C’est Si Bon

When I was in high school, and later during school breaks and summer, I worked at a terrific bakery in Newport Beach, C’est Si Bon. 

This job was made for me: my commute was a quick, ten-minute bike ride; I’d be greeted by the smells of baking bread, croissants, and brioche; and the owners were extremely generous, letting the employees eat whatever they wanted for free. Out of all the jobs I’ve had in my life, the one at C’est Si Bon remains a favorite.

The bakery opened in 1979, and I started working soon thereafter. My duties included being a cashier, making sandwiches, and making espresso drinks. C’est Si Bon must have been one of the first places to offer such coffee drinks, and I made dozens each day. I remember a couple of Italian men would come in each morning, demanding shots of espresso, and giving specific orders as to when to stop the rich brown liquid’s drip into the miniature cup. 

C’est Si Bon is where I learned how hard bakers work, in the wee hours of the morning, and how physical the work is. Seeing their dedication to their craft, the stress it put on their bodies, and the owners’ worry that the bakery could go under at any time, made me understand that opening my own bakery was not in my future. 

The owners, two brothers and a Frenchman, were encouraging, giving me more responsibilities each year, and never hesitated to hire me back after I’d been gone awhile. Bruno, the Frenchman, was charming, remembering who I was after I hadn’t worked there in over 30 years. Last summer I popped into C’est Si Bon to get a sandwich and some pastries, and his friendly son took my order. When I mentioned working there a long time ago, and his dad’s name, he called Bruno from the back and we had a lovely conversation about the bakery, our children, and how much Newport Beach had changed. Bruno packed up a big box of cakes and pastries, displaying his generosity once again. 

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Another fun memory is of the women who would work out at the aerobics studio just behind the bakery, and then come in asking for cappuccinos and croissants. I appreciated their dedication to both activities. 

Working at C’est Si Bon introduced me to a vast variety of cheeses, pates, and meats. I loved bringing my French grandfather and Swiss grandmother their favorite cheeses (Roquefort and Port Salut, respectively), along with a fresh baguette. I never, ever got tired of the flaky croissants, and favored the chocolate ones. I also had a fondness for the round, pillowy brioche rolls. And of course, I adored the chocolate cakes, palmiers, and chocolate mousse, all prepared on the premises. 

Today the bakery carries all of the above and more. They sell wine, mustards, and a wider variety of cookies. C’est Si Bon’s sandwiches are legendary, all made on a classic, crunchy baguette. My favorite is the Black Forest ham and cheese, with piquant mustard and cornichons. It is perfect. 

When I was getting married, C’est Si Bon made the cakes for our tiny reception at my parent’s house. We had the moist, heavenly chocolate cake with ganache frosting, and for the non-chocolate lovers, such as my mom, we also had a vanilla genoise cake with whipped cream frosting, orange slices and raspberries. Both were delicious and beautiful. I remember the day we picked them up, which involved running in and out of the bakery, getting soaked from a rainstorm that continued throughout the day and night. 

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I will always treasure the times I spent at C’est Si Bon, whether it was biking there in the early morning, biking home with a load of the day’s leftover breads and pastries slung over my shoulder, like Santa Claus, or stopping by whenever I am visiting Newport Beach.