The Tao of Pao

Puff & Pao
105 Christopher Street
New York, NY
212-633-PUFF

Allow me to enlighten you.  A wonderful place where delicious flavored paolitos exists.  Take the path called Christopher Street to just west of Bleecker Street, and your journey will begin.  We were fortunate to have Stephen Elliot, the pao guru and owner of Puff&Pao, personally guide us through his inventive selection of little brazilian cheese breads.

I should mention that the "Puff" in Puff&Pao refers to their signature cream puffs, which are served with 'piped-to-order' fillings.  The puffs are NOT gf and are prepared separately from the paos.  Your glutenous friends can enjoy these unique puffs while you happily devour the paos.  Pao de queijo is the popular Brazilian cheese bread on which Stephen's paos are based.  Made with manioc flour, his paos offer a unique twist; the cheeses used are either a sharp New York cheddar or a blend of imported farmhouse cheese and Grana Padano (a traditional Italian cheese).  Both versions come plain or flavored with fresh seasonings like chorizo, garlic, sweet onion, jalapeno, cracked pepper and other savory delights; also, sweet choices like fig & walnut and guava.  The texture and flavors are beyond ... crunchy exterior, chewy gooey interior.  Newly available are pao croutons!  Take some of these seasoned little nuggets home for salads ... when was the last time you had croutons?!

Since we first discovered Stephen's place, he has been consistently coming up with new creative flavors and ideas.  His enthusiasm for keeping menu items full of high quality ingredients and taste blows me away!  I find myself often dreaming of the pao breakfast sandwich:  A large pao pocket filled with scrambled egg, fresh herb, and cheese mixture of the day.  There are also lunch pao sandwiches filled with any of their fresh market salads.  Brand new lunch sandwich filling choices are coming soon.  The salads are unique and delicious ... most of them are gf, but not all, so always ask about ingredients.

Yet another thing Stephen does with a passion are coffees and teas from around the world.  You have your pick of hand-selected coffee blends, as well as lattes, macchiatos, and cappuccinos featuring "latte art", where designs are drawn into the drink's milky surface.  Also, hot green, black, rooibus, and thai teas, which can also be ordered iced and 'shaken' with added flavor, like forest berries or lychee.  A perfect compliment to your comfort beverage will be a parisienne-style macaroon!  Yes, these beautiful desserts are gf, made of ground almond, egg whites, and sugar.  We have yet to taste a better macaroon.  They are so special, and again, your choice of flavors are plentiful; blueberry, chocolate, lemon, raspberry, and peanut.  The restaurant's interior has a clean, modern, colorful cafe feel.  Perfect for a quick lunch, snack, or coffee/dessert with friends.  The culinary experience you'll have at Puff&Pao is well rounded.  Your yin balances your yang and for a moment, harmony is achieved.  Delightful gf cuisine is tangible.