Two weeks ago, I previewed Mamma Mia Dessert Bar, which is about to open in Rye Ridge. It will join groups like HHD, Hui Lau Shan and Fay Da. These Asian bakeries, cafés and dessert spots have been proliferating around the country for the last 10 or more years, and their popularity shows no signs of decreasing.
The French-Asian bakery chain Tous les Jours (“all the days,” or colloquially “every day”), which works on a franchise basis, is already well-established in this country, too, and its owners say they expect it to be a household name in the United States within the next 10 years. Last August saw the opening of Tous les Jours’ newest shop on Park Place in Bronxville, the group’s 10th in New York state and its 100th nationwide.
Franchisee Jung Ah Hong – who already operates five Tous les Jours bakeries in the tristate area, including one in Hartsdale – has chosen his new location wisely. On a recent Sunday morning, customers were already lining up three-deep by 9 a.m. for bread, croissants, macarons, sandwiches, savory tarts and flans. Plus, of course, the dreamy cakes and patisserie on which Tous les Jours has built its reputation.
First and foremost are the breads. Salt and butter rolls, buttercream, taro cream and soboro, a kind of sweet Korean streusel bread, are all superb, although for me, the “signature” milk bread – akin to soft Italian sandwich bread – is king. For sweet baked treats, there are plain, strawberry, chocolate and almond croissants; fruit pastries; pies; and a butter-rich guava Danish and apple jam Mont Blanc. And then there are the doughnuts, magnificent puffed creations filled with vanilla cream, chocolate cream or mango cream. I’ll take one of each, please.
That’s before we even get to the cakes – buttercream cakes; mousse cakes; kids’ cakes and birthday cakes. Most thrilling of all are Tous les Jours’ aptly-named cloud cakes, with their billowing, cloud-like appearance and featherlight, spongy softness. With fresh fruit and lashings of whipped cream, they are almost ethereal in taste and texture. A slice of the famous mango cloud cake has me in heaven.
Back down on earth, not everything is perfect. Should you want to eat in, the Bronxville café has just four small tables-for-two at the rear, which may mean a wait. Somewhat sterile in atmosphere, the shop has large plastic-leaf plants as the only decoration, and I’m not a fan of how the restroom door opens directly into the seating area. And forgive me but while I’m quibbling, I should mention that the coffee is “automated,” which means you tell the barista what you want, and he presses a button. On the plus side, it’s a 20-second process and keeps the line moving fast. On the minus side, I found the Americano it delivered weak, almost transparent.
Oh, and perhaps I should mention soggy bottoms. It’s an expression you’ll be familiar with if you watch that more-than-a-cult classic “The Great British Baking Show.” Put simply, it refers to an item that is insufficiently cooked in the center, or a filling that is too moist. That was the case with a croque monsieur I sampled. Otherwise tangy and utterly delicious, its base became, well, soggy after its blast in the microwave.
Back on top, though, are other beautifully prepackaged cakes and sandwiches. I enjoyed a soufflé cheesecake – a little crumblier than it’s creamy New York counterpart but still with dense cheese content – and a very fine B.E.L.T. (That’s a BLT with egg.)
With more than 300 different items for sale at the Bronxville café, something it has in common with all Tous les Jours shops, everything on sale here is prepared on-site, bar the canned drinks. The sheer amount of product is eye-popping and with that sense of abundance and the kaleidoscopic colors of an old-fashioned candy store. Even if you don’t buy a single solitary thing, it’s a feast for the eyes, somewhere to visit simply for the visual pleasure of it.
But. of course, you will buy because these “every day” treats really are irresistible.
For more, visit tljus.com.
