A Taste Of Paris

What? They CLOSED? Or did they moved? Or did they just changed their name? I only just had my first bite of their almond croissants just last month. Now, all the windows are covered up with coming soon sign for a pastry. Looks like the upcoming place will be serving the same stuff, maybe. The bakery was operated by a frenchman, I was actually surprised to hear the accent in downtown San Jose. The bakery is quite small and had nice small outdoor seating outdoors.
The menu is quite short and simple with a couple of additions posted in front of the counter. There were small logos next to certain items on the menu, so I asked what they meant. The owner said the items marked with the symbols were items that were very traditional (typical) French. This had actually made my decisions much easier when it comes to ordering.
As said, I first had tried Taste of Paris’ sweet almond croissants. It was nicely and maybe a little overly sweet for some, but I thought it can be a compliment for coffee, especially black. Aside from the all that sweetness. I also had the Ham and Omelette Baguette and a Pâté Cornichon Sandwich. The Ham and Omelette Baguette had very fluffy eggs (actually massive amounts, guessing it’s 3 – 4 eggs). Alongside some ham and salted butter, it was very filling sandwich. In addition, the Pâté Cornichon was also just as hearty as the previous. Huge slices of pâté with butter and pickles made this sandwich! If you love pâté this is something you will want.
—–
+ Pro: Delicious fresh baked goods and sandwiches.
— Con: Can be a bit pricey.
(^_​^) Overall: A very delicious bakery, I’m surprised to see went away.

Tasty crepes! This is the first restaurant that has been willing to do a half savory, half sweet crêpe for me (so I don’t have to pick just one, and I don’t have to throw out the 50% I couldn’t finish).
I would definitely come back!

I came in today and got my regualr: a turkey and swiss croissant.
…and of course, I came in with more than just one purchase and this time I was tempted to get the Almond Croissant… and OH MY GOD!
first of all I was surprised that it was a bit heavy and then later I found out it was filled with an almond filling that was to die for! I’ve had other almond croissants before but this one is worth every cent… it was fresh, tasty, and just the right amount of sweet. For $ 3.50 I think it’s a steal… trust me this can fill you up and there is no way you would want to share :)

I have a coworker from Beijing who studied in Paris before. She was in tears when she was eating the fresh from the bake almond croissant!
It’s filled with her bittersweet memories as a foreign student, as she used to eat that everyday when she was in France. She kept thanking me for bringing her to this bakery.
The almond croissant hmmmm tres bon!

Sorry Paris, I really wanted to give a good review & have high hopes on this place but after my experience, the sandwiches failed me. Try to make me come back for you if you want us back!
Panini sandwich + Parisien sandwich + Perrier = $ 13.86 total. Yikes! Expensive!
First time trying this place out. My boyfriend & I got here around 11am for lunch. Sat outside at their cute patio table & 2 chairs, all bummed out on the size of my sandwich. Had wanted croissant but they ran out :(
The parisien is hecka small. It was about 4 – 5 inches of baguette and yes, skinny fillings. I don’t know why I didn’t get a foot long baguette like everyone else here :(The only thing I can taste out of the sandwich, is the mustard. Which was ok. Oh and the baguette wasn’t all that soft or fluffy. Yes, I had wanted a croissant, but that doesn’t mean you can cut the baguette in half to make it small like a croissant for the price I pay for. It’s only 40 – 50 cent difference. Plus, it’s your fault for not having croissants!
My boyfriend’s grilled panini was a good size sandwich. Wasn’t that great. Had better. I would not come back again. I don’t know why they have good reviews here when it’s so pricey. Both were bland & dry sandwiches. I guess french sandwiches are skinny versions.
TIP FOR OWNERS: (I know you guys are very nice owners but just an FYI…) You are known for the croissants and closed at 7pm so PLEASE, please, please have more than enough croissants for your customers and do not cut the baguette in half if you do not have croissants available. Looks like I’m not the only one… you have other reviewers on here, saying you guys ran out of croissants too.
If you ran out of croissants, please disclose the information to customers when they walk in your restaurant/​café. Do not charge them and after they pay… just to say, «Oh, sorry, but we dont have any more croissants at the moment but we do have baguettes. I can cut it smaller for you like the size of the croissant»…wtf!!! You should consider being more apologetic & be generous if you do that to customers. Offer the whole foot-​long baguette to make your customers happy, okay?! Good luck…

The carb fiend has found her home!
I love, love love love the baguette here! The exterior is so crunchy, yet the inside is soft and spongy, giving my gigantic turkey/​Swiss cheese baguette sandwich a variety of textures, mixed with the fresh tomato slices and crisp lettuce, layered with thinly sliced smoked turkey and Swiss cheese, it was truly a partie dans ma bouche, and yes, I did finish the foot-​long in one sitting. ONE.
I can’t wait to try their crepes and their highly praised croissant. This café is so authentically French that even the cashier was unfriendly and unwelcoming — they must really hate Americans!
Je t’aime, un avant-​goût de Paris…

