“Croissants” and “Tokyo” are not necessarily two things that you’d put together. The very French pastries and the Japanese city don’t sit comfortably on the tongue, in a literary sense. Fortunately they do, in the culinary sense.
Croissants du Tokyo is located within the Tokyo Central grocery store on Artesia Boulevard; just as you enter, there are a handful of food court-esque eateries, and this is one of them. It’s worth mentioning, before we dig into the desserts, that Tokyo Central is well worth a browse, especially if you’ve never been there before. While it obviously specializes in Japanese goods, there are a handful of other Asian delights too. Whether you’re looking for delicious deli treats or something frozen and unusual, there’s much fun to be had here.
On to the croissants, and the first question in our mind was “what distinguishes a regular French croissant from a Croissant du Tokyo?” The answer, as far as we can tell is nothing at all. These are classic croissants, perfectly baked and beautifully flaky, enhanced with a variety of toppings and fillings.
We opted for a strawberry and cream-filled croissant, which was simply divine. Messy to eat, but gloriously decadent. The fresh cream and equally fresh fruit are spilling out of the split pastry like the sweetest of eruptions, and the first bite is explosive. The crispness of the pasty combined with the juicy tang of the fruit and the undeniably naughtiness of the cream is magnificent.
The almond croissant is a little less of a party after that, but it’s no less enjoyable. The flaked nuts and powdered sugar sit on top of the fresh croissant proudly, and each bite offers the perfect combination of those flavors. It all ties together beautifully.
We also tried an Asian donut, and were surprised to find that it was filled with what we think was red bean paste when we got it home. That might sound odd on paper, but the combination of the sugary, greasy donut and the paste actually works remarkably well. They offset each other, and the result is a donut that you wouldn’t find at Krispy Kreme.
Overall, a visit to Croissants du Tokyo is worth it, whether you’re looking for classic croissants or something a little different. Tuck in!
Croissants du Tokyo is located at 1740 Artesia Blvd., Gardena 90248. Call 310-660-6314.
