Description
A strip mall is not the first place you look for world-class pastries, but sometimes it is the last, as is the case with one of Queens' best patisseries. Cannelle Patisserie, Jackson Heights' answer to French bakeshops (and helmed by a Frenchman, Jean-Claude Perennou, who previously worked at the Waldorf-Astoria) offers up more than just croissants: there are mousse cakes, pear tarts, and lemon muffins. For more typical desserts there is a Creole cake, an espresso cake, and a St. Honore cake. Wedding cakes are also on offer for those who want something that not only looks like a sugar castle but actually tastes like damn good cake. The only downside is that Cannelle Patisserie's treats have become so popular that lines usually form before opening, so top sellers like chocolate croissants and pear tarts disappear in a flash. --Shane Barnes
