Wooow…. if there’s a place that really deserves the praise that Toronto Life gives it on a regular basis, Bonjour Brioche is definitely it. Located in the east end of town, in a very inconspicuous and currently slightly grungy area, this little locale is a true gem. The decor is uninspiring to say the least. Overwashed and completely outdated tablecloths cover the shabby furniture and detract from what should really be the focal point, the service counter. Spanning over almost a third of the floor space, the counter is the hub of this wonderful patisserie and the place where the servers can and will prepare most of your meal.
Before I get to talking about the food, let me just mention a little something about the service…. It was surprisingly phenomenal. I feel I should mention that since most French inspired/run bakeries go hand in hand with poor service and bitter wait staff. But, not here…. we were greeted with great smiles from everyone, placed and received our order in no time. What more could you ask for?!?!
Anyways, so on to the important stuff. Obviously I went with the single most harshest croissant critic in the city (in my opinion anyways) and we obviously began by devouring two butter croissants. It was definitely unanimous, they were as close to perfect as we’ve had so far. And it really doesn’t hurt that they only cost 1.50$ as opposed to the runner up from Pain Perdu (which robs your wallet of $3). They were very light and fluffy, baked to a perfect golden brown colour and definitely presented us with a smooth buttery aroma… which is exactly what you’re looking for in a croissant. My only comment was that they were slightly overproofed (meaning big air pockets throughout) and a lot of the buttery flavour was located towards the base of the croissant. BUTTTTT, that’s just me being a pastry snob! Our lunch also consisted of two yummy sandwiches- the daily special which was a spicy bacon, cheddar and tomato sandwich served on a fresh baguette and the “Croque Madame” which was a ham, gruyere and egg sandwich served on a brioche. Both of these came with a plate full of mixed salad tossed in their AMAZING home made vinaigrette. With two specialty coffees, the total for this meal came to about $30 which is a great price to pay for such amazing food.
Overall, I cannot wait to spend another perfect sunday afternoon enjoying their wonderful food. And as a little warning, go towards the end of their schedule since apparently breakfast is usually packed with line ups out the door. OHHHHHHHHHH and… it’s cash only!
theres nothing i dislike more than going into a patisserie and having (i know you don’t have to and just walk out but hey gotta try and make your own conclusions) to fork over what is really a overly inflated pure profit pastry that could have been made from a place just like this place you have mentioned Lemon. Really discouraging. But now there is hope. a reason to smile again on sundays.