Fusion gets the creativity out of an individual and you should have checked my previous post on Fusion food, but this time I come with a new rendition towards that cuisine which has a relevant history to it.
Baked goods are the favorite snacks to munch on and are a runaway hit by itself. Amalgamating various cuisines into that would influence the taste to its betterment. One such idea popped up in the minds of an organization situated in South Korea and it led to the beginning of Tous Les Jours in 1997.
This bakery started with an idea of serving customers freshly baked goodies "Everyday" (Tous les jours in French) with an influence of Asian and French cuisines became an instant hit. The bakery was so popular that it started franchising all over the globe. It started off in United States eventually in the year 2004 and I have visited one such standalone cafe in Chicago.
Visited at 9AM to experience the baked savories and desserts first hand right off the oven.
Its self serve where the items are placed in glass boxes and you fill up the tray and checkout. I have chosen to order a mix of savory and sweet bites with a cup of coffee.
Golden!!
I could just fall in love looking at the perfectly achieved color of the crust of all these delectable munchies. All of them are hot and baked fresh in the morning and I couldn't stop but have a go at them.
Started off with,
A Spinach & Feta Cheese Pastry. The golden glaze with the melting cheese forming a mesh like design is visually appealing. A puff of air exploded in my mouth when I took a bite off it. It was so pillowy and freshly baked and the creamy spinach combination with the feta cheese is a savory delight to start my day with!
Taste: 7.5/10
Next, I moved onto
The Red Bean Donut. So soft is this donut that it just crumbled to the mere touch of mine. Topped with powdered sugar, this donut was piping hot and it came with a stuffing of red bean paste. It literally was the best donut I have ever had. Trust me, I have had some very good ones! I could vouch for the velvety taste and the freshness this marvel oozes and I couldn't get enough of it.
Taste: 8.5/10
Well, more to come with
The Chicken Soup Dumpling Croquette. Wait, is it a croquette? Or, is it a soup dumpling? Nada!!
Asian-French, remember??? Fuse everything up, to the point where you reach the heights of nirvana!
Coming to the dish, the fried bun which has bread crumbs as a topping is not greasy and is perfect as a morning meal! Stuffed with soup dumplings which are filled with herb marinated minced chicken just adds to the texture. The crunchy bite of the exterior with the broth infused chicken in the interior, this croquette sure did tick all the boxes.
Taste: 8/10
Now, I get to
The Curry Croquette. The same as the previous one but now the stuffing is curry served hot. Yummy!
Aromatic fumes protrude once I cut the croquette in half. This is something to be experienced. The curry consists of carrots, potatoes, peas and onions immersed with spices and cooked until soft and mashed together in the stuffing. The flavor it produces is top notch and my meal just keeps getting better with every dish put out.
Taste: 9/10
Phew, now to the next dish which is
The Shrimp Dumpling Croquette. Bold colors as they say!
The croquette is topped with a touch of herbs and stuffed with boiled shrimp dumplings which has peas and carrots to go with it. The dumplings are a touch bland but the freshness of the croquette is overwhelming as the others. But I could skip on this one, else give it a try with the condiments they provide.
Taste: 5.5/10
The final dish would be
The Mocha Donut. Never ever have I come across a coffee infused bread and I couldn't wait but try it. The donut itself represents the texture of a croissant which is flaky from the outside yet soft layers of doughy bread exist in the inside. The stuffing represents the red bean paste but here this velvety paste consists of mocha flavor and its not out of the world but sure is a decent try. You really get the caffeine in every bite, so embrace this donut, you coffee lovers!!
Taste: 7.5/10
This technically sound fusion bakery is all over the United States mostly found in H-Mart supermarkets but few standalone locations exists such as the one I visited here in Chicago.
Details
Tous Les Jours
20 E Golf Rd Schaumburg, IL 60173
(847) 610-3992
Overall
Taste: 7.5/10
Ambience: 7/10
Service: 6/10
Value For Money: 6.5/10
