[Photo provided to China Daily]

The perfect croissant should be airy but not empty, crispy on the outside and cottony inside－making one want to finish off every flaky, golden crumb, says Jean-Baptiste Chazallet, the French restaurateur who considers the croissant the simplest yet quintessential staple of his homeland's breakfast. While Shanghai may be more at home with the city's beloved xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings, Chazallet believes it's time for the city's croissant connoisseurs to have an authentic bite of the French pastry at Brioche Doree, the world's second-largest bakery cafe chain, with the opening of its flagship store in K11 Art Mall. Using top-quality ingredients and traditional methods, the yeast-leavened dough is guaranteed to be made in France and shipped to Shanghai for fresh baking and eating.

1/F, K11 Art Mall, 300 Huaihai Middle Road Shanghai. 021-6333-2033.