I’mexcitedtoseeanincreasingnumberofglobally-inspiredbakeriesrisingintothespotlightintheBayArea’sever-growingpastryscene,openingpeople’seyestoaworldofsweetpastriesbeyondjustAmericanandFrench-inspiredtreats.Asianbakerieshavealwaysflownabitundertheradar,butseveralmodernnewchainsaremakingAsianpastriesmoreaccessibletoallaudiences.Oneoftheseplaces,ParisBaguette,hasopenedseveralstorefronts,andrecentlyIwasinvitedintotheirshopforatasting.Disclosure:IwasinvitedtovisitParisBaguetteforamediatasting.Iwasnotcompensatedforthispostandallopinionsaremyown.ParisBaguetteisaSouthKorean-basedenterprisewithoutletsthroughoutSouthKorea,China,Singapore,andFrance.TheyexpandedintotheUSseveralyearsago,bringingamixoftraditionalAsianbakerygoodslikemilkbreadandcurrybunswithFrench-inspiredpastrieslikedanishesandmacarons.LikemanymodernAsianbakeries,theyfindacarefulbalancebetweentheexoticandthefamiliarforbothWesternandAsianaudiences.Asianflavorslikematcha,mango,andredbeanshowupalongsideFrenchclassicslikechocolatecroissantsandappledanishes.IvisitedParisBaguette’sMillbraestore,whichispleasantlyairyandbright.OneofParisBaguette’sbigsellingpointsisthewarmandinvitingatmosphereoftheirshops,whichencouragescustomerstorelaxandenjoyacupofcoffeewiththeirpastry.Above,amixofthemacaronsandalfajores.SomeofmyfavoritemacaronflavorsItriedincludethesaltedcaramelandtheearlgrey;themacaronsarepleasantlychewyandnotoverlysweet.Thealfajoresfeaturebutteryshortbreadcookiessandwichingadulcedelechefilling;Iespeciallylikedtheversionthatwasrolledinhazelnuts.
