At the original location, the decor is not trendy - the focus here is on one thing: the baked goods.
Yes, there are other items on the menu, such as the famous egg salad, but make no mistake - people may come for lunch, but the real draw is the dessert.
When I moved to Pasadena, I came to Europane based on the glowing reviews and word of mouth, only to be disappointed. I even gave them another shot, only to have the same mediocre experience. It was not until I was having guests over and I picked up a wide selection of pastries that I fully appreciated that Europane is capable of serving up tiny pieces of sublime heaven.
My current favorite is the ""french brownie"" which looks a little like a chocolate muffin. And I agree with other reviewers that the lemon bars are something special. If you've jumped on the macaroon bandwagon, I don't think you will find any better than here. If you crave a special treat - something that tastes wonderfully fresh out of the oven, this is probably your best bet in the area.
Frequently, I am surprised and delighted at the excellence of some of the items there. On other days, there have been small disappointments.
Time of day is critical to get the most out of your experience here. After trying Europane many times, I finally realize why some of the treats have not quite hit the spot for me - I wasn't there early enough in the day.
Other reviewers have raved about the croissants - I tried them several times (I'm a croissant snob) and never found them to be special. The other day, I went to Europane at 8am - the earliest I have ever gone - and had a croissant. Amazing!! I finally understand what other people have been talking about. It was filled with buttery, flaky goodness.
I personally have grown to love this place, and am greatly looking forward to the opening of their new, more fashionable location across from Paseo Colorado in two months, and hope they are a big hit so I can more easily enjoy their treats.
Europane is capable of shear taste-bud-popping brilliance - if they don't get it just right for you your fist time there, I would urge you to give them another try. It took several visits for me to begin to really appreciate how special some of the baked items are here. The reward has been both sweet and delicious.
Pros: best pastry shop in town
Cons: a bit inconsistent
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