I’ve been following Dr. Gott’s “No Flour, No Sugar” diet since the beginning of the year and although I truly don’t believe I was eating too much sugar or flour even before then, I’ve dropped almost 8 pounds. Yay! But reviewing restaurants while on a restricted diet is certainly challenging and nowhere was it more so than my recent visit to Shalom Bistro Bakery.

I’m not going to give away too much, since the full review comes out this Friday in Playbook, but sugar and flour have never tasted so good. The pastry case is full of eclairs, palmiers, cakes, cookies, strudel, tarts, candies–you name it. And then there’s the bread…

Let’s just say, that while I only took the tiniest tastes, I failed miserably at dieting that day.  The sacrifices I make for my job!

Shalom is owned by Sandy and Shalom Hazen, who were the second owners of City Bread on Mendenhall. They moved to Olive Branch for a few years and are happy to be back in town. The restaurant serves breakfast, homestyle food and sandwiches for lunch, and at night becomes a “casual white-tablecloth” eatery. Spencer McMillan, most recently at the Westin, is the night chef.

It’s in Kirby Gate shopping center at Kirby and Quince.