The streets of Oxford are starting to look a lot like Paris.
Nestled between Chipotle and Rapid Fired Pizza, Tous Les Jours Café offers a new type of cuisine to Uptown: French-Asian inspired baked goods.
Tous Les Jours, a South Korean café chain founded in 1997, has over 1,600 locations worldwide. Its Oxford location is the latest franchise opening in the company’s efforts to expand its U.S. market, which currently has just shy of 70 franchise locations.
Since opening on Jan. 13, Tous Les Jours has had lines winding through the whole bakery as students marvel over the new Uptown dining option.
From guava danishes to purple sweet potato loaves, the international café chain offers a unique blend of picturesque sweet and savory pastries that look just as good as they taste.
Having studied abroad in Paris this January, walking into Tous Les Jours felt like I was back in the arrondissements of Paris grabbing a croquette or croissant from my favorite Parisian boulangeries.
While the store has amassed daily long lines due to its popularity, do not be intimidated: The wait passes in mere minutes, as the efficient grab-and-go self service model makes it simple for patrons to pick their pastries before approaching the register.
“A worker will hand you a tray and tongs and you pick out what you want,” said Melissa Ivers, a senior supply chain major at Miami University. “I had the almond croissant, and I was so surprised at how good it was. It was flaky and had some kind of almond butter spread in the middle.”
The café offers many familiar French staples, like crème-filled doughnuts, chocolate and strawberry croissants, danishes, croquettes and a wide array of macaron flavors. The baked goods are made in-house, rather than shipped pre-made like Starbucks’ bakery goods.
While the traditional chocolate croissant and the blueberry cream cheese danish are delicious and airy, my favorite menu offerings from Tous Les Jours are the different Asian-inspired pastries, such as sweet rice donuts and honey cheese mochi pancakes.
The red bean doughnut, a sugar-coated doughnut with sweet bean filling inside, is a highlight of its Asian-inspired menu.
While the café could use more allergen-friendly options, as most of the baked goods include almonds and gluten, the French-Asian menu offers an exciting café experience for students interested in exploring different types of pastries.
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After visiting three times and ordering multiple pastries each visit, I’ve yet to have a bad experience — in fact, every pastry I try becomes my new favorite.
From croque monsieurs to yuzu pie, the variety and affordability of Tous Les Jours’ menu makes it an excellent choice for students wanting to try new foods without breaking the bank. Although I ordered multiple pastries and coffees each visit, I never spent more than $20.
As a companion to its bakery menu, Tous Les Jours offers a variety of coffee and teas. While its full coffee menu wasn’t available in the early weeks I visited, the specialty drinks I did try — the butter pecan latte and caramel macchiato — were perfect companions to the baked goods. The café’s large tables and soft chairs make it a dream study location for students looking for a light atmosphere to focus on schoolwork. However, since the grand opening, the café’s constant crowds may make it difficult to find focus for students who need quieter workspaces.
On the bright side, the café has plans to expand its hours, meaning the crowds should disperse over a wider period of time. While it opened at 10 a.m. the first few weeks, the store will soon open its doors at 7 a.m. so students with early classes can still get their café fix.
Rating: 9/10
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