THE MAGNIFICENT BAKERY NOUVEAU

If I were to imagine the perfect French pâtisserie - the pastel confections and butter-silk pastries that are a feast for my eyes; the smell of home-baked goodness and coffee so familiar like a hug and a kiss; the feel of chocolate so velvety, at once soft and yielding; and the taste of food that elicits memories of love and laughter even on a cold rainy night...

... all these "things" are embodied in a little piece of heaven called Bakery Nouveau. Tucked into a little nook on California Avenue in West Seattle, you are at once transported to a place you've only had in your dreams. In it you will find a long-lost friend, a kind word, an unforgettable moment, your own garden at Giverny. It is a special place and always a special time. It is a delicious secret you want to share with the whole world, a cause to pull someone's hand - even a stranger's! - from the din into its magical cocoon.


To me it was a coup de foudre, a thunderbolt, love at first sight (and smell, and taste). 


Oh, and it doesn't hurt that in 2009, Bakery Nouveau got a Zagat rating of 28 out of 30.

  *photograph from the website of Bakery Nouveau*