Pâtisserie des Rêves

OUT Review

It's been a long wait (slightly sated by the now-closed Exceptions Gourmandes) for fans of Philippe Conticini. The pastry chef (who also ran kitchens at La Table d'Anvers and Pétrossian) hasn't had a public outlet since Pâtisserie Peltier closed years ago. It's no surprise, then, that the September 2009 opening of  his "pastry of dreams" shop drew lines out the front door. Thank goodness for the glass casing that protects and lights each pastry creation - the mobs surely would destroyed them. The crowds have now departed, leaving space for a devoted group of regulars to return for tweaked traditionals like the tarte tatin (served with citrus-infused marscapone), kouign-amann, and Conticini's spiraling brioche. If there's an agreed-upon favorite, it's the Paris-Brest: a ring of choux pastry stuffed with rich praline cream. Given Conticini's star power (his faced has been splashed all over TV and a series of cookbooks), the prices here are refreshingly sane: around €5 for an individual dessert and around €25 for a larger dessert to feed six.