Parisian bakery provides twist on tradition
Parisian-themed bakeries come and go in Shanghai. After the popular Farine on Wukang Road was closed down last year , the neighborhood has been absent of an aroma of freshly baked bread.
But fear not patisserie lovers, in a nearby neighborhood close to the original Farine, a new boulangerie called Luneurs has opened.
Luneurs’ owner, Son Quach, has worked in several French bakeries and restaurants and knows how to incorporate inventive twists into the bread and cake-making tradition.
“Our value is to offer authentic French bread and pastries and pick the right products to cater to locals’ tastes that usually prefer less sweet,” he said.
Most food and beverage competitors look to the posh areas around Anfu Road and Wukang Road to set up shop but Quach has gone against the grain. He has chosen the other side of Huashan Road, which is more quiet and residential to embark on his first enterprise.
Quach believes Xingfu Lane on Panyu Road (a pedestrian complex composed of offices, restaurants and lifestyle outlets) has potential.
“The location goes perfectly well with our concept — a neighborhood bakery welcoming nearby residents, at any time of the day, who want to get a nice coffee with a croissant or just take a freshly baked ciabatta back home,” he said.
The 140-square-meter space is nicely divided into the kitchen and the retail space.
Quach commissioned New Zealand design company Hcreates to design the space that gives people the feeling of being inside an old Parisian industrial -style bakery, which is reminiscent of a production site. It gives customers an opportunity to see baking procedures from the kitchen that eventually end up on display.
The distressed cement walls and the mixture of vintage brass and concrete gives off a retro look.
The central spot displays a well-curated product selection from traditional French croissant, Pan au Chocolat to raspberry tart and apple tatin.
Quach also invited a French pastry master who got a MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) title to create the recipes for Luneurs.
“We want freshness of products so we keep the limited varieties here in order to keep the highest quality. The bread is baked fresh every two hours so one can always get the best taste and texture as possible,” he said.
The selection of pastries is superb and the coffee is strictly chosen for its quality. The fresh roasted coffee blends — not too bitter or too sour — perfectly with the food products, giving a complete Parisian breakfast experience.
Never leave Luneurs without trying its delicious ice creams. Go for salted caramel scoop (20 yuan), and you will not regret it.