Inspired partly by the boulangeries that pepper every French hamlet, Maison Des Pains is a new sanctuary for caneles and croissants in Publika - if carbs are your passion, this house of bread could be your next addiction.
Custom-built black cabinets strikingly line the store, sheltering baked temptations kept warm with incandescent light bulbs. Dozens of choices are available daily, with possibilities spanning cranberry walnut buns to blueberry danishes, cinnamon rolls to garlic sticks, pandan baguettes to chocolate brioche loaves.
We're fans of Maison Des Pains' playful croissants, in varieties like Red Velvet (topped with beetroot-dyed cake crumbles and stuffed with cream cheese custard) and Pandan (evoking the flavours of a Malaysian kuih, concealing butterscotch-spiked grated coconut). These might look like novelties, but they're pretty well-executed in both their flavours and textures.
While Maison Des Pains bakes its entire selection on site, with its pastry kitchen behind the counter, this isn't a full-fledged cafe that's capable of serving warm meals. Still, there's enough to choose from for a savoury brunch or teatime snack, from tarts layered with luscious eggs and chicken ham to the bakery's bestseller of crisp breadstick twists laced with beef bacon, mustard and pepper.
But our top pick here is the canele - Maison Des Pains does a beautiful job of this cherished classic, with a flavourful, caramelised crust yielding to a sumptuously tender centre; it's one of the most satisfying caneles we've had in the Klang Valley. Other French bakery staples available include madeleines and financiers, showcased in a setting where the soundtrack comprises Gallic chestnuts like Adieu Monsieur Le Professeur and the baristas whip up cafe au lait with a pronounced milkiness, in a tribute to the French coffee-house fashion.
For fans of chocolate, grab one of the brown buns, plumply packed with ultra-rich chocolate ganache, or brioche loaves to bring home. There's also an ice cream counter at the entrance of the bakery, luring children of all ages with flavours like honey lavender and coconut with gula Melaka.
Many thanks to Maison Des Pains for having us.
Maison Des Pains
Level UG, Publika, Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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