While some time ago, we advised using corporate coffee houses in a pinch when you're in a strange town, we're beginning to believe that French bakeries should be our new default places to get coffee.

After all we are still continuously pining for a cappuccino from La Boulange de Polk, even though we've been back many times since our initial review. And we've just visited such a place downtown, Cafe Madeleine, at 300 California (one of three locations). And the coffee was yummy. Though, much like La Boulange, the stuff behind the glass was hard to resist. We, in fact, took a copy of Madeleine's cake menu; it's serious food porn. Just reading it is giving us sugar lows and bigger love handles.