A reader gave me this tip about a French bakery Miami – La Parisienne Artisanal Bakery & Cafe , saying it had a French baguette to be reckoned with. And so it is, as I found, baguettes that are coveted by the likes of dbBistro Moderne, Michael’s Genuine and the St. Regis Bal Harbour. Parisienne owner and French owner Embarek Alibey has a passion for his work and it shows. When he designed his café and bakery it was with windows into the bake shop so one can observe the crusty loaves of goodness being made and another window showing the machine that grinds the organic flours.

He makes everything at 8 a.m. rather than earlier in the morning so it’s as fresh as possible for his customers. There’s a choice of rustic or classic baguette, the former $2.75 and the latter $2.25 a loaf. When you go, be sure to try the  house milled multi=grain bread made with fresh organic flour milled on site. The crusty loaf has a slightly nutty flavor with the smell of dry wheat. Lovely.

Pastries to put on your list include the classic Paris Brest, a choux pastry with a praline infused custard topped with almonds and a napoleon, a multi-layered crisp puff pastry with a powdered sugar glaze filled with soft, velvety vanilla diplomat cream.

La Parisienne also has an appealing menu of sandwiches including crab mango club – lump crab meat, fresh mango and grapefruit and dill mousseline cream on multi grain bread; jambon beurre – imported jambon (ham) de madrange, salted butter, comte cheese, cornichons and pickles, as well as a quiche of the day and croque monsieur. I didn’t have time to try the lunch menu but rest assured I’ll be back to check it out when I’m in the neighborhood (love the Costco nearby, it’s the best around with products other Costcos don’t have). La Parisienne also serves breakfast. It’s open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends until 3 p.m.

La Parisienne Artisanal Bakery & Cafe, 1907 NE 154th Street, North Miami Beach (T.305-948-9979).