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This ‘French-Asian bakery-cafe’ franchise with branches in South Korea (its birthplace), China, Vietnam and North America finally debuted in Malaysia this weekend, opening its maiden outpost in Bangsar’s bustling Telawi terrain.

Bread Banquet

It’s a (bread) banquet for the senses: Wholesome scents rise from soft-to-the-touch pastries that will likely taste every bit as fresh as they look.Tous Les Jours_2

Alfresco Seating

Much of Tous Les Jours’ acreage is allocated to its wares, leaving scant space for indoor seating. Scarcely a table or two inside were available this afternoon, as the haze, heat and humidity spurred customers to shun the cafe’s alfresco area for air-conditioned solace. Tous Les Jours_3

Breads from Around the World

This is one satisfyingly stocked bakery, complete with everything from ‘pain de campagne,’ the French sourdough country bread, to cheese-laced ‘kipferl,’ the Austrian ancestor of the croissant. Tous Les Jours_4

Haven for Carboholics

It’s the stuff they whisper fearfully about at Carboholics Anonymous meetings: Ready-to-go sandwiches, financier cakes, sweet potato pies, butter-honey rusk biscuits, walnut pound cakes and so much more, maybe too much more.Tous Les Jours_5

Cheese cakes, carrot cakes, strawberry and apricot jams, as tempting as any apple in Eden. Tous Les Jours_6

A bouquet of baguettes, a monument of macarons, both standing tall at the payment counter. Tous Les Jours_7

Recommendations?

Try the milky-fluffy signature flat buns, including one made with Korean black rice and glutinous rice flour, filled with cream cheese. Up to RM4.80 apiece. Tous Les Jours_8

Crispy-crusty scone-like creations (RM3.80), brimming with cranberries and nuts. Tous Les Jours_9

Peanut butter alert! Irresistibly sweet-savory, sticky-chewy cookies (RM2.90), blessed with a straight-from-mama’s-oven feel. Exactly the way the cookie should crumble. Tous Les Jours_10

Fragrant madeleines that might have made Proust swoon (RM3.90 for three), plus buttery-custardy ‘bostock’ brioches (RM2.90) topped with almond cream. Tous Les Jours_11

A Few Misses

The hits make up for the misses: A ‘devil’s food’ dark chocolate cake (RM9.50) proves less sinful than expected, but the dark chocolate macaron (RM4.50) is richly remarkable.Tous Les Jours_12

Tea and Coffee

Green tea lattes, caramel macchiatos, all acceptable but not the highlight here.Tous Les Jours_13

Service

Service is encouraging; some patience is needed, particularly at peak hours, but it’s clear that the team here is trying its best while maintaining a cheerful steadiness.Tous Les Jours_14

All in all, a better-than-anticipated addition to Bangsar, destined to become a hot destination. Tous Les Jours_15Tous Les Jours_16

Location Details:

Tous Les Jours Malaysia @ Telawi Square,

Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Open 7am-10pm daily.

Find Tous Les Jours’ directory listing here.

December 2013 edit: Tous Les Jours now has a second branch at Wolo Hotel, Bukit Bintang.