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Saturday's croissant was a morning-after-the-Euro-2016-kick-off-pick-me-up from a small boulangerie in Paris. Sunday's croissant was a drying-out-from-a-soaking-wet-Chiswick-dog-walk from Patisserie Valerie on the High Road. Honestly, it wasn't a bad croissant, but it was never going to feature in the weekend highlight reel.
Patisserie Valerie was first opened in Frith Street in Soho by Belgian-born Madam Valerie, who apparently came to London on a mission to introduce "fine Continental Patisserie" to the English in 1926. Appropriate perhaps that we should visit on the weekend of the Queen's official 90th birthday.
The Chiswick shop opened in 2008, on the site of the former 'Nuts About Life' shop (anyone remember that?). Even the normally upbeat ChiswickW4.com was decidedly lukewarm about its opening: "Bets are already on for how long the High Road's newest addition will survive and they haven't even opened their doors!" Well, who's laughing now?
Sandwiched between the Flight Centre and a newsagent that unlocks mobile phones, it's not an enticing prospect (this was our first ever visit). And the ambience inside is no better - the furniture feels very dated and the loo opens straight into the restaurant, which is slightly off-putting (and surely a health & safety red flag).
I washed my croissant down with a reasonable black Americano, and Mrs West4urants warmed up with a pot of green tea.
If you're looking for a decent cup of coffee in a chilled and relaxing atmosphere, there are plenty of places in Chiswick that are doing it much better - Angie's Little Food Shop, Tamp and Urban Pantry to name just three. But if you're looking for rectangular slices of cream and sponge then this is the place for you.
Food (for 1): £1.95
Drink: £4.85
Total: £6.80
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