Hungry & Fit are typically on the wrong side of the Mississippi River when it comes to the fun, cute places to hang out and eat. New Orleans and even Metairie have most of those spots, with a few exceptions in Algiers. Fortunately, earlier this year, we received a covid-related blessing in disguise. A local pastry chef, who had worked in hotels, decided to open up her own cafe instead of fighting to find a job in the recently unpredictable hospitality industry. Feast your eyes on the treats inside Le Cafe Eblouir!
First, we might as well get all of the bad things out of the way so we can really focus on the good. My only major issue is that they’re not nearly open enough. While it is probably good for my wallet and my abs, I really wish they were open later in the day. There are some nights that we want delicious pastries while watching The Great British Bakeoff, and after becoming addicted to their goods, it is hard to go anywhere else. There is really only one other place on the Westbank of New Orleans that even compares, but their days and hours of operation are extremely limited. Hopefully, as the team grows, the owner can find a way to extend those hours a bit.
Next, since our reviews are always fair and honest, we need to make another important point about Eblouir. While there isn’t really anything wrong with their savory items, we don’t think they’re in the same league as the sweet items. Please feel free to try the ham and cheese, or egg and cheese, croissants for yourself. They’re definitely enjoyable and worth the calories, but I don’t think they compare to the treasure trove of sweets on their menu.
Now, before digging deep into their main attractions, let’s take a moment to discuss their drinks. As you all might know, we don’t drink coffee. I probably haven’t been to Starbucks in a decade, but we drink a ton of tea at home. One of our favorite drinks happens to be chai, and they have one of the best chai lattes in the city. It is certainly in the top three, and probably even number two overall. (Sorry, you might want to know number one, but we can’t promote another business when trying to draw attention to Eblouir!)
It is finally time to tell you that all of the following items are absolutely amazing: red velvet cake, basque cheesecake, macarons, bingsu, mochi. We haven’t had a single sweet item that we don’t enjoy, although those five are just mind-blowing. If I had to draw extra attention to anything, it would be the cheesecake. Despite trying countless cheesecakes, there is only one (now one other) in the world that I would order again, and that is all the way in New York City. (No, it isn’t a place you’d guess.) This cheesecake is so good that I can’t avoid it. Usually I won’t give a cheesecake a second chance because I have major issues with it but that isn’t the case here.
The secret to the magic is in Eblouir’s owner, Hyemin. She is always innovating by adding new items to the menu, even when it isn’t necessary. These risks have brought us seasonal and fun flavors for the macarons, the rare and refreshing bingsu in the summer, and now… mochi. You’re going to have a hard time getting mochi anywhere else, whether it is from the frozen food section or in a higher-end sushi restaurant after having these. Hopefully, these all stay on the menu for a long time!
Others might not agree, but we’re glad that the prices aren’t incredibly low. The quality is so high that the prices are completely justified, especially for locally owned food made by scratch. Also, while some of the slices of cake might not look massive, they’re far more filing than your eyes would tell you. A single slice of cheesecake might seem steep, but the whole cake prices are a great value. Also, the red velvet cake slices are enormous, with cream cheese frosting that is perfectly fresh every time.
As for the less exciting, but equally important notes of visiting, they are in an easily accessible strip mall with loads of parking. Also, the interior is charming and clean while the staff is helpful and kind. Plus, they get bonus points for playing great music, such as Studio Ghibli playlists. This is overall one of our favorite places in the metro area and we’re so spoiled to be able to stop in every week. Le Cafe Eblouir even earned a rare five star review on our Yelp page. Stay hungry and fit!
Wow, sounds delicious – I want to try out Le Cafe Eblouir – And then take a long walk along the river….