When deciding where Verbatim staff wanted to go for our following food review, we thought a local bakery would be a great destination for our next excursion. We asked Mrs. Ryan if she knew any local bakeries, and she recommended Le Quartier. Le Quartier offers a variety of bread, pastries, and sandwiches. We were excited to embark on a new culinary adventure. During one of our shared free periods, the Verbatim staff and fellow Verbatim readers went to Le Quartier, just a few minutes away from Brownell Talbot’s campus, at 5026 Underwood Ave. (they also have another location in Countryside Village next to Westside High School).

The Verbatim staff headed to Le Quartier up the street in the Dundee area. Parking was relatively easy to find during our late morning visit. The inside of the building was very open, and the menu options were presented in front of us, making it easier to choose which items we wanted. Additionally, the prices were listed on the glass window. The woman who took our order at the cash register was nice and patient while ordering, which made the experience more enjoyable and welcoming. Paying was quick and easy, as like most businesses they accept cash or credit card. The wait time for our items was brief, and we were able to begin eating right away in a booth. Various utensils and condiments were readily available at a small table near the seating area, which was helpful considering we ordered a wide variety of items from the menu. The sandwiches and pastry items were well made and packaged nicely. The walls also had several murals. Le Quartier bakery is a place all of us would return to again, considering the enjoyable sweet and savory food options and the proximity to Brownell Talbot.

Calvin: I ordered a peach cupcake and a chocolate almond croissant. I tried the peach cupcake before the croissant. Although the cupcake did not have that much peach flavor, it was still very delicious. Overall, the cupcake was very tasty, but the sweetness of the frosting and the density of the cupcake were a bit overwhelming. Later, I ate the chocolate almond croissant. I thought it would not live up to the cupcake, but I was wrong. I enjoyed eating the whole croissant from the first to the last bite.

Kidman: I ordered the yule log slice and mixed berry danish. The yule log slice was dense, similar to pound cake. The cream inside the yule log was delightful. The cherry on the top had salt around it, which I wasn’t the biggest fan of. Overall, the yule log was delicious. The mixed berry danish was even better. The outside was crispy and buttery. The fruit inside the danish complemented the cream.

Audrey: The chocolate torte was very rich and had an unexpectedly smooth texture. It was slightly difficult to eat and get out of the wrapper, but it was well worth the effort. I thought the flavor was just dark enough to add a bit of bitterness to counteract the sugar, and it was a lovely melt in your mouth bite.

Kate: I ordered the roast beef and Swiss cheese sandwich on a croissant. For the meal price, the sandwich was rather large, and I wasn’t able to finish it when we were at Le Quartier. I took the rest of it home to eat later. The texture of the meat and cheese inside the croissant was very satisfying. Although the bread was a bit crumbly, the taste was excellent.

In addition to our in-person visit to the bakery, Seth Quiring, co-owner of Le Quartier, was generous enough to answer some of our questions about his business through email.

What prompted you to start Le Quartier?

Deciding to start a business is a long story but to I’ll narrow it down to the basics.  I had worked for a large company for over 10 years and wanted to try something different. My brother was working at a bakery in Paris and wanted to come home. It was a perfect combination on my brothers’ unique skill set and our willingness to take a risk of starting something new. 

Do you plan to expand to more locations?

Our business currently has 3 locations. One in Lincoln and two in Omaha. While we’re always looking to grow, our focus is on making our current stores the best they can be. More locations isn’t always I right decision when your product requires as much hands on attention as ours

What makes the Le Quartier different from other bakeries?

Omaha is blessed with a number of quality bakeries but only Le Quartier has an owner (my brother) who worked in Montreal for 2 years and another year in Paris. Recipes are very simple, flour, water, salt and yeast. It’s his technique and handling of the dough that brings out the amazing flavors.

What’s your favorite part about Le Quartier?

My favorite part is the people. I’m a very social person. Our staff quickly becomes like family and I always enjoy making a customer happy and hearing what they’re cooking at home or how they’re using our breads and pastries. 

What’s your favorite item on the menu?

My favorite item on the menu is probably the bacon and provolone breakfast sandwich. Ask for the tomato jam. You can’t have a bad day if it starts with one of those.

What is an underrated item that deserves more recognition?

I think our Cuban sandwich is the best in town. Otherwise, I think more people should come in to get a baguette on a daily basis. This is of course very French, but it’s so good and 15 years after of business it’s still something I love. 

When is Le Quartier the busiest?

Saturday and Sunday are our busiest. Especially in the summer when you add the farmers markets.

What do you hope to achieve in the future running Le Quartier?

Every business has to keep growing to stay alive. We want to continue to intertwine ourselves in the neighborhood. We want to be part of your family traditions for holidays, special events and weekends. For example, every Friday I bring home pizza crusts and I make homemade pizza with my kids. That’s a great family memory that we can be a small part of. 

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