A proper croissant can be judged by its negative space. Tear into the tail end of any crescent-shaped carb (not all of them deserve to be called croissants) and look inside: You’ll either find a dense blob of dough (très mal), or a delicate construction of flaky layers that have lifted to create a pocket of air (magnifique!).
Rosallie gets it right. Owner Jonathan Pluvinet, a native of France, spent six years at the reigns of his parents’ café before giving it new life on foreign soil. It’s hard to find fault with any of the buttery pastries on display. Alongside the standard croissant ($2.10), there’s perfect pains au chocolate, sugar-crusted palmiers and almond croissants to go with your morning coffee.
A menu of light bites is also available. The country plate ($12.90)—composed of sliced prosciutto, saucisson, Brie, mellow and nutty Comte cheese, a sliver of rich walnut tarte and a side of French bread—is ideal for nibbling with a friend at lunch. From a limited selection of sandwiches, the Ouest ($12.90), made with duck confit and homemade onion jam, makes for a filling option you’d never find at the corner deli or sub shop. Unfortunately, on my visit the house-made breads were pale with a dense crumb, falling behind the superior pastries.
Other typically French options include a bacon-studded quiche Lorraine ($8.90) and chèvre salad ($8.90) served with warm goat cheese that oozes from a flaky blanket of pastry.
Pluvinet does his best to Francofy an otherwise dull commercial space. Upholstered chairs, cast iron tables and French tunes are a sincere attempt to transport you from its strip mall environs. It’s also family-friendly: A corner with children’s books is a quaint spot to sit with the tots while you introduce them to their first almond macaron ($12 per dozen).
As a lunch spot, Rosallie draws a fair number of neighbors, but for patisserie connoisseurs in any part of town, it’s worth at least one trip to get your butter-and-flour fix.
Rosallie Le French Cafe 6090 S. Rainbow Blvd., 702-998-4121. Daily, 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
