OMG!!! Patisserie Poupon (there’s one in Georgetown too) has the BEST DESSERTS! The chocolate cake pictured has layers of hazelnut, it is so good! Now I don’t have to go all the way the Georgetown anymore. YAY Aroma!!!!!!!!!!!!

drool.

It would be great if there was a non-potato chip side dish option, like macaroni salad and/or potato salad. love this place!

Last time I spoke with owner Richard Aroma, he was talking about having ovens installed and baking everything on-premises. Anyone know what happened?

I like them too, but what’s missing is (a) good bread that’s made on site, and (b) the right kind of atmosphere, which would include the aroma of freshly baked bread but also requires some rethinking of their use of space. Those refrigerators along the walls make the place look cheap and somehow sterile at the same time. The place just seems culturally out of touch with its U St. surroundings. The good news is that it’s early enough to make the necessary changes.

I love Patisserie Poupon, but it’s painfully expensive. How pricey is Aroma?

@arnold… i think the owner’s name is steve, no?

Part of the problem is the place’s look. It just LOOKS like a low-end sandwich shop. The lighting is cold/sterile; there’s no welcoming decoration (or insufficient products to substitute for decoration); there’s no nothing. It has the visual appeal of a Subway — maybe less, as Subway at least has some interesting wallpaper sometimes. The owners should check out comparable places (e.g., Patisserie Poupon in Georgetown, or any successful coffeeshop/cafe in the District), and the difference will be evident.