Julian’s Pâtisserie and Café  //  As a broke college student, I haven’t had the luxury of venturing to places like Paris, so I rely on local eateries’ food to mentally take me there. To my surprise, Julian’s Pâtisserie and Café did just that. The owner, Julian, was recently on Food Network’s Cake Wars and is basically a Folsom celebrity now. Knowing I was amongst fame, my expectations were as high as the Eiffel Tower. Making everything in-house every day—from picture-perfect fruit Danishes and almond croissants, to strawberry-vanilla eclairs, dark chocolate espresso tarts, and more filling fare like croque monsieurs, quiches and turkey-pesto crepes—it was clear that a lot of love gets put into every pastry and plate. I ordered the Banana Brown Sugar Crepe and settled in, so I could admire the clean and crisp French-style décor. Soon enough, my crepe was delivered with a dusting of powdered sugar and an enticing aroma. The perfect balance between delicate and chewy, it encompassed a combination of melted brown sugar, crème pâtissière (pastry cream), lemon juice and sliced bananas. The staff, including Julian himself, checked on me regularly, making sure to tell me the kitchen was closing soon without hurrying me out. While I basked in the glory of my delicious treat, I couldn't help but imagine that it can’t get much better than this…not even in Paris. Julian’s Pâtisserie and Café, 6610 Folsom-Auburn Road, Suite 7, Folsom. 916-936-4735, jppastryarts.com.