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 ome of the finest French pastry in the world is found not in Paris, but Phnom Penh! French culture is woven into the very fabric of Indochina; over a century of French colonial rule has left its mark on everything from architecture to legal precedent. But you can't taste a facade and though some laws stink, it's not a smell you want to greet you in the morning. On the other hand, the sweet aroma of fresh baked pastry is enough to entice even the most reluctant Francophile out of bed!
Even in the farthest reaches of Indochina each new day begins with fresh-baked bread. In the wee hours of the morning ubiquitous pyramids of golden loaves appear on nearly every urban street corner and along every rural roadside. Wonderfully light - and incredibly cheap - baguettes are the common language uniting the communist official in Hanoi with the tour guide at Angkor Wat. The price of indulgence: a mere 15 cents!
French pastry has been enjoying a Renaissance of sorts in Indochina since the turn of the century. The Vietnamese in particular have been eager to accept foreign investment from the former rulers to whom they unceremoniously bid adieu three decades ago. By the mid-90s French entrepreneurs were opening hotels and restaurants by the score, often inviting famous chefs and importing gourmet ingredients. Many Vietnamese were soon learning the finer points of bread and pastry baking from celebrated French chefs. They proved eager students and before long were setting up shop on their own. Today the proprietor of the local patisserie is likely a former kitchen worker from a nearby 5-star hotel! Of course half the fun of traveling is eating your way through a country and discovering your own favorite places. Here's a few of our favorite pastry shops and cafes to get you started. Bon Appetit! HanoiHanoi is often called the "Paris of Southeast Asia", and with good reason! Hanoi still retains a distinctly French flavor, particularly along the wide tree-lined boulevards of the French quarter. Many older residents will gladly strike up a conversation in French. And there are so many good pastry shops and cafes, it's difficult to choose. But none is more famous than Hoa Sua (81 Nho Thuom Street). Hoa Sua started as a school for training disadvantaged youth in the art of French pastry baking. A small shop enabled visitors to purchase the results of the students' lessons. Judging by its popularity with European expatriates, the students learned their lessons well! The school soon moved to larger building with a pleasant outdoor garden. Today their expanded menu includes light dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Of course you can still purchase an ever-changing assortment of breads and pastries in the small shop in front.
SaigonPerhaps the "least French" of the former Indochina capitals, Saigon is nonetheless the trendsetter in Vietnam. So it's no surprise that the resurgence of French pastry has taken root here too.The Paris Deli (31 Dong Khoi Street, District 1) offers perhaps the best French pastry in town along with a generous helping of atmosphere and nostalgia. If you want to step back in time to 1920s colonial Saigon, stay at the Grand Hotel and stroll across the street in the morning for a croissant and cafe au lait. The Paris Deli serves a wide selection of pastries, breads, and light sandwiches from early in the morning until late at night. (The Paris Deli has other branches in Saigon and now even Hanoi, but the original location is still our favorite.) Phnom PenhThis war-torn capital is just emerging from decades of conflict. Despite occasional gunfire and various coup attempts, the French-owned Sofitel chain opened the luxury Cambodiana Hotel in the early 90s and many of the pastry chefs around town owe their training to their tenure in the Cambodiana's kitchens.The Khmer proprietor of La Boulangerie Cafe is among the Cambodiana veterans who have set out on their own. A concrete elephant greets visitors to this otherwise nondescript storefront on Monivong Boulevard. Inside you'll find fresh-baked breads and pastries, including still warm loaves of Campagna, baguettes, tarts and eclairs. La Boulangerie also serves a light lunch menu. Comme a la Maison (#13 Street 57) is nearly impossible to find for those unaccustomed to PP's back streets, but worth the effort. The French owner, also formerly of the Cambodiana, caters primarily to the local French expat community, so prices tend to be higher than other venues in town, but still inexpensive by Western standards. This casual restaurant offers a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The covered, outdoor patio makes a great setting for a leisurely meal. Siem RiepWealthy French tourists began visiting Angkor Wat at the turn of the 20th century after a French explorer "discovered" the Angkor ruins. Nearly 100 years later, the French rank among the largest group of foreign visitors. Not surprisingly many of the hotels and restaurants are French-owned and cater to the unique tastes of their countrymen. The opulent Hotel Grand D'Angkor was carved out of the jungle in the 1920s to accommodate early visitors in the style to which they were accustomed. Naturally that included fresh-baked croissants and pate de foie gras. Raffles International restored the hotel to its former glory in 1995 and guests can once again enjoy a wide selection of delicious pastries baked daily on the premises. The Blue Pumpkin (083 Mondol 1, across from the provincial hospital) is a tastefully decorated, though modest restaurant in old town Siem Riep. Owned by Frenchman Arnaud Curtat, a former pastry chef at the Royal Sofitel Angkor, and his Thai wife (he bakes it, she serves it!) the Blue Pumpkin prepares delicious sandwiches on your choice of fresh-baked croissants or breads as well as Western and Thai food. For desert choose from a tempting array of sweets accompanied by coffee or an extensive list of teas. VientianeThis sleepy capitol city drips with French influence. Among its maze of back streets you'll discover wine shops, French restaurants tucked away in colonial mansions, and more than a few bakeries. Laotian-owned Le Croissant D'or lives up to its name, serving flaky, golden brown croissants along with a selection of other tempting treats in a diminutive shop on a quiet street across from Wat Mixay.
About the AuthorMartin Wilson is the founder, editor and publisher of World Adventures. His quest for the best pain au chocolat often takes him to bakeries throughout the world.
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The legacy of French pastry extends beyond the simple baguette. Journey through Indochina and you'll discover exquisite French pastry to rival that in any Left Bank cafe. The discerning traveler need only follow her nose to discover flaky croissants at a sidewalk cafe in Hanoi, lemon tart on a dessert menu in Vientiane and heavenly eclairs hiding behind a nondescript store front in Phnom Penh.
Wherever you discover exquisite pastry in Hanoi, it's a good bet there's a Hoa Sua graduate on the premises! We recently stumbled into The Cafe adjacent to the entrance of the Hanoi Hilton (the hotel not the prison!) and purchased an assortment of cookies. We took one bite, turned to each other and mumbled "Hoa Sua!" between crumbs. Sure enough, in response to our inquiry, a slightly confused baker emerged from behind the ovens and confirmed Hoa Sua as his alma mater!
