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| - First, the things Pekara does well. I frequently encounter quiche with an unappetizing dense, crumbling texture, so I was absolutely over the moon when I discovered Pekara's quiche lorraine--instead of a piece of dried-out egg cake, the filling is so superbly soft and velvety that it literally melts in your mouth. At the Urbana farmers' market, I'll stop by their stall and pick up a filled croissant, which are always crisp and flaky beyond belief (not the sad, soggy pastries that croissants can sometimes be). I also crave their savory roasted red pepper and Gouda soup--but I bet they buy it packaged from some wholesaler as I've eaten nearly identical versions at several other places in town.
Next, the things I'm not so happy with. One morning I decided to stop in and pick up some treats for my workplace's coffee hour. Thinking it'd probably be a good bulk investment, I opted for a loaf of the pumpkin bread, which came out to more than $10. I've been able to pick up a loaf at other bakeries in town for around $5, so I was admittedly shocked, especially because the bread was very dry and not particularly special in any way.
Some of their baked goods are fairly inconsistent in quality--so much that I've sometimes wondered if they switched owners/bakers. Recently, they've made attempts to introduce some of the classic items you'd see in a New York Italian bakery, but unfortunately their attempts lack heart. It's as if some of the cookies weren't properly taste-tested before making it to the shelves.
For Pekara, I'd recommend the savory items (omelettes, sandwiches, salads, quiches) over the sweets.
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