B. Patisserie & more

Last Thursday, July 23, Robin & I met her sister Amber and her husband Kerry at B. Patisserie. Here's a few of the fabulous pastries we got.

Pretty decent line still for late morning. Well worth it. This was Saturday July 18.

Decor is mod yet very practical. A word about the staff. You'd think the open floor plan might exacerbate the stress accompanying this line of work, but you'd be wrong. Staff is focused yet relaxed. Says something important to me that the owner/mgmt aren't monsters, as is typically the case. On the other hand, they're totally doing pastries right, so why wouldn't they have the right approach with staff?

Commencing with the glorious food porn.

*****

UPDATE: we went there again today. Had another Kouign Chocolate (kind of messy, not advisable to eat in the car), Almond Cake (Robin said it was perfect, no corners cut with ingredients), and we shared an utterly exquisite Pains Suisses. Imagine buttery crispy croissant dough filled with a rich (top quality egg yolk) vanilla custard (from the finest vanilla beans) laced with the rich, high quality dark chocolate chips. 

Hey, I understand the plight of a small business owner, trying to make ends meet in a competitive world. It is completely understandable why one would want to buy the cheapest ingredients possible from the likes of US Foods, Sysco, Costco, Walmart, or even cheaper outlets. Why not cut corners? Some cafe and bakery owners do just that, and make a decent living. I've worked for some of those folks.

But there's so many people who can taste the difference. And there's many fine pastry shops and bakeries in the Bay Area (La Boulange, Cheeseboard/Arizmendi, La Farine, Stella Pastry), but little did I know there's yet another echelon.

July 2, 2015

***

Kouign Chocolate. That's the pastry up top, down below on either side is an Almond Croissant with berry and peach filling. These are easily the best pastries I've ever had in the Western Hemisphere (not like I've ever been to most of it). You know what? These are better than any pastries I've had anywhere, though some of the ones I've had in Paris and Venice are the only serious competition. Robin and I heard that B. Patisserie makes some of the best pastries in San Francisco (corner of California & Divisidero). Damn right.

Best argument against a gluten-free diet I can think of. These weren't even that expensive.

So good we ordered more. Just kidding, just another shot, in the shade.

Well, the pastries were for dessert. Here's what we ate first: Duck Liver & Fried Rice at some Chinese place at Clement & 6th with flesh hanging in the window. 

Then we went to Good Luck Dim Sum. Aside from the Sesame Ball and Custard Tart (both of which are good), we got 3 Shrimp & Chive dumplings, and 3 Shrimp Shu Mai. The other Dim Sum items they have which we wholeheartedly recommend is their Pork Shu Mai and Chicken Shu Mai. If you are a vegetarian, don't come here.

And finally a short in front of one of the many Hawaiian BBQ places here. Spam is huge in these places. Which is one reason you won't see me in one.