Paillard has a high-end fast-food feel to it, but it’s one of a kind, and thoroughly Québec. Frankly, it’s what one wishes all fast food could be. The bread is crusty and sometimes piping hot, either used on sandwiches or served with soups that are (and taste) homemade. It’s perfect for an affordable lunch or dinner that doesn’t take hours, or for a coffee break with a formidable macaron. There are also salads and gelati. As a sign of its forward-thinking, Paillard unveiled the crobeign (half donut, half croissant; in English, called a cronut) before most other Eastern seaboard cities caught on to the trend.