Palo Alto is fortunate to have a plethora of fine bakeries. Douce France, specializing in French style baked delights, is my personal favorite.\r
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Whenever I need something special (wedding, Sweet 16 party, etc.) I call on Douce France. My favorite is their Chocolate Mousse Cake (to die for, fellow chocoholics!). But they've also done an excellent job on some rather bizarre requests I've made over the years, such as, ""I'm having a big party where a lot of people have allergies. I need cookies in this particular shape, 25 wheat-free, 25 sugar-free, 25 dairy-free, 25 egg-free, plus 50 regular cookies in the same shape for people who have no dietary restrictions and want to indulge."" Seriously, I DID order this, and Douce France managed to create all these different recipes--and they were all delicious.\r
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Their off-the shelf pastries are equally good. This is a great place to drop in for a quick sweet or for a chat with friends over coffee and croissants. Early arrival brings the best selection and the most blooming freshness.
Pros: Food quality, service, ambience outside
Cons: Ambience inside, sometimes the parking
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