Bread News

Paris Baguette, bakery chain from Korea, expands Dallas presence

Croissants and breads and pastries oh my.

Photo courtesy of Paris Baguette

An international bakery-café concept is expanding its North Texas presence: Paris Baguette will open a location in Carrollton, in the same center as H-Mart at 2625 Old Denton Rd.

Paris Baguette is a chain founded in Korea known for its cakes, pastries, croissants, and breads. This marks their second location in DFW; there's also a location in Lewisville that opened in mid-2019. A spokesperson from the Lewisville bakery confirmed that the Carrollton location would open in early 2021.

The chain was founded in 1988 by Korean businessman Hur Young-in, and has locations in South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, and China. Their lineup includes classic French-style goods that sometimes incorporate Asian ingredients, such as buns stuffed with red-bean filling.

According to a Bloomberg story, the chain started out as a small bakery in North Korea founded by Hur's father in 1945. Hur came to Kansas to learn baking from the American Institute of Baking. Hmm, of all the places to learn baking, Kansas?

The Lewisville location is attached to the Zion Mart, a supermarket that's part of the expansion of a new Koreatown in the former Vista Ridge/Music City Mall, and it has a cafe component with sandwiches, salads, coffee, and tea drinks, which is unique for the chain.

Many of their items are croissant-based, and more than a few are savory, filled with ingredients like sausage and crab croquettes. They also have doughnuts, cronuts, cream puffs, and cream-filled pastries of all kinds. People also rave about their cakes.

As is the case with this style of bakery, most of the pastries are self-serve; you load them onto a tray and head for the cashier.

The first U.S. location opened in Los Angeles in 2005, one of many Asian-founded bakeries that specializes in French-style goods such as Mozart and Taiwanese bakery chain 85C.There are currently more than 80 locations in the U.S. selling up to 300 products -- from breads to pastries and cakes.

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Escargot News

New all-day French bistro in downtown Rockwall is all from scratch

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Belle View Bistro Rockwall

An all-day French bistro has made its debut in Rockwall: Called Belle Vie Bistro, it’s a new mom-and-pop in the charming historic downtown district, at 112 E. Rusk St., the former home of The Fatted Calf restaurant, where it opened its doors on November 12.

Belle Vie is from Luis and Iliana Marquez, a hard-working couple who also own Los Marquez, a popular taco--themed food-truck-turned-restaurant in Rockwall they first debuted in 2019. In May, the couple took over the former Fat Chicken space to open a brick and mortar location of Los Marquez, where they serve well-made Mexican food like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, but also burgers & fries. They open for breakfast with breakfast tacos, and run a daily lunch special, often creative, always popular, such as birria ramen with choice of beef or lamb for $11.

But the couple had a bigger vision of creating a place where chef Luis could stretch and showcase his skills.

"Luis has a lot of culinary experience, and it’s something that he’s been putting aside,” Iliana says. “We were just waiting on the perfect time to bring this to life.”

"This is something exciting and new for us, it’s something that we always wanted to make,” Luis says.

Like Los Marquez, Belle Vie is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving classics like French onion soup, moules frites, escargot, and duck confit. There are also comforting and American dishes like spinach-artichoke dip, crab cakes, and fish & chips.

Lunch features Cobb salad, a French dip, and chicken & Brie panini, while an extended breakfast -- which runs from 7 am to 4 pm — includes pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict, beignets French toast, and crepes, plus pastries and breads made from scratch.

Mural on the wall at Belle Vie Bistro RockwallFacebook

The bakery counter is a delight, with eclairs, croissants, scones, fruit tarts, and cake slices in flavors like carrot cake and white chocolate raspberry. There's also a serious coffee program with espresso drinks such as lattes.

"We pride ourselves on making everything from scratch," the duo says. "Our bread—whether for sandwiches, paninis, hamburgers or anything listed on our menu is made fresh just for us by our incredibly talented pastry chef and baker. The same care goes into our pastries and desserts ensuring every bite is special and crafted with love."

The dining room is warm and cozy with dark wood chairs and plush booths and a full-wall mural depicting a street in Paris. They also have a full bar, with cocktails and beer on tap. Prices are reasonable, ranging from $9 for a Belgian waffle during breakfast to $45 for prime ribeye at dinner.

For now, they're not taking reservations — it's first come, first serve.

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