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The snow builds up. Crusty, off-white piles sag along the busy street making turnoffs almost impossible to find. Cars streak down the road. Drivers blaze by faster than they should. Past a trailer park, beyond the gun shop and rehab center. Muldoon Road isn't a typical hot spot for dining, but there is a beacon of hope at Paris Bakery Cafe.
I stopped in the day before Thanksgiving looking for something special to take with me for the holiday dinner. Pulling into Muldoon Square I parked between the discount appliance-repair shop and the laundromat. Inside the bakery didn't inspire confidence. Green pleather booths, fake flowers and no customers. But what the shop lacks in ambiance it makes up for in sweetness. I was instantly greeted by a tiny woman with the biggest smile who made sure I was well taken care of. Coming out from behind the cash register she had multiple dessert suggestions. Behind the glass counter she showed me Rainbow Cake, $4.95, eclairs, $3.95, Opera Cake, $4.95, and the Napoleon, $3.95. I ordered two of each. Lunch is also an option, and I made a mental note to stop by later when I have more time. Chicken Marsala ($13.95) is chicken breast sauteed with mushrooms and garlic in a marsala demi-glace sauce served with steamed rice and fresh veggies. Or something smaller like an Italian sausage sandwich ($11.95). I'm also curious about the Hawaiian fare on the menu: barbecue chicken ($10.95 for three pieces); and the Kalua pig ($12.95), smoked shredded pork butt slowly roasted with sauteed cabbage and onions. But that's for later, maybe in two weeks, when I'm told the restaurant will start offering dinners. As my to-go box was being loaded up with beautiful treats, the man behind the magic, Michel Bieri, came out of the kitchen. Handsome with salt-and-pepper hair and a heavy French accent, he demanded I eat an apple tart while I waited."They're fresh from the oven."I love chefs who seem overcome with pride about their food. I greedily stuffed a large slice of apple tart into my mouth. Bieri tells me it was marinated in liqueur before being baked. It's simple, fresh and light. The apples are soft, the bread flaky with a buttery flavor.Everything here is fresh. The bakery uses only organic ingredients. It guarantees no MSG or artificial flavors and touts the use of only fresh vanilla beans, real eggs, butter, organic sugar, honey, praline, real fondant and fresh sourdough starter. I left loaded with treasures. All the pastries, boxed together, are beautiful. One more colorful than the next. But let me tell you about the standouts.The Opera Cake is heavenly. It looks rich and heavy with its sparkly brown sugar outside, but it's surprisingly light. It's topped with a chocolate slab, decorated with the word "opera" written in white frosting. Sugar is the first thing I taste. It crunched loudly as I chewed. The center is softer. A thin layer of white cake followed by a layer of coffee flavored ganache. It tasted similar to tiramisu. The Rainbow Cake is one of the prettiest desserts at Paris Bakery. The first layer is yellow followed by mauve, hot pink and purple layers. Each is separated by white frosting, topped with coconut shavings. I was instructed to eat it at room temperature to taste all the flavors. This dessert is inspired by fruits from Hawaii. The lilikoi, passion orange and guava flavors complement each other nicely. Sweet, but not overly fruity. Then there is the chocolate eclair. Who can resist this old favorite? The eclairs at Pairs Bakery are smaller than others I've sampled in Anchorage. But what it lacks in size is made up in taste. After my first bite, custard oozed everywhere. Wonderful.Pairs Bakery Cafe is a treasure that I hope won't be lost along busy Muldoon Road. Once the shop has more of a following perhaps a new, more cheerful interior could be created. But even if that doesn't happen I'm sure to be a loyal customer.