Wait, this place looks oddly familiar, but I’ve never been here… How is this possible?
OH WAIT, I thought this was a Lee’s sandwiches! LOL
Right next to Philz Coffee in down town San Jose (where Bearded Papa’s used to be), is this small little French café. This place looks more like a stop and go kind of spot, as there are only about 2 – 3 tables inside, and two more outside. They serve croissant sandwiches, soups, pastries, and snacks. Light fare, nothing fancy or complicated.
We came by the area just to make a visit to our dear friend, Philz Coffee, and chanced upon this spot. We had just gorged on some donuts from Voodoo-​erm, sorry, Psycho Donuts down the street so we weren’t really hungry. Their pretty ornate chairs and tables outside looked too good to not sit on, so I decided to make myself hungry and ordered a brie croissant.
The brie croissant is basically brie cheese on a croissant with tomato and lettuce. Sounds simple no? Well, it’s quite delicious too. The croissant tasted fresh (I guess they make their pastries and baked goods in house) and everything just went very well with each other. They sell imported candies, several type of cheese, fancy Perrier, and several other things you can take home.
We enjoyed the morning sitting in silence and people watching. Can’t imagine you’d get this luxury during the weekday during lunch. Perfect place to grab a quick bite or snackage on your way to school, work, etc or sit in the mornings to muse.

J’espère que ce n’est pas irrévérence à la langue française, ou à Lionel (pour aider avec notre devoirs français aujourd’hui) mais c’est mon avis de cet endroit fin. La pâtisserie est fabuleuse. Le croissant par exemple était frais et de beurre. Le sandwich à jambon et à fromage de croissant a eu les ingrédients frais et était délicieux. Avec la musique française contemporaine et le drapeau français au côté, j’ai voulu chanter le Marseillaise comme Edith Piaf, Mareiille Mathieu ou Jean Sablon.
Lionel was super helpful and I hope he doesn’t get offended that I did some of the review with my bad Western Canadian British Columbian French.
A menu consisting of croissant, baguette, painini, soups, salads, baked pastries with background contemporary French music, this is a great place to study and conjugate French passé composé and imparfait. Oh yeah, the pastry is also excellent. With the French tri-​color hanging to the cashier’s right, it made me want to sing the Marseillaise… but don’t. Have a croissant/​ham/​tomato sandwhich instead. That is what I had today. The croissant was flakey, light and buttery. The ingredients were fresh and just the right amount for a déjeuner.

Dropped in on a a late Saturday afternoon. Very simple menu: Croissant, baguette, painini sandwiches (turkey & swiss, ham & cheese, brie, pâté, salmon), soups, salads, baked pastries, fresh baguettes and croissants.
I knew exactly what I wanted: a turkey & swiss croissant. They were out of croissants! NOOOO!
Ok, so make that a turkey and swiss baguette. Fresh tasting bread, but the fillings were anorexic. Maybe that’s how the French like their sandwiches. I opened my sandwich to reveal three slices of turkey, two pieces of swiss cheese, four pieces of lettuce, two small slices of tomato. All this was spread over probably a lil over a foot long baguette, so you could see pieces of the bread, which wasn’t covered. And… where’s the mustard that some Unilocalers mentioned?
They’ve got some european foods on the shelves… looking sorta lonely on those white shelves. There’s mustard, carmel candy, carmel filled chocolate, crackers, pepper flavored pâté, carbonated water.
Second visit: I am gonna git me a turkey & swiss croissant, even if it means taking the long trek from my work smack in the middle of the day. And, I know they will have croissants during lunch hour! As soon as I got my digits on one… Oooh I Chowed Down. The croissant was Buttery Goodness, with Endless Layers and Layers of Flaky Heaven. Oh yes, I got my slather of mustard this time. But, dangit, the same problem exists: As I open my sandwich, I see my old unwanted friend: anorexic fillings.
Third visit: Brain spasm in the house. I got it perfected! I took my turkey & swiss croissant home and tossed in some slices of smoked bacon, avacado, provolone cheese, red onion, peppercinis, healthy slather of garlic aioli, coupla shakes of cracked black pepper. Layer ‘er up, pile ‘er up, make ‘er nice ‘n high. A 5 inch high yield would make ‘er nice and purdy. Take the sandwich stance, elbows straight out, leave some space between the sammie & sammie for the fillings to drop, need a big fat pile napkins and chomp, chomp, wipe, chomp, chomp, wipe, sigh, chomp, chomp, wipe, repeat, repeat, repeat… sigh.

Best Chocolate Croissants Ever!!!

