X

‘Good-Good’ in Any Language

Chew On This Digest

December 1, 2013

Story By: Andy Beth Miller | Photos by: Nathalie Walker

It all started when I was just 13. I fell in love — utter, insatiable, longing love. And this, my friend, was a fancying that far surpassed infatuation. I had fallen for France — and all things French — especially the “bonbons” (or as we like to say down South, the “sweet thangs”). Yep, there’s just no going back once you take a country bumpkin’ raised on Dunkin Donuts and sit her down in front of a real, flaky French pastry.

And at the Patisserie La Palme d’Or, a specialty bakery tantalizing the taste buds of Ala Moana shoppers since 2006, owner Hiromi Tanaka and her staff pride themselves on bringing to Hawaii the best of two worlds — teaming the decadent flavors of French confections with the unmatched artistry of Japanese craftsmanship. “We hope to give our customers a unique dessert experience with our Japanese-French fusion desserts,” says Tanaka.

Featured flavors this week at the Patisserie include:

• Christmas Log (sizes XS-M, $28-50): Available in chocolate or strawberry flavors, this seasonal gem arrives just in time for the holidays. Matching a moist, vanilla sponge cake with your choice of either strawberry or chocolate cream filling — this tempting treat is completed with a kiss of chocolate or regular whipped cream. One taste will have the inner Frenchie in you screaming, “Oui Oui!” for a dessert that can only be described as fresh, fluffy and “fantastique!”

• Merry Mont Blanc ($40): A fan favorite, La Palme d’Or’s Merry Mont Blanc starts with its signature Mont Blanc and adds a candy cloud of Christmas cheer. Taking a vanilla roll cake, La Palme d’Or tucks a delicious secret inside—a hidden cream puff topped with a whisp of whipped and chestnut creams. Now that’s a secret you want discovered!

“The Merry Mont Blanc is a twist to our regular Mont Blanc. With its distinct chestnut flavor it is quite the crowd pleaser and also highly demanded by customers,” explains Tanaka.

After sampling (and slobbering over) these yummy desserts, I find it interesting to note that bon by itself means “good,” so the next time you are in the mood for some killer “bonbons,” rest assured that at Patisserie La Palme d’Or, what you find will always be “good-good” indeed.

La Palme D’Or

Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd.
941-6161
Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
lapalmedor-usa.com

Ala Moana Center, Honolulu, HI 96814

Ilima Awards
Hawaii's Best