There is somewhat a mystery surrounding the La Bou Bakery and Cafe right here in our quaint town of Granite Bay. I have only heard of it recently, seen it recently, and taken notice recently. After asking around, the opinions were very split, as well as the reviews on their website. I decided to try it myself to see what the enigma was.

After approaching the restaurant on a gloomy Saturday morning, I was excited and hungrily anticipating the food I was about to eat. I noticed from the outside that there weren’t many people, due to the absence of cars. The restaurant also lacked obvious branding; with competition like Starbucks right across the street, I would think they would want to advertise just a little better. 

When first walking in, I noticed the aroma reminded me of my grandma’s house. Weirdly warm air hit my face, and the smell wasn’t pleasant nor was it unpleasant. No one in the restaurant was my age, besides the few family members dressed up in formal clothes for what I assumed could only be for church. As I stood in a surprisingly long line, I glanced around and noticed it was a self-serve/clean up type of place. There were many older men and women laughing and playing cards. There was also lots of chatter from the kitchen. 

While ordering, I noticed that most of the food, in my opinion, was very overpriced. It was more expensive than Starbucks food for the same or lesser quality. I wanted to try each of the more popular dishes, but I also didn’t want to spend my entire paycheck. So, I settled for one of the more popular scones and a breakfast sandwich. 

I was handed my lemon scone and chose to sit in a corner of a sort of what you could call a green room because of the glass throughout the ceiling and garden-like ambiance it gave. Again, the aroma of the restaurant is something I would describe as stuffy, and warm in areas it probably shouldn’t be. Even though it was in the 50’s outside, I would have much rather sat outside than be in an uncomfortable warm environment. 

When trying the lemon scone and iced vanilla latte I was presented with almost no reaction at all. It was one of the most mediocre and underwhelming dishes I could have expected. The scone was dry, which didn’t surprise me. As I kept eating however the after taste was bitter and tasted something like a crunchy rotten apple. I didn’t want to continue, but seeing as how much money I spent, I found myself finishing the scone. Luckily, I had an iced latte to wash it down. As a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur I was not happy with the blend they made it with. Usually, I thoroughly enjoy a scone and coffee for breakfast, but I found myself overjoyed with the fact that I also ordered a breakfast sandwich. 

Both the coffee and scone I would give 6/10. 

As I tried the sandwich I, again, was severely underwhelmed while simultaneously surprised. The bacon was exceptional, as well as the sourdough bread. The cheese and egg however, were as you would expect in a fast food sandwich or bland meal. The egg felt like I was chewing rubber, and the cheddar cheese was a little too concentrated for my liking.  Although, for being a general non-enjoyer of breakfast sandwiches, I was pleasantly stunned with my liking for the sandwich, and the fact that I continued to eat it. 

Overall it was an 8/10. 

Evidently, the mystery of La Bou Bakery and Cafe is solved. My interest and confusion in the restaurant has been settled and I am certain when I say I would not recommend this establishment to anyone around my age. I do wish I was able to try their lunch food, as it seems to be a more popular meals for them, but alas, I sadly need money for things other than food reviews.