We already love Parable Coffee, one of the best coffee shops in downtown Columbus, and they just gave us another reason to make it a regular stop. Pastry chef Aaron Clouse, who has worked at several restaurants around Columbus and made several appearances on the Food Network, has just been hired to host his new baking show!
Parable is excellent on its own, a beautiful space full of greenery and natural light, with an interesting and expert coffee menu.
But now you can enjoy your coffee with a growing menu of sweet and savory pastries. While Aaron hasn’t fully rolled out the new menu, if you get there early enough (they often sell out by 9:30, he says), you can see what he’s working on. Here are a few highlights she shared with us!
First, a classic ham and cheese croissant.
The croissant is beautifully layered and flaky, with diced ham, gruyere and herbs sprinkled evenly.
This creme brulee cookie mimics the popular dessert with a molasses base, a cream cheese interior, and a caramelized top that crumbles.
The “fantastic French toast,” as Aaron describes it, comes with a poached apricot and a generous dusting of powdered sugar, plus more surprises underneath!
If you follow Aaron or Parábola on Instagram, you’ve probably seen these spectacular circular croissants.
Firstly, the chocolate Nutella features a rich ganache with a hint of orange inside, chocolate coating, hazelnuts and candied orange.
Yuzu Meringue Cake draws on the lemony flavors of yuzu and tops them with a toasted marshmallow cream.
With the sugary crust, it really brought back memories of the lemon bars I’ve had since I was a kid.
Aaron is still shaping the menu, so expect updates and changes before a full grand opening of the pastry program. But what we’ve tasted so far is a real treat. We often lament the lack of coffee shops in Columbus with truly sophisticated pastry programs (although we do have some great options!), so we’re excited to see more of them in our city.
Find Parable Coffee at 149 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43215.
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