Les 3 Chocolats: the perfect blend of Japanese pastries and chocolates

Food lovers beware! In a little street just a stone's throw from the Saint-Paul metro station in Paris, lies a well-known spot for sweet tooths. The name? Les 3 Chocolats. Behind this place, which combines pastry and chocolate, is Japanese Emiko Sano, who is keen to honor her family history.

Some of Paris's finest gourmet spots are well worth a visit. Such is the case of the patisserie and chocolaterie Les 3 Chocolats. Located on rue Saint-Paul, this address is a perfect alliance between the delicate flavors of Japan and French savoir-faire.

Opened in February 2017, the place is well known to sweet tooths, so much so that over the years it has become a must-visit address in the neighborhood. It has to be said that Les 3 Chocolats has what it takes to make you fall in love. From Thursday to Monday, the store displays around 6 different pastries with refined flavours and tempting aesthetics. Right next door, you'll find the famous chocolates (around twenty on offer at the time of our visit) made by Emiko Sano, also head of this Parisian patisserie and chocolaterie.

For Emiko Sano, who has worked at the Plaza Athénée and with MOF Olivier Bajard, chocolate is a family affair. For the record, she is a third-generation chocolatier in her family. It all began with her grandfather Gensaku Sano, born in 1902, and the tasting of a chocolate truffle that so moved him that he traveled to Europe to become a true chocolatier. After this trip to the Old Continent in the 20s, Gensaku Sano opened a small shop in 1942 in Hakata, in the Land of the Rising Sun. This store, named Chocolate Shop, was eventually taken over several years later by his son Takashi.

Today, Emiko Sano - the third generation - is on a mission to make the store's products known beyond Japan's borders. To this end, Emiko Sano, the chocolatière, and her husband Sho Kimura, the pâtissier, offer gourmands a bevy of creations combining Japanese-inspired flavors and French savoir-faire.

As for chocolates, the boutique boasts some 28 different creations, ranging from classics like hazelnut praline, speculoos praline and 55% Brazil, to more Japanese flavors like Matcha Chaï, Hojicha orange blossom chocolate, wasabi, sakura, miso and sesame praline. All these chocolates are available in attractive Les 3 Chocolats boxes.

Just behind, you'll find matcha chocolate bars and the famous"Furoshiki" for gift wrapping, a Japanese secret.

But sweet tooths won't fail to salivate at the entrance to the boutique in front of Sho Kimura's modern pastries. To satisfy every craving, most of the creations change with the seasons. But some pastries are signature cakes, like the famous " 3 chocolates ". Featuring different layers and textures and composed of a plain chocolate cookie, chocolate mousse and Chantilly cream, this specialty is a hit with regulars. In fact, the patisserie was no longer on display the afternoon we visited.

But Les 3 Chocolats also offers several other tasty individual pastries (also available in larger sizes on request), such as the " Chou chou " (choux pastry, vanilla cream, yuzu glaze, raspberry jam, apple compote and lychee), the " Vanille Coco " (vanilla cream, coconut cloud, crunchy praline, coconut vanilla cookie, vanilla ganache and chocolate shortbread pastry).

For our part, we love the " Mochi Fraise ", with its whole strawberries, whipped cream cookie and Azuki rice paste (sweetened red beans). Opposite, we've fallen head over heels for the excellent " Goma ", featuring a delicious chocolate shortbread, vanilla cookie, vanilla cream, black sesame ganache to die for, delicious black sesame praline and a melting, airy black sesame mousse. A must-try classic from our boutique!

Speaking of classics, we'd also strongly advise you to bite into our beautifully wrapped matcha chocolate bar. With its matcha praline, matcha ganache and matcha shortbread, you're sure to fall for it!

All these pastries and chocolates are made in the laboratory, located in the basement of the Parisian boutique. While most customers take their sweet treasures home to go, it's also possible to enjoy a gourmet break on the premises, around a small table, accompanied by a hot drink. But be warned, there are very few places available.

In short, whether you prefer chocolate or pastries, you're sure to find what you're looking for at 3 Chocolats Paris!

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.