Tres Jolie is the girliest place in town

Six years ago, Holly Smith was trying to decide whether she wanted to open a restaurant to indulge her love of cooking, or open a woman's boutique that sold scented candles, imported candies and pretty home decor...

By Laura Shunk

October 4, 2011

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Six years ago, Holly Smith was trying to decide whether she wanted to open a restaurant to indulge her love of cooking, or open a woman's boutique that sold scented candles, imported candies and pretty home decor.

Unable to make a decision, she finally settled on doing both in the same place:Tres Jolie, which she opened on Littleton's Main Street in 2005.

On the one hand, it's a boutique stuffed full of girlish treasures and the perfect place to pick up a shower gift or something for your mother-in-law. On the other hand, it's a little cafe and bakery that specializes in lunch and tea service, selling sandwiches and salads as well as pastries and champagne cocktails, which you can sip while you shop.

It's an ideal setting for a girls' day out, and, predictably, the women come here in droves. But Smith maintains that her food is good enough to entice men to step outside of their comfort zones, too. Find out whether that's true tomorrow, when the review is posted here.

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Laura Shunk was Westword's restaurant critic from 2010 to 2012; she's also been food editor at the Village Voice and a dining columnist in Beijing. Her toughest assignment had her drinking ten martinis and eating ten Caesar salads over the course of 48 hours. She still drinks martinis, but remains lukewarm on Caesar salads.

Contact: Laura Shunk

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