If there’s one thing Paris is known for, it’s their to-die-for pastries. Croissants. Macarons. Éclair. Crème brûlée. The list goes on!
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While we all wish we can just drop everything and take the next flight out to Paris, there’s actually a halal French patisserie right here in Kota Kemuning where you can satisfy all your Parisian dreams of freshly baked pastries and heavenly desserts ?
Credit: @marcetfarid_ on Instagram
This hidden gem of a patisserie was founded by Marc B and Farid Tawfik. The duo met in Paris when Farid decided to make a career change from studying science in Australia to pastry-making in the city of love.
Credit: @marcetfarid_ on Instagram
Armed with their background in science and a shared passion for baking, the two founders had one goal in mind: to expose Malaysians to the wonders of French pastry! From there, the brand Marc et Farid was born and the bakery made its debut a few months ago this year.
Launching a French patisserie in Malaysia came with its own unique challenges. Marc and Farid experienced a tricky task of finding the best provider for their ingredients, which was essential to their flavors. The country’s notorious humidity (something we’re all familiar with ?) was also an issue given the fragile nature of their cakes.
Credit: @marcetfarid_ on Instagram
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by their colourful selection of yummy looking desserts, we feel you! To start off, why not try their best-sellers like the absolut chocolat and strawberry tart! From the rich layers of chocolate to the perfect blend of sweet and sour strawberries sitting on a firm, crumbly crust - these are mouth-watering desserts you’re going to want to have a taste of ?
Credit: @marcetfarid_ on Instagram
Another popular dessert that’s a current top-seller (and also Farid’s personal favorite) is the millefeuille praline – a crispy, caramelised three-layered puff pastry filled with praline cream in between ? (Is it just me or can you smell the aroma of hazelnut wafting through the air too?)
Credit: @marcetfarid_ on Instagram
The Kouign Amann, claimed as the world’s fattest pastry by Bretons in Brittany (France’s northwesternmost region), is another personal favorite of Farid’s! Bite through the delicate layers of pastry and embrace the glorious taste of buttery goodness.
P.S. Need more pastries to indulge in? Make sure to hit these other halal bakeries in KL!
Credit: @marcetfarid_ on Instagram
If you’re feeling more savoury than sweet, Marc et Farid’s got you covered! They offer savoury food like lasagna, quiches and pies. They also have local Malay dishes like the nasi lemak bungkus in banana leaves (as recommended by Farid himself) or the bihun goreng ? As much as the team at Marc et Farid’s love making French desserts, you know what they say: you can take the person out of Malaysia, but you can’t take Malaysia out of the person.
Credit: @marcetfarid_ on Instagram
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to master the art of French pastry, here’s your chance! Farid offers baking classes to those who are interested in pastry and dessert making. Don’t worry if you’re not the most seasoned baker as his classes cater to everyone regardless of experience. Make sure to check out hisInstagram to know more about the type and rotation of classes.
Credit: @marcetfarid_ on Instagram
While there are no immediate plans for the store to expand its location, you can look forward to an even wider variety of desserts! Farid and the team are in the midst of developing new desserts with hopes of incorporating Asian flavors into French pastry. For instance, taming durian, pandan and cempedak into macarons - who else can’t wait for this? ?
Credit: @marcetfarid_ on Instagram
Once you treat yourself to a pastry at Marc et Farid, it is impossible not to fall in love with them. From the extensive range of beautifully made desserts to the elegant Parisian vibe of the bakery, this patisserie will have you coming back for more before you can even finish saying bon appétit!
Halal status: Muslim-owned
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 12pm - 9pm, Saturday 12pm - 9.30pm, Sunday 4pm - 9.30pm, closed on Mondays
Address: twentyfive.7 Property Gallery, Persiaran Rimbayu, 42500 Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor
Contact: +6012 702 8048