Tous les Jours — Restaurant in West Des Moines

Edit: lowering my rating to two stars. Still what you'd expect for West Des Moines, being an overpriced chain copied and pasted into a strip mall. But I've come back a few times out of curiosity, and it's obvious that they don't have any idea what they're doing here. If you come in the morning, the cases are nearly empty and they're not even ready for the day. This morning I wanted a breakfast sandwich from the hot case, and at 8:20 I was told it would be at least another 10 minutes before they have any. The rest of the cases were only about a quarter full. I asked the cashier if this is normal, and he says they usually don't have everything out until about 9:00. So what's the point of opening at 8:00 if you're not even ready for the day?

It's a real shame that we don't have legitimate bakeries in West Des Moines.

Here's my previous review:

It's about what you'd expect for West Des Moines: an overpriced chain lacking authenticity, copied and pasted into a strip mall.

The pastries and croissants were good. Not great, but good. I've had far better from third wave coffee shops and local bakeries around the country, but I would eat these again.

The atmosphere is why I rate it three stars instead of four. It's a large space dominated by the kind of awkward community-style seating that everyone hates, and there's only three 2-tops. It's not the kind of place designed for people who want to stay for a bit. This is not somewhere you would bring a book or a laptop.

It's also kind of weird that you have to grab a tray and tongs, like you're at a buffet or hospital/college dining area, and walk around picking pastries as frantic people try to snatch everything up before it runs out. And of course the payment terminal prompts you to tip, even though it's a self-service experience.

You'll also notice strange little details like how they have a shelf with coffee equipment, (French press, pour over carafe, vintage-looking grinder) but don't actually use any of that equipment. And that's kind of what I'm getting at: this is just a basic chain trying to project an image of something that it's not.

In other words: it's the kind of place designed to feel fancy and special to people who don't know any different, like the average West Des Moines consumer.

But it's fine. And it's not like we have many options here in West Des Moines anyway. It's no third wave cafe or local bakery, but it's...

Tous Les Jours, a bakery whose name promises "every day" delights, unfortunately delivered an experience I would not wish to repeat on any day. My visit was marked by a series of operational failures that overshadowed any potential charm this global chain might possess.

The primary function of a bakery is to sell baked goods, a simple mission this location failed to execute. Upon arrival, I was greeted not by an abundance of pastries, but by a landscape of nearly barren display cases. Such a profound lack of inventory suggests a fundamental issue with production or management, leaving customers with little to no choice.

The beverage offerings did little to salvage the visit. The drinks were serviceable but lacked any distinguishing quality, placing them firmly in the category of mediocre. The ambiance was equally uninspired, evoking the chaotic clamor of a university cafeteria rather than a quaint patisserie. This impression was amplified by a noticeable lack of cleanliness; the state of the floors was unacceptable and pointed to a clear neglect of basic sanitation standards.

Service was a further point of contention. The staff appeared disengaged and indifferent, more focused on their personal conversations than on providing a welcoming customer experience.

Perhaps the most egregious aspect was the pricing structure, which felt wholly unjustified by the quality of the offerings and environment. A telling detail was the pricing on macaron boxes, which offered no discount over purchasing each one individually. This lack of incentive or value is a questionable business practice.

In conclusion, an establishment that fails on the fundamental tenets of product availability, ambiance, service, and value cannot be recommended. My experience at Tous Les Jours was a comprehensive disappointment from...

I called in advance because the bakery has been selling out since opening and was told by a very polite young sir of limited, available options. I stopped in and grabbed a yuzu pie, which was a rectangular flaky pastry with creamy yuzu filling, a mini strawberry tiramisu, mocha cream bread and matcha latte. The yuzu pastry was my absolute favorite because it was flakey but not falling apart everywhere and had the perfect balance of tart sweetness. It was simply delicious. The strawberry tiramisu was refrigerated and tasted very similar to a strawberry shortcake with moist strawberry cake and whipped cream. It was the priciest of my selections and the least memorable. The mocha cream bread was a unique and tasty treat with whipped cream between the slices. It was a hit with kids and adults alike, but not something I would regularly return for. Matcha lattes are always refreshing and this one was no different, kindly made with oat milk as requested. The restaurant itself is modern and simple in decor without any mentionable design choices. There is plenty of seating indoors and the place is brightly lit. It is a self service bakery with a refrigerated section near the counter with access to employees only. I’m a bit of a germaphobe, so self serve options always sort of creep me out but it’s nice to be able to select your pastry of choice. Still, it’s hard for me to get over how many germs might have landed on my pie. Regardless, everything was great. From the tasty, light options to the friendly, youthful staff. I plan to return for ube bread, various flavored pies and individual slices of cake when the traffic is a...