Old Is New at Petite Piquant

-4 Snaps! Strongly recommended

Petit Piquant is located at the corner of Howard and Central Ave in West Tampa

I appreciate stories of survival. Over the last several years owners Ricardo Castro and Rosana Rivera have navigated several challenges with their eatery. After leaving Hyde Park in 2017 they arose from the clamor in West Tampa. The fit is rather poetic. West Tampa has done it own surviving, and is now experiencing a slight Renaissance of interest and businesses including Petite Piquant, a slimmed-down version of the original bakery.

Petit Piquant has a casual homey feel and offers both eat in and carry out

This new iteration is smaller in seating capacity but the bakery still supplies food for eat in, take-out, and for other restaurants around the area including the new Armature Works, and Hall on Franklin. Gone (for now) are the artisan dishes that once included foam and smoke accents on the dinner menu when they first opened in Hyde Park. However, the breakfast (served all day) and lunch menu are still respectable and contain many of the delicious baked goods, sandwiches, and omelettes as the last location.

The BLTE Tartine is a scrumptious blend of a fried egg, extra thick smoked bacon, and wonderful fresh sourdough bread

I opt for a daily special, the BLTE Tartine. They offer several tartines on the regular menu, but this is a special for the day. If you are a bacon lover, it's got your name on it. Open faced, it comes with two thick slices of smoky bacon, just crisp enough with a perfect fat/pork ratio. It is topped with fresh arugula and a fried egg over easy, which is slightly overdone. The tomatoes are fresh and the tart sourdough bread makes the whole thing rock!

A sheeting machine is used to make croissants the old-fashioned way, with layers of dough, then butter, then go, etc. Delish!

I love watching food being created. It's one of the bonuses here. Right behind the cashier is a baker using a sheeting machine to create old school croissants. First he rolls out the dough, next puts in some butter, and rolls it out again. Repeat! Surprisingly he is a little surly as I take photographs of his work. Still not sure what that was all about as the rest of the staff were very friendly. It's just a camera brother, appreciating your hard work.

Co-owner Ricardo Castro shows layered dough after it is run through the sheeter ready to be refrigerated overnight and baked into buttery croissants tomorrow

Make sure to check out behind the scenes through the window to the bakery as the staff prepares dishes for both in house and outside sales

In the next room and observable through large windows is the main bakery where customers can watch creations being assembled. Pretty cool!

Most of the staff was friendly including Ricardo Castro- co-owner of Petit Piquant

The atmosphere is casual and homey with a mix of French and Spanish music and jazz standards at a moderate volume playing in the background. They serve their own branded coffee as well as tea from TeBella. Seating is somewhat limited with 12 window seats inside and six outdoor seats (no cover) just off the parking lot. They are open typically for breakfast and lunch and times vary by day.

Petit Piquant Cinnamon Bun. I am trying this next time! Look at that thing!

Plain Croissants are one of the many bakery items offered at Petit Piquant