Your friend came home armed with a box of pastries and bread that seemed straight from Paris. After much prodding she divulges her secret, it’s been picked up from La Boulangerie, in Anna Nagar. In an instant, you decide to check it out for yourself.

Simple, classy interiors in black and white and a mouth-watering aroma greet you the moment you step in. You’d not need too much coaxing to attack the variety fare on display—apple puff, tarts, cakes, pastries, breads and sandwiches. Wash these down with tea or coffee.

La Boulangerie indeed has a French lineage; it belongs to Alex de Ducla, the young entrepreneur from France. Alex came to India with a vision and is living it out in a magnificent way. He teaches how to bake these delights to economically-disadvantaged people and provides them work opportunities. The products are supplied to Amethyst (Gopalapuram), Auroville Boutique (Nungambakkam), and Amma Nana (Teynampet).

Another bakery that is worth a dekko is Sinful Something in RA Puram, a small outlet that packs in quite a collection of pastries and chocolates. This place is easy to miss, so keep an eye for a brown-coloured cottage that is the store.

The menu is not very exhaustive, but whatever they have will have you hooked for life. You’d get cheesecake, brownies, fruit tarts, and the tiramisu, their star attraction. Another dessert worth digging into is German Chocolate Surprise.

The spacious Ecstasy within the Satyam Cineplex (Mount Road) is the new kid on the block. What looks like an elite store houses pastries and chocolates created by Mickael Besse. An eye-popping array of tiramisu, cheesecake myrtille, mikata, le chocolatier and, of course, macaron café tantalise your tastebuds leaving you longing for more. A bit heavy on the wallet, Ecstasy is not for the cash-strapped.

Enjoy!