EASTON — BONHEUR, at 5 Goldsborough St., recently opened its doors in downtown Easton as an ice cream and pie shop inspired by Coco Chanel.
“Ice cream is a timeless guilty pleasure,” said Paul Prager, proprietor of BONHEUR and principal of Bluepoint Hospitality Group. “We wanted to capture that sentiment and take visitors on a sensory journey that brings the past to the present but with elegance and refinement.”
The new dessert parlor features 12 to 16 delectable flavors, four signature pies, milkshakes and espresso drinks. Pie flavors include coconut custard and apple streusel.
Cooling and creamy soda floats satisfy cravings and quench thirst with Sprecher cream soda and Sprecher root beer. Handcrafted ice cream flavors include Raspberry Ripple, Bananas Foster, maple walnut, espresso chocolate chip and classic vanilla.
A multitude of daily-made toppings, including toasted almonds, toasted hazelnuts, almond toffee and coconut, are balanced by the lusciousness of buttery-rich sauces — hot fudge, butterscotch and caramel.
Scrumptious shakes feature favored flavors like Peanut Butter & Banana, Oreo, Chocolate and Vanilla.
There also are specialty indulgences, like the Warm Chocolate Served with 3 Cookies.
Allie McGuckian, director of PR and Marketing for Bluepoint Hospitality Group, said everything at BONHEUR is homemade, including the small-batch ice creams made on-site with high-quality ingredients. The process to create the menu included the entire team played a hand in taste-testing and selecting the flavors.
“It was a natural evolution and development,” McGuckian said. “Take, for example, our roasted strawberry ice cream, where fresh strawberries are roasted to perfection with maple syrup and butter before they are hand-folded into a creamy base. Our pies are inspired by the season and use local produce when possible.”
To maintain the year-round menu, the pies and ice creams will continue to complement each season. The shop also is meant to have a setting appealing to family outings, hanging with friends and date nights.
“BONHEUR is the latest addition to Bluepoint Hospitality’s restaurant portfolio, all located in Historic Downtown Easton,” McGuckian said.
Walking into the shop, guests will enjoy the 1930s grandeur. Pale green, pink, salmon and grey wall coverings exquisitely frame the space, with custom-made grey-blue leather booths providing extra joy.
Creating the illusion of haute couture dresses are pleated sunset-gold lampshades that hover over the banquets.
Even the powder rooms burst with hauteur. Pink elephants greet the belles, while blue elephants welcome the beaus. BONHEUR is a place of perfect harmony with its tasteful high-design gracing the interiors and the fanciful flavors of its ice creams and pies that conjure heart emoji thoughts while living the sweet life for a moment.
With a menu and location reflecting on sophistication, Prager hopes customers leave with happiness in every bite.
“I think the name says it all,” Prager said. “French for ‘happiness’ and the middle-name of legendary Coco Chanel, BONHEUR exudes happiness and beauty. We want guests to feel at home but leave inspired by the artistry of the design and the confections. The family’s home is here on the Eastern Shore, and for the moment, being a part of what makes our town feel special is the focus. That, plus having the perfect place for a maple walnut ice cream cone.” BONHEUR is open from 1 to 8 p.m Monday through Thursday and 1 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit www.bonheureaston.com.
