TC Paris

I always look forward to the rare opportunity of being in Saratoga on a weekday during lunch hours. That means that I can stop at T C Paris for something delicious, and maybe try an item for the first time.
Today I introduced myself to Chicken Salad Veronique ($ 7.95). I Googled Veronique since I had no idea what it might mean. However, I’m still not sure whether to go with the explanation that it relates to the 1991 movie, The Double Life of Veronique, a story of two identical women, one in France and the other in Poland who don’t know each other, or if it relates to an operetta composed in 1898. Or maybe it comes from the song Veronique performed by Pink Martini on their 2004 album «Hang on Little Tomato.» The only possible explanation I can surmise for its association with a French liquid-​fuelled sounding rocket built in the 50’s and 60’s is that it refueled me and propelled me onward.
Served between a very delicious, and fresh, sliced butter croissant, were chunks of roasted chicken, sliced sweet green grapes, celery, tarragon, just the right amount of mayonnaise, and Sarawak black pepper from Malaysia. The addition of the grapes is like adding a sweet kiss from Veronique to your taste buds when you least expect it. Along with a cup of the French Sumatra dark roast coffee ($ 2.25) it was the perfect lunch to get me through the day.
Did I mention that I couldn’t help but take home some Macarons to share with my wife?
I just have to add that 5^th star after today.

TC Paris never stops evolving.
Not everybody knows this, but in the earliest days this bakery made cake pops. Fortunately those days were limited, and French macarons became the star of the show. There was the Albany bakery, which shared space with the Chocolate Gecko. I loved that era because for a while TC Paris was so close to home.
Then came the big move to Saratoga Springs. This brought ice cream (which I never got to try), sandwiches (which I loved), and marked the beginning of the bakery’s relationship wholesaling to Whole Foods.
It turned out the wholesale business was going gangbusters and the Saratoga TC Paris ceased retail operations to focus on its core French macaron business.
But now TC Paris is back. Now they have this cute little café in the Pavilion Grand Hotel. There are egg and cheese sandwiches on their own butter croissants. And those are delicious. I had the one with Niman Ranch European-​style ham. That stuff is truly great, and makes for an excellent croissant sandwich.
However, TC Paris is loosening its grip on its French underpinnings. They also have a meatloaf sandwich on a biscuit, and have started bringing in H&H bagels from NYC.
I’m not complaining. Why? Because I’ll be able to pop in and get treats like eclairs, or slices of opera cake, or their signature macarons any day of the week. And since the bakery isn’t on Broadway, it will always be easy to find a parking place. The main drag is literally only two blocks away, so this will make a lovely starting point for taking care of my Saratoga shopping.
The new space does feel a little bit stiff. But everything requires a little break-​in period.