The team behind Pan-Asia Supermarket plans to make its first foray into the world of handcrafted baked goods with the opening of Tous les Jours (6681 Delmar) in University City. Its new franchise joins 100 stores across North America and nearly 1,700 around the world in offering fresh breads, pastries, cakes, and sandwiches inspired by Asian flavors and prepared using French techniques.
The soft opening will be next Thursday, February 20, from 10 a.m.–6 p.m., followed by a grand opening on February 21 from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. (The first 100 customers will receive a Tous les Jours tumbler, and those who purchase more than $30 worth of menu items will receive a free glass mug.) Regular store hours commence on February 22, with Tous les Jours open daily from 7 a.m.–8 p.m.
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Here’s what to know before you go.
The Menu
Ever since its founding in South Korea in 1997, Tous les Jours has maintained a reputation for high-quality baked goods using premium natural ingredients. That approach lined up perfectly with a trend that the ownership of Pan-Asia Supermarket (14246 Manchester) had seen among customers, according to an email from the local management team.
“We’ve noticed a growing demand for high-quality, artisanal baked goods,” says Hong Zheng, owner of the Pan-Asia chain and the Tous Les Jours franchise in University City, “and Tous les Jours is well-known for meeting that demand. Their diverse range of products—from fresh breads to pastries—caters to a variety of tastes and dietary preferences, making it the perfect fit for our business.”
For a classic French experience, Tous les Jours—which means “every day” in French—offers butter croissants, pain au chocolat, and baguettes with café Americano, lattes, mochas, or cappuccino.
For a soft, fluffy treat, customers can choose milk bread, a lightly sweet loaf; soboro bread, a streusel-style round Korean bun; or sweet potato bread, made with purple sweet potato, taro powder, and ube flavoring to give it a vibrant deep lavender hue and unique flavor. It’s a perfect visual match with the ube latte or a perfect contrast with the honey-lavender matcha latte, the green tea, or the black tea.
Among the savory menu items, there’s soboro bread filled with red beans, ham and cheese croissants, and kimchi croquettes, crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They can be paired with a selection of blended fruit smoothies, fruit juices, or frappes.
The largest menu category is sweet desserts, which is where the fusion of Asian and French flavors rises to the next level. The green tea cloud cake, for example, layers chiffon cake and whipped cream with seasonal fruits and fresh strawberries. Zheng describes it as a melt-in-your-mouth experience. Chiffon cloud cakes also come with other flavor combinations, such as strawberry-cream and blueberry-yogurt.
The dessert menu also includes sponge cake, cheesecake, and a chocolate ganache cake that Zheng says is “a dream for chocolate lovers with its smooth, decadent texture.” Rounding it out are delicate, colorful macarons, with their trademark crisp outer shell and soft filling.
The Atmosphere
The owners have renovated the former Jimmy John’s location in the Delmar Loop into an inviting space with both modern elegance and rustic touches, though the visual focus centers around the baked goods. Customers can order at the counter for dine-in or to-go purchases, or they can grab items from the display cases and store shelves.
While Zheng and the team want the location to be convenient—whether customers order through the app or in person—their end goal is for local residents to sit and savor the full range of the Asian-French dishes.
“The café-like environment encourages customers to relax, connect, and explore our diverse menu offerings,” Zheng says.
The Team
Zheng says the owners of Pan-Asia Supermarket, which has locations in Omaha, Tulsa, and Overland Park, as well as the local store in Manchester, were drawn to Tous les Jours because of the brand’s strong reputation: “As a business owner, partnering with a trusted and established brand was crucial to ensure we meet and exceed the expectations of our customers.”
The management team also liked Tous les Jours’ steady stream of new flavors and products, keeping the menu fresh and engaging while not overlooking longtime customers’ favorites. “We wanted a brand that could help us stand out in the market while offering our customers unique and innovative options to keep them coming back,” Zheng says.
An equally important aspect was Tous les Jours’ sense of community. “They focus not only on delivering exceptional food but also on creating a warm, welcoming environment for customers,” Zheng says. “This commitment to the customer experience resonates with our team, who understands the importance of fostering a positive, memorable experience for everyone who walks through the door.”
Just as Pan-Asia Supermarket has become a staple in West County, Zheng emphasizes that the team envisions Tous les Jours as a gathering place in University City: “The Delmar corridor is home to both longtime residents and university students, offering a unique mix of people who appreciate high-quality, artisanal food—making it an ideal fit for our brand and mission.”