Really nice, small, and simple shop. Today I was randomly craving a good croissant and was willing to walk a good distance from school to find one. Luckily I remembered that this place had sprung up recently.
The croissant hit the spot. Light and crisp, not greasy or overly buttery as they can sometimes be in other establishments. Because I did not have cash on me I also bought a Milky bar for the first time here as well. The man I spoke to at the register was very patient and helpful. It’s very conveniently located nearby school and right next to Philz. I try to avoid eating out, but look forward to trying some of their sandwiches in the future.

Hmm, had the smoked turkey bagguette and also tried the ham, butter, bagguette. Overall, okay tasting but 10 bucks… it was meh. They ran out of croissants, probably would’ve been better with that as the base.
The guys who work there are actually French, it surprised me. I can’t say I loved this place, but I guess it beats seeing the remains of Beard Papa (RIP). Out goes the old, in comes the new…

Ah! I want to say so many good things about this place, but it’s a little disappointing. Not to say that it’s not good, it’s just too pricey. At first, when I tried this place out, with their baguettes and everything, it was an instant favorite of mine. After multiple trips to the place, weeks after weeks, it started lacking in everything. The French guy was lacking in humor, personality, and an overall welcoming vibe. I know he’s busy because he’s the only one that works there, but a smile couldn’t hurt once in a while especially if you see me everyday.
As for the food, the baguettes are tasty. Most of the baguettes are good enough but it’s lacking in meat and everything that should be in a baguette but are not. Having had baguettes in France before, I know that it’s supposed to be like this but those baguettes were $ 3 each. These baguette are close to $ 7. Come on! Give me an extra piece of pâté please. The croque monsieur panini was the same. I saw how he made the panini and it’s literally, 3 slices of sandwich meat that you can buy at Safeway, I can’t believe it’s not butter, and 2 pieces of cheese. Guess how much I paid for that? About $ 7! I know if I don’t like it, I shouldn’t eat here, but I feel bad for other people, thinking this place is the best.
One great, absolutely delicious thing about this place is the morning pastry. The croissants taste the same but it’s the pastry with the raspberry jam in the middle that is the best, most awesome-​est thing I’ve eaten here. It is fluffy and flaky and the jam is so fresh. This dessert saves this place. Try it if you get a chance! It sells out pretty quickly.
As for the baguettes, if you must, try it to just try it but don’t go back for thirds or fourths, you’ll soon realized it’s not worth the money.

Having been to Paris a few times, I was skeptical that this shop could deliver, but I finally accepted an invitation to go to A Taste of Paris for a late lunch. It’s a small, clean shop that did not overwhelm, at first.
I decided on a Brie Cheese Sandwich and a small bottle of Perrier, and was totally delighted with my choice. Lionel prepared my sandwich as I watched. Each ingredient, and the way in which it was composed, was authentically French.
We also sampled their Cassoulet. That was outstanding; a perfect balance of flavor and consistency, and just what I would expect in a Paris brasserie.
Their freshly baked croissants and baguettes are perfectly light and delicious. Their shelves also offer several items that are shipped direct from France, such as tangy Moutarde De Dijon, a small selection of pâté, and Carte De Noire coffee. I remember the wonderful coffee in Paris, and I can’t wait to try this one … with a small piece of dark chocolate stashed in my cheek as I sip.
I got the impression from Lionel that this place is gradually unfolding into much more than it presently presents. The seating at A Taste of Paris is minimal right now, but I was told that they are planning on setting out more café tables and chairs soon, so that customers can dine outside. … just like we did in Paris.
If you have a too-​huge appetite, and your pallet is unaccustomed to the delicate, balanced flavors of French food, you have much to learn from these guys. As for me, I am hooked on this place, and plan on dining there regularly.
If you want to know what good, authentic, French brasserie food is like, I recommend that you try A Taste of Paris.

Tried more of their food and I actually really like this place. Their sandwiches are very simple, nothing fancy with any special sauces that I usually prefer it with, but these sandwiches keep me coming back.
Tried a ham and cheddar croissant sandwich ($ 3.50ish?) for brunch. The croissant didn’t feel too greasy and the mustard they used was really good.
I also tried their Ham, Butter and Cornichon (pickles) baguette sandwich ($ 5.00) was simple, but tasty. Their baguette is crunchy but still soft. Mmmmm.

This is a REAL French bakery opened by a French chef. He’s the SIXTH generation in his family operating bakeries. Everything is baked fresh on site.
The croissants and sandwiches are amazing. I also love their freshly baked baguette. I love everything I have had so far.

I love it!
Such a cute place and great bread too.
The interior’s not too french but the owner/​food is definitely french!
I had the turkey swiss sandwich on baguette and it was a $ 1.25 to make it a meal which included a beverage and a choice of chips or salad.
The sandwich was almost a foot long a little bit too much for me to finish and it was very simple, lettuce, tomato, swiss cheese and turkey with some butter and very good.
The baguette was perfect and the salad was good too.
Wonderful staff and I really enjoyed it.
It’s next to the cute café so you can grab a coffee from there and eat the sandwiches here.
It’s like a small sandwich shop so it has about 4 sandwich selections, salad and soup.

