271 Bonifacio Place, Monterey, 646-1620

1234 Broadway, Seaside, 394-7798

www.parisbakery.us

Whether or not your dreams of Paris resemble Woody Allen’s star-studded ones, they feature a French bakery just like this one – or at least they should. The 6am to 6pm hours make it easy to pass an entire day here, snacking your way through inclinations sweet or savory, dense or fluffy. The croissants are a buttery, flaky dream. That this bakery boasts a loyal following should come as no surprise considering the sway pastries have been known to hold even over the unsuspecting: “No sooner had the warm liquid, and the crumbs with it, touched my palate, a shudder ran through my whole body,” Marcel Proust wrote of a cup of tea and a Madeleine. “An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses.” Prepare to find yourself similarly transfixed here.