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When we spotted a place called Paris Baguette on Western near 1st Street, we naturally thought French pastries. But that's because we've never been to South Korea. There, Paris Baguette is a well-known chain, about as French as french fries. Enchanted by the cross-cultural oddness, we were lured inside. We like the little boxes for your pastries, the fancy self-serve, the extra-polite staff in bakery outfits. We tried the enormous triangle toast, somewhere between sponge cake and bread with a crispy sugar shell, and the delicious thing we forgot the name of because we immediately began calling it the red bean bear claw. Judging by English-language blogs about Korea, Paris Baguette is a step above Dunkin' Donuts -- but not a big step. It certainly isn't making the best croissants in LA, but it's got the best darn red bean bear claw around.
