Cakes a'plenty at Rose Bakery

How does one even begin to decide?

For eight years now, Rose Bakery has been sating Anglo Sweet Freaks in Paris. They’re most celebrated for their scones and carrot cake. The former, I’m not a fan of; but the latter, I can definitely see why these tin-can portions of carrot cake topped with cuh-reamy cream cheese frosting are a hit.

But what of the brownies and muffins?


And the many different cake varieties? Really? How does one decide between…

...lemon-polenta and marble?

Chocolate-polenta and raspberry-green tea?


Pistachio and lemon-lemon?

My strategy: a cake taste a week to solve this perplexing problem.

46, rue des Martyrs, 9eme
30, rue Debelleyme, 3eme

Delicious bamboo

With so many fanatical French pastry chefs in this city, it’s hard to imagine letting a foreigner catch your heart. It’s even harder to imagine the French doing so. But Japanese-born Sadaharu Aoki infiltrated the scene over 10 years ago and has quite the devout following.

I first read about him in Bon Appetit a couple years ago and put his Saint-Germaine boutique on my list of must-visits. Once inside the compact, chic patisserie, it was easy to understand the locals’ acceptance. Aoki’s cakes and pastries are exquisite and dainty to the eyes, but bold and clever on the palate.

With a pain au chocolat or patte d’our I will shamelessly stroll and eat at the same time. Cakes such as these deserve more respect. From this case of dozens of beckoning treats I chose the bamboo cake, an Aoki signature, and ordered “sur place.”


I claimed one of the two tables, enjoying stellar presentation and flatware to match—not unlike going to Lady M on the Upper East Side.

With Asian flavors, namely, the green tea whipped into the cake’s ganache, there is no danger of sweet overload. The five layers are instead light and fluffy, sophisticated and savory and a perfect melding of French fanciness and Japanese austerity.

35, Rue de Vaugirad
6eme

Japanese for "sweet"

“It changes all the time,” warns Kelli Bernard of Amai Tea & Bake House.

Spoken like a true Sweet Freak, it’s just not that easy to declare one — or three or five — favorites from the menu. And it doesn’t help that she has a selection that’s as meandering as it is delicious. But here, she does her very best to steer us towards her must-eats:

1) “I have to say the green tea cupcakes because those are crazy popular. They’re bright, so they’re perfect for spring.” But don’t shrug off the lavender chamomile or chocolate & peanut butter options.

2) “People come in all the time just for our croissants. A lot of bakeries buy the dough for their croissants, but we make ours from scratch.” I had a chocolate croissant: indeed, insanely buttery and decadent.

3) “Tea cookies are our specialty. We have seven different kinds, and those are really good.” Made from tea leaves and spices: green tea, earl grey & currant, hojicha & sesame, lemongrass & ginger, white tea & strawberry, chai almond and rooibys & vanilla.

I can’t help but feel we’re neglecting a lot of really great stuff though. What else?

“It’s hard to pick because it’s whatever you’re in the mood for!” But just to show you how eclectic and irresistible the menu is, she rattles off a few more sweets you should try: mango & pineapple parfait, mandarin brownies and the green tea muffins.

171 Third Avenue
212.863.1696