St. Germain is one of those odd things: an impeccable French bakery with a Japanese sensibility. The bread, from the baguettes to the square loaves, are just to die for -- chewy, flavorful and so fresh. It makes Wonder Bread taste like styrofoam packing material -- it's what bread should always be. The smell of freshly baked bread wafts through the bakery all day long, making it almost impossible to leave without buying a loaf or two (they freeze nicely). The pastries and croissants are also lovely - perfectly flakey and buttery, never too sweet. The Japanese touch comes with some of the not-so-traditional offerings like the green tea (matcha) parfait, the an-pan (red azuki beans-filled buns) and even the curry pie (curry beef filling in a flakey biscuit). One of the many delicious, irresistable reasons why low-carb dieting in Hawaii is, well... doomed to failure.
Pros: Best bread, pastries and Japanese-style treats, always fresh
Cons: Can be crowded on weekends
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