Review: Boulangerie Bo

Let’s start with scale. Where are we between global flagship and neighborhood boutique?
This is pastry chef Olivier Haustraete's only pastry shop. It looks old fashioned, but nothing about what Haustraete produces is old or stuffy.

Excellent! What can we find here, or what should we look for?
Inspired by the time he spent working for Alain Ducasse in Tokyo, Haustraete embraces Japanese flavors, from yuzu and bean paste to sansho pepper and roasted malt, which he applies to eclairs, choux (cream puffs), tartes, and more. He creates at least two new desserts/flavors each month; in February, there was a marvelous peanut mound with mascarpone mousse, vanilla, a peanut-caramel center, a chocolate flourless crust, and a crunchy pecan-almond layer.

If money’s no object, what goes in the cart?
A sampler of all the pastries, hands down.

And … what if we’re on a strict budget?
Go for an eclair.

Who else shops here?
Lucky locals.