Chez Patrick Deli

A lovely afternoon spent at Stanley mall led me to Chez Patrick Deli for a bite outside with my dog.
I was super excited to see La Chouette (a French cider) on the beverage menu. Just like with champagne, the French are very particular about the cider-​making process. They’ll only use specific varieties of apples, and you’ll taste the difference!
Once I settled in with my cider, I placed an order for a Croque-​Monsieur sandwich. I hadn’t eaten all day and was looking forward to something a bit more substantial. Keep in mind, the croque is one of my favorite sandwiches and I’ve learned to replicate it reasonably well at home, béchamel sauce included. But this version was a little sad, and I think that it partly had to do with the bread — it has to be superb — and the cheese (which should also be of excellent quality). The fries, however, were truly disappointing! Soggy and lifeless.
The sandwich was still better than average though, and I certainly enjoyed polishing it off alongside the crisp cider.
On another note, neither I nor my dog were offered any water on a sweltering afternoon. C’est la vie!