My sophisticated European friend summed it up  describing the new Parisian café Yann Couvreur Miami Pâtisserie that just opened. It says Paris in its casual yet stylish look, the fine pastries, and quality and presentation of the light fare. It’s a place where you go once and will surely be back, and with friends.

Chef Yann Couvreur, a leading French chef and top caterer in France,  has opened the first U.S. restaurant of Yann Couvreur Café in  Wynwood, joining 17 other shops from Paris and Seoul to Dubai and more. At the flagship café restaurant, he goes beyond pastries and introduces daytime dining, serving daily breakfast, lunch and brunch, with online ordering for delivery and pickup also being available.

The 2,500-square-foot restaurant-café has a bright and airy indoor dining area with lovely oval shaped tables with a focal point, a marble clad open kitchen and display case of the delectable cakes and pastries. There are also café tables and chairs outside.

The menu is divided into French baked goods, eggs, tartines (toasts), andwiches, salads, sides, sundaes/milkshakes, and sweets. You can add caviar to any dish “make it French & Fancy” for $75. For children there’s a “happy fox meal” with a choice of sandwich, salad, dessert and beverage for $18.

We started with the individual size baguette for one served with soft French butter in a ramekin, jam or chocolate spread or honey. Note it is served toasted, so you need to specify if you don’t want that  ($8).

Mr. W had the unconventional pastrami and cheddar sandwich. Mais oui, no New York deli sandwich here but it does come with the New York pickles. Unconventional and delicious, it’s  like a series of three tea sandwiches, long and thin, with toasted pastrami and a light coating  of smoked cheddar sauce ($15). He accompanied it with a medley of green vegetables (“green power”) that were perfectly cooked and tasty ($7).

I opted for the tartine saumon, salmon toast. Appalachian smoked salmon is served on a piece of toasted multigrain sourdough bread spread with plenty of lemon cream cheese and garnished with microgreens. Here again, it’s a welcome riff on the traditional bagel with salmon and cream cheese, and lovely to behold ($19).

The table favorite, and a wow was the salmon and blinis. A board of finely sliced smoked salmon was accompanied by fluffy homemade herb blinis with cream cheese, capers and lemon on the side. It was elegant, yummy and unusual ($30). Next time I’d like to try to mille feuille crabs made of crispy brick dough, crab salad and curry mayo ($20). I’d also like to try their version of French toast with caramelized brioche, maple syrup and an add-on of red berry compote and fresh berries ($13.50). Mr. W has his eye on the decadent pistachio sundae with vanilla ice cream, pistachio cookie dough, pistachio praline and chopped pistachios ($12)

Of course we couldn’t leave without trying several of the 13 different pastries. We opted for the Paris Brest and the vanilla and caramel brioche with pecans and walnuts . They were  light, the pastry itself superb, moist where they needed to be, and just the right amount of sweet.

There’s no liquor license yet, so no mimosas alas, but we did enjoy our freshly squeezed orange juice and excellent coffee.

Born and raised in Paris, Couvreur trained with top chefs in prestigious kitchens and ateliers ranging from Le Trianon Palace and Le Carré des Feuillants with Alain Dutournier to Michel Troisgros, Hôtel Lancaster and Le Burgundy and Prince des Galles, Paris. He opened his first commissary kitchen in Bois de Vincennes, east of Paris; and his first pastry shop in the 10th district of Paris in 2015.

Looking ahead, Couvreur will open another location in Miami’s Coconut Grove and Aventura neighborhoods before expanding to other parts of the country, including New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Yann Couvreur Café Wynwood is at 2243 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127. It’s open Monday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Valet service will be available for all guests from Friday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on Yann Couvreur Miami, visit www.yanncouvreur.us