Searched Unilocal for restaurant in 95 113. A Taste of Paris appeared with high hopes of a wonderful meal. I decided to stop by and pick up some lunch and extras for the day.
Pâté Sandwich — thick slices of Pâté without much flavor
Brie Sandwich (with turkey for extra $ 0.45) — what happened to the turkey!!! — I took two bites… that was about it.
Croissant — Haven’t tried it yet, but my coworker said it tasted like the one they can purchase at Costco (I would recommend Specialty’s by City View Plaza for a croissant)
Ham and Cheese Croissant (I have not tried, but will update)
Chocolate Croissant (I have not tried, but will update)
Clam Chowder — for $ 2.35 — I got what I paid for. Watery and a very strong clam taste.
For sandwiches, I would stick with the Vietnamese ones that you can get for under 3 bucks with Pâté with much more flavor. The bread was not appealing, a pale white. I was hoping for the aromas of freshly baked bread to fill my nostrils. Alas, that did not happen.
Although — service wise they were quite nice. They even went to open the door for me when my hands were full. (This is where the extra star comes in.)
End result… still much disappointment.
You can get much more for the price elsewhere or pay a bit more for quality.
All is not at a lost. Philz coffee is right next door!

My expectations were set already high by friends that have already eaten here and Unilocal reviews… yet somehow A Taste of Paris still managed to blow my mind. I have to be honest. When I first heard a restaurant called «A Taste of Paris» was coming to the old Beard Papa space, I assumed it was just going to be another generic sandwich shop. What downtown San Jose ended up getting is a truly AUTHENTIC French Delicatessen with sets the bar for sandwiches downtown.
The authenticity begins with the proprietor Lionel Haeberle, a 6^th generation French baker who also happens to be a fully trained French Chef. Then we have the food itself. The bread is made fresh throughout the day, from scratch, using base ingredients imported from France. Even the mustard is imported! Then you have small touches to complete the feel, such as French music playing throughout the café.
The menu is concise and focused on quality over quantity. My wife and I were fortunate enough to sample most of the menu, and EVERYTHING was amazing… the Brie Baguette, Pâté, Cassoulet (traditional French country soup), Nutella Croissant, Almond Pastries, and even simple Ginger Cookies were incredible. The prices are also unexpectedly reasonable, especially considering the quality and meticulous prep work.
In addition to their menu, they are also selling a few high-​end imported products from France, such as slow roasted coffee, their mustard (which comes in thick glass jars), and jams. The selection here is going to be expanding over the next few weeks.
One last interesting tidbit is they are planning to build a traditional French patio, which would have an overhang above outdoor seating right on Paseo do San Antonio.
To summarize… authentic French delicatessen with phenomenal sandwiches and desserts. You might as well throw a dart at the menu when you get there because anything you order will impress. A very welcome addition to downtown San Jose!

I stopped by this place with some classmates. At first, I was a bit hesitant because I didn’t know what to expect.
I tried the ham & cheddar crossiant & loved it! It was about $ 4 & was a great snack!
The crossiant had a perfect texture & was not too sweet! I’ve been to France & its nice to know this isn’t totally geared towards American cuisine.
Next time, I will definitely try the brie sandwich!

My friend J. help me to get some stuff because I don’t work in Downtown SJ & they close too early for me to get some. They are open on Sat though. Closed Sun.
I tried their Chocolate croissant $ 1.89 — Yummy! Very fancy, braided!
Baguette — just ok, too pale. $ 2 I think she said.
Other stuff they have from a menu J. got me:
Sandwiches
Ham & Swiss 5.45
Parisien 4.99
Sm turkey 5.45
Brie cheese 6.99
Pâté 6.45
Salami 5.99
Croissant:
Ham & Cheddar 2.89
Parisien 3.19
BLT 3.19
Sm Turkey 3.19
Soup:
Clam Chowder 2.35
Fr beef barlet 2.35
Cassoulet 4.99
Pastries
Cho Croissant 1.89 — chocolate croissant — don’t miss it!
Croissant 1.89
Cinn rolls 1.89
Scones 1.89
116 Paseo de San Antonio, SJ 95 112
ph: 408−292−2070
Hrs:
Closed Sun
M-​Sat 9 – 5 (he might be working the hrs out still)

A small French café that serves Soups, Sandwhiches and Baked items. I was tipped off by Unilocaler Ann L on this one. Had a light lunch with the cassoulet soup and the Parisiene croissant sandwich with ham and swiss. Everything was fairly tasty and pretty affordable. Im guessing they bake their own croissant amongst the baguettes and sweets. Cool place with fresh tasty food.