Sunday evening, I had a chance to take a preliminary peek at the new ~B. PATISSERIE~, a fabulous new addition to our city’s exploding bakery/pastry scene. The project is from Belinda Leong (Gary Danko, Manresa, and numerous places in Europe), who, after holding a series of successful pop-ups, partnered up with Michel Suas, the founder of the San Francisco Baking Institute and Thorough Bread Bakery.
The previous location of Crepe & Coffee on California Street is now such a looker—pass through the sunny yellow door and you’ll be greeted by a curving and totally custom-made pastry counter constructed by AMC Innovation in Paris. It’s capable of running different temperatures along the same level (all of marble), and it’s the only pastry case of its kind in the United States. The open kitchen has gleaming, custom, floor-to-ceiling refrigerator and freezer units, and in the back of the room, there is a dedicated space to make open-face tartines, like a version of flammekueche (with fromage blanc, caramelized and pickled onions, bacon, and Gruyère), and another with broccoli rabe, smoked mozzarella, and tomato sauce. The tartines are all made on a levain that Suas specially created for b. Patisserie.
So back to that case. The pastries are modern French in style, ranging from a lemon tart to an elegant vanilla cake with cassis to the oh-so-pretty grande macaron cake with rose pastry cream, plus an extraordinary chocolate caramel toffee mousse. Even a simpler dish of Greek yogurt panna cotta and citrus pops perfectly. There is also a selection of viennoiserie, from Leong’s famed kouign-amann, to croissants, coffee cake, scones, and kugeloph. The takeaway items—like macarons and some truly addictive cheese sticks—will also be available.
There are eight marble-topped tables with yellow chairs and an eggplant-brown banquette, plus a front corner area with a loungier feeling—25 seats in all. There is some artwork, like a macaron tree in the back that will change with the seasons. The coffee is from Four Barrel.
They are just waiting for a health inspection and plan to open the week of February 4th. Hours will be Tue-Sat 7am-7pm and Sun 8am-6pm; closed Mon.
Belinda Leong and her babies at b. Patisserie. Photo: © tablehopper.com.
