Bakery Archives - Foodology

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Whisk Premium Matcha x Level V Bakery: Now Open in Vancouver

June 19, 2020

Whisk Premium Matcha and Level V Bakery have finally opened their doors in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. They are located right at the library on Kingsway. This plant-based matcha tea, cafe, and bakery has no dairy and eggs. Great for those who are lactose intolerant, vegan or vegetarian.

Both of these companies have been around for a while and they have finally made their dreams a reality by having a storefront. It’s definitely a challenging time with the pandemic, but they made it happen.

Keeping You Safe

There are a few things they are doing at the cafe and bakery to keep everyone safe.

One way: Enter from the entrance on Kingsway. The door on E 8th is Exit Only to maintain ONE WAY flow through the space.
Hand Sanitizers: They have hand sanitizers available by the cashier’s table, as well as the exit.
Facemasks: They can also provide you a face mask upon request.
Sneezeguards: They have this covering the entire counter.
Limited capacity: They are only allowing 5 customers in at a time to respect social distancing.
Card payments: No cash is accepted.

Soft Opening Menu

Regular Menu

Interior

The space is very narrow, so there aren’t tables available for more than 2 people. It’s a good spot for just 2 people to be chatting.

I did see this larger table, but not sure if it will be available when dine-in is available.

Iced Strawberry Matcha Latte

This has a base of organic housemade strawberry puree, organic coconut milk, and their matcha. I also decided to add pearls to it because it was an add-on. Why not? It’s a pretty trendy drink and I honestly got it for the looks. I was also very curious how it tastes.

You have to mix this drink well. You get the freshness of the strawberries, then the strong matcha taste afterwards. It was actually a pretty good drink.

Mochi Muffins

When I was here, they had matcha and chocolate flavours of their mochi muffins avalable. It was pretty good! One of the better ones I’ve had so far.

Final Thoughts

It’s good to have another matcha cafe and bakery open up in the area to give people more options in the Mount Pleasant area. They offer some pretty unique items on the menu that I haven’t see elsewhere, so I’m excited to visit again when they have their grand opening.

Address:
39 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5T 3H7

Website:
https://whiskmatcha.ca/
https://levelvbakery.com/

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Smith’s Bagelry: Turkish-Canadian bakery on West Broadway

October 10, 2019

Smith’s Bagelry opened a few months ago and is getting rave reviews from locals who visited this Turkish-Canadian bakery. Look for the bagel cart along West Broadway to find this hidden gem!

About the name: there is no Mr. or Mrs. Smith

“Simit” is a Turkish bagel. In the Ottoman Empire during the 1400s, the empire started making these bagels for the public on special days. Overtime, it became the standard Turkish street food and breakfast item sold from carts.

Smith’s Bagelry knew that they’re the only one of it’s kind in western Canada and to make it easier for customers to pronounce simit, they chose “Smith”. Now you know why it’s called Smith’s Bagelry!

Interior

The interior is well lit, has modern lines and displays historical photos of simit vendors.

Simit (Turkish bagels)

Compared to bagels we’re used to, these Turkish bagels are lighter, less doughy, has a hint of sweetness and still has a crispy exterior.

Smith’s Bagelry makes all their bagels from scratch and shapes them all by hand. (And because I always ask this…) The secret ingredient that makes their bagels extra special is grape molasses that they import directly from Turkey.

Bagel sandwiches

Lunch is their busiest period. The bagels are perfect for sandwiches. My favourite were Aspendos (smoked salmon) and Cappadocia (Montreal smoked meat).

Sweets: Éclair and San Sebastian cheesecake

The éclair have the perfect cream to bread ratio and the crushed pistachio was a good addition. I could probably eat a dozen of these.

Their San Sebastian cheesecake is a must-try! It’s light, fluffy and goes perfect with strong coffee.

Final Thoughts

Smith’s Bagelry has been open for less than six months and deserve the good reviews they’ve received. The Turkish bagels are perfect alone, but work just as well on sandwiches. They have so many sweet and savoury choices, so there’s something for everyone.

I am a big fan of their business name being a clever way to appeal and educate customers about simit (but only if you think about it). They plan on continuing to expand and refine their menu, including adding more brunch items.

Address:
191 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.smithsbagelry.com/

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Daily Delicious: Bakery in Richmond

June 6, 2019

Daily Delicious is a new bakery in Richmond near River Rock Casino on No 3 Road. They are a small family owned bakery creating unique baked goods that are different than most bakeries in town.

Upon first look, they may not seem very special at all. From the outside, it seems like a plain Western bakery. I have to admit I had the same thoughts too until I saw what they were creating.

Pre-Order

A lot of the items are sold out later in the day, if you don’t want to be disappointed, make sure you preorder. There is no limit on what you need to pre-order, but there are discounts.

Call in to order or send them an Instagram message, you get 10% off. Orders of $20 or more gets 15% off. (This deal is on as of the publishing of this article and can change).

Interior

There is one table inside with 2 chairs and another table outside with 2 chairs. Most people grab and go.

Sea Salt Bread

One of their top sellers by far is their Sea Salt Bread according to the owner. I was stunned since it seems like a simple standard bun. You’ll want to eat this warm for maximum deliciousness as its soft and pillowy on the inside. Simple yet so good.

Salted Egg Yolk Croissant

Let the Salted Egg Yolk Croissant craze continue since this salted egg yolk croissant was pretty damn good. It was crispy on the outside and the salted egg yolk flavour was really well balanced. Very enjoyable and would definitely order this again.

This also holds up very well for the next day too.

Masago Butter Baguette

This baguette is something new in Vancouver but has been around for Japan for a while now. This was pretty interesting to me and definitely not for everyone.

Masago are little fish roe, so it does have a fishy aroma when you eat this baguette. If you are a fan of masago, this is pretty good. They put the masago butter on top as well as the middle to make sure there is plenty of masago in each bite.

Tastes good when you eat it fresh from the oven (once it’s cooled down) or reheat it in the oven later in the day.

Croffin with Matcha Cream Filling

This sounded really good with the croissant and muffin hybrid – croffin. I thought there was too much sugar on the outside and the matcha filling wasn’t very strong, a bit too subtle for my liking.

Almond Croissant

This almond croissant is quite nice and is very flakey