Desserts by Patrick

Finding a great French pâtisserie in Los Angeles near the beach is equivalent to finding a gold nugget in the sand, but I did! Desserts by Patrick in Redondo Beach is a French jewel sparkling with colorful gelato flavors, light airy meringues that melt in your mouth, and pastries ranging from chocolate ganache to raspberry pistachio cakes. Everything is made by Patrick, who is usually behind the counter baking or making the gorgeous offerings while listening to Radio Monaco as he works. He's been here 3 years, but coming from France, he's been working at his craft since he was a teenager, so the deft skills honed over years of practice, can be tasted in every bite of his handiwork.

Stepping into his small shop, you could imagine it is in the South of France near the sea, with classics in the cases that are sometimes empty from the locals who have come in for sweet treats. I've learned to go early and buy more than one thing to be sure I always have something sweet to give or share.

The flavors of the gelato and macarons change, but I bet that you will find at least a few that will tempt you.

My favorite is coconut sorbet, so I always get that if it is available, but if I don't mind spoiling my next meal, I would combine it with a decadent chocolate :)

I shared some macarons with someone who had never had good ones; chocolate, lemon, caramel, and rose. She declared that she decided she liked macarons after tasting these :) Patrick was experimenting with peanut butter and I got one later to give to a peanut butter fan who wondered why I only got one!

During a week of 100+F I had to transport dessert with my car air-conditioning on high, but even so, some of the filling from the salted caramel melted onto the other desserts...still delicious, but a bit messy! The delicate meringue stars are like puffy clouds that melt in your mouth, and because they are made with egg whites, they are good for you :)

Depending on the day and time of day that you visit, the case may be more or less empty, so plan accordingly for more choices.

Probably my favorite dessert is the chocolate ganache, which was a bit smushed during transport, but tasted like rich chocolate heaven. I especially appreciated the use of great chocolate and restraint in the amount of sugar used.

The Napoleon used a vanilla custard that was so good I actually enjoyed it as much as the flaky layers.

One of the days I went later in the afternoon, the only chocolate left were these two éclairs, so I *had* to settle for them.

If you want to be sure you have enough dessert on hand, you can take home an entire cake, like this Red one:)

For fans of non-chocolate desserts, I highly recommend the raspberry and pistachio Emeraude, with light layers and the perfect balance of textures and flavors that are as beautiful as the design.

Hmmm it's lunch time....I may have to have dessert first if it is made by Patrick!