A pair of tiny yellow rain boots sits among framed Parisian artwork while the smell of butter, espresso, and caramelized sugar drifts through the room. This is not a carefully staged café in Montmartre.
It is Petite B Bakery, tucked into a neighborhood storefront at 200 61st Street in West New York. The display case makes the geography even harder to believe.
Golden croissants sit beside glossy fruit tarts, custard-filled gâteau Basque, and dark, ridged canelés. Baguettes emerge from the oven with properly crisp crusts, and the chocolate tucked inside the pain au chocolat comes directly from France…