So here we go again, more pastry talk from our epic journey around Toronto. Last post I talked about Frangipane Patisserie, Nadege, Patachou and La Bamboche. This post will bring us to the east side of Yonge and all the delicious treats that can be found around that side of town.
Rahier Patisserie (Bayview and Manor Rd.) is a stone’s throw away from La Bomboche but it’s miles away in terms of quality.It is probably my favourite place in the city, based on the criteria of this little experiment! The decor of the place is very simple, allowing their products to do the talking. Their showcases are full of delectable treats and I have no idea where to begin even looking. All of their deserts are perfect, simple and elegant decorations, no imperfections and fairly large cake sizes (in comparison to others). However, the macarons are not part of this rule as they are the smallest in the city and unimpressive. Our selection from here included a delicious mango, coconut and passion fruit cake; a very subtle and silky chocolate mousse cake and a nutty milk chocolate cake. Every dessert had all the right flavours, all the right textures and was beautiful. I was very, very, very impressed.
We bypassed the other two pastry shops located in the neighbourhood due to our previous reviews of them. In case you are wondering, I’m talking about Jules Patisserie (Mount Pleasant) and La Cigone (Bayview). Both are very renowned for their cakes, pastries and their eternal life in the Toronto pastry scene.
We followed this adventure by heading to Bobbette and Belle (Queen St. East and Leslie) and admiring the most beautiful pastry shop of that day. The store sells very little for single consumption, only offering a few hot/cold drinks, packaged candies/cookies and some macarons/cupcakes in the front display. The creme de la creme of the is the cake display running along one wall of the shop. Showcasing some beautifully decorated cakes, this store leaves us all in awe at the skill of the Bobbette and Belle pastry chefs. However, we leave empty handed.
One of our final shops to visit is the newly opened “Le Matin” by Jean-Pierre Challet. If this name sounds familiar, think Ici Bistro on Harbour (voted among the top of Toronto). The pastry shop is tucked away off the main street (Queen East) and is completely empty. Not just of customers but of products as well. A few breads, some ice cream, a chocolate cake and sous vide duck confit are the only items in their very large showcases. A few traditional French products that are hard to come by in Toronto are for sale on the shelves by the door but all in all, this store has surprising little to sell. Since by this time we needed something savoury in our bellies we broke the rules and walked away with a baguette and a sourdough bread, both of them being mediocre in quality. We were definitely left wondering exactly what it is they sell at Le Matin.
Our pastry journey ended for that day but it definitely opened my eyes to the amazing work of all the Toronto pastry shops we visited that day. I feel very fortunate to live in a city that hosts so many chefs with such amazing talents. Stay posted for our croissant adventures!
