If we had to guess where Parisians get their joie de vivre, we'd say it's the smell of freshly baked croissants wafting through the streets of every arrondissement. With such an abundance of bakeries and pastry shops, those lucky French can indulge at whim, even making croissants part of their daily diet. (Of course, how they stay so slim with so many temptations is beyond us.) Here, it takes a little more strategy to get a taste of La France, but it is possible, thanks to Au Petit Four, a lovely French cafe and bakery tucked amid the shops at the Camelback Esplanade. Everything on the menu is magnifique, from creamy scrambled eggs and plump omelets for breakfast, to authentic quiches, baguette sandwiches, and colorful salads later in the day. But no matter what we order, we can't walk away without one of Au Petit Four's first-rate croissants. They're glossy and golden outside, and delicate and flaky inside, with a heavenly buttery flavor. The Concorde to France isn't an option these days, but who cares, as long as we can get our croissants so close to home?