break from work during the holidays, I stopped by at  Nuvrei again a couple of times. It’s become my breakfast/brunch obsession. I wished I lived closer as I was jealous each time I saw a regular come in and get greeted by name and exchange life updates small talk with the staff.

This time, rather than stopping in the early morning I stopped during lunchtime, and I found the fact that they have no menu board but you have to get to the register to grab one of their printed paper trifolds (even though the line is supposed to snake to the right of the entrance, past where they assemble the sandwiches and all the pastries and those macarons before you get to the register all the way on the left) pretty disorienting. They should have the menus closer to the right side perhaps in a menu holder that is noticeable so you can take the time to read through it before you get to the register area.

Still, even though they only had 8 bar seats and 3 tables, we were able to find a seat for 2 to enjoy our little lunch. One extra tip- if you look at the outside countertop where they have the additions for your coffee, there is one more small counter spot and 2 stools if you don’t want to eat back at the office or it’s not nice enough to eat outside.

Even though I came during lunchtime, I ended up with more options from their all day breakfast sandwiches part of their menu. I tried the cheddar jalapeno bagel with cream cheese, and swooned over the taste of the bagels which uses with their homemade pretzel dough, so is not quite a traditional bagel but all is totally forgiven.

Also, I tried the Smoked Cheddar pretzel with chive cream cheese and smoked wild sockeye salmon which was like a dream, every bite was so heavenly, it just sinks in with the right amount of chewiness. I suppose you can just get the bagel or the smoked cheddar pretzel by themselves too and they would be just as tasty, but seriously, their pretzel bread is such a perfect mix of soft and doughy yet firm and just a little bit of salt but then add in how it tastes with the savory sandwich fixings… like the fresh melt in your mouth salmon with that smooth just enough smear of cream cheese…so incredible.

Nuvrei Patisserie and Café breakfast sandwich pretzel bagel Nuvrei Patisserie and Café breakfast sandwich salmon pretzel

On the brioche side, the grilled cheese with young asiagio cheese was helped by the dijon butter and the cornichons, but it still seemed plain. Also on brioche, the Morning Croque Madame with was  a much better combination with its gooey oozy melt in your mouth mix of brioche, fried egg, bechamel, dijon butter, swiss cheese and ham, served hot.

Nuvrei Patisserie and Café brioche grilled cheese Nuvrei Patisserie and Café breakfast sandwich brioche Croque Madame Nuvrei Patisserie and Café breakfast sandwich brioche Croque Madame Nuvrei Patisserie and Café breakfast sandwich brioche Croque Madame

If you are looking for a grab and go pastry, besides the pretzel based bagels and their various flakey buttery croissants, you might also consider their yellow squash pizza with chevre fresh oregano and ground pepper, and the margarita pizza with tomato onion chevre and fresh basil, both on a olive oil crust. I find what they did with the squash an example of what I had mentioned in a previous post: that everything is thoughtfully created with love and high quality and European craftsmanship.

Nuvrei Patisserie and Café breakfast yellow squash pizza

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Macarons from Nuvrei

I went to Nuvrei Patisserie & Café in order to purchase some macarons to share at work. Macarons are one of the items Nuvrei is famous for (some have called their version best in all of Portland), and these Parisan style flourless almond based treats are filled with a variety of flavorful creams and custards.

What I didn’t expect that now that they have moved from their basement location which had given it a secret bakery feel (as if you were walking into a commercial kitchen that baked for other restaurants and catered and you were purchasing their goods on the side- Ota Tofu also has that feel) to now a spot on the first floor, how utterly sweet and charming the storefront cafe now is, and how inviting it is to want to linger over coffee or tea. It’s also given them opportunity to expand their offerings.
Macarons from Nuvrei, Nuvrei Patisserie and Café Macarons from Nuvrei, Nuvrei Patisserie and Café

I chose to get an assortment of macarons. Their variety of flavors include their

    • Caramel au beurre sale (salted buttery caramel! My fave of what I tried!)
    • Italian pistachio with light vanilla butter cream (my second favorite of the box)
    • Framboise with oregon raspberry preserve
    • Fruit de la passion with vanilla passion fruit custard
    • Citron with lemon lime and orange zest folded into buttercream
    • Rose et Fraise with pure rose and Oregon strawberry preserve
    • Espressio with Coava espressio and white chocolate custard
    • Chocolat with Valrhona chocolate ganache

Macarons from Nuvrei, Nuvrei Patisserie and Café Macarons from Nuvrei, Nuvrei Patisserie and Café

As I was waiting to select my macarons, my eyes kept being drawn to the other wonderful baked items they had showcased. And so that’s how I “accidentally” also ordered a Bagel Sandwich.
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baked goods from Nuvrei, bagels, croissants, scones, muffins, macarons, macaroons, bagel sandwich, danishes, cookies, biscuit, brioche, sandwiches, Nuvrei Patisserie and Café

It starts with a choice of bagel here as part of a Fried Egg sandwich that includes fontina, tomato, frisée and dijon butter and cream cheese. I went with the asiago cheese bagel, but other options of their bagel, made with home made pretzel dough, were cheddar jalapeno, honey oatmeal, everything, onion, sesame, salt, poppy seed, or plain.

Fried Egg sandwich that includes fontina, tomato, frisée and dijon butter and cream cheese, Nuvrei Patisserie and Café Fried Egg sandwich that includes fontina, tomato, frisée and dijon butter and cream cheese, Nuvrei Patisserie and Café

I took a bite and just couldn’t put it down and stop until it was all done and maybe shook the sandwich bag for any crumbs or smears to lick the paper clean. There are a variety of other bagel sandwiches, as well as various croissant sandwiches be it for breakfast, which they serve all day, or such as one for lunch that caught my eye that has avocado and Oregon bay shrimp, apricot creme fraiche, dill and butter lettuce.

They also have just “regular” croissants (regular, chocolate, almond, or chocolate almond), scones (blueberry blackberry, lemon poppy seed with lemon glaze!), muffins, danishes, cookies, bacon cheddar biscuit or berry brioche, not to mention a whole bunch of other hot and cold sandwiches varying from your croque monsieur or madame to one with roasted and pickled beet with chevre arugula and truffle oil on their bread…

My goodness the menu is big enough for a whole tri-fold menu that would rival any restaurant, not a tiny cute cafe with only a couple tables and lovely window counterbar for people watching. And each option is irresistible you will be so torn what to get. Everything is clearly thoughtfully created with love and high quality and European craftsmanship.

I’m glad I don’t have to live too close to these temptations and that this is totally out of the way to go to work, or I would be their daily and this would be part of my routine. As it was, I had to go early when they opened to get them before heading to Beaverton for work, and it was totally worth it thanks to that sandwich even before I got on the trolley to get to the Max. I already hope to visit again (and maybe twice…) as after next week, I’ll be on vacation from work for the rest of the year!

They are open 7-5, and are an amazing little breakfast and lunch destination that just takes you from a gray dreary day in Portland to a mysterious gray dreary day in Paris, and seems to remind you of opportunity as it whispers “aren’t you ready for adventure and romance? let’s go!”

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