b.patisserie
Blueberry Almond Peach Croissant
Cherry Apricot Kouign Amann
Chocolate Kouign Amann
Raspberry Bostock
Banana Chocolate Croissant
Four Barrel Americano
Rooted in French technique but possessing a particular flair for innovation with pastries whose basic forms are oft botched by lesser bakeshops it was once again on my final day in San Francisco that I made my way to b.patisserie and timing my whole morning to assure arrival as the doors unlocked my rewards were myriad – five perfect pastries with only one lacking residual heat from the oven. Taking a ’some for now and some for later’ approach which inevitably meant ‘most’ and ‘half the bostock,’ respectively, it should come as no surprise that despite my proclivity for croissants any morning at b. begins with kouign amann and taking it one step further I ended there as well – my first bite shattering a crystalline shell to yield still-liquid butter amidst tender stone fruits, my last rich with bitter-sweet ganache, and every one between as perfect as I remembered. Serving as segue between the Britton butter pastries it was to tender brioche tinged with almonds and raspberry jam that I next treated myself and setting some aside for the flight home I turned to croissants, b. again achieving the rare feat of crackling layers of pastry with cavernous separation even when packed with filling, the blend of stewed sour cherries amidst sweet apricots particularly impressive. Admittedly a fan, but having also visited a fair number of the ‘best’ food cities in America without neglecting a chance to visit praised bakeries in each, suffice it to say that item for item I’ve yet to find anyone in the country doing what Belinda Leong and her team at b.patisserie does day in and day out – a focus on perfection with eyes toward innovation that will keep me coming back again and again.
RECOMMENDED: Kouign Amann, Croissants, Four Barrel Coffee
AVOID: Making a mess of your shirt when you bite into a warm Kouign Amann to meet a gush of warm butter, chocolate, or fruit puree.
TIP: Although baking fresh throughout the day your safest bet is going early when everything is fresh…or waiting for new batches as you eat something else in the cute café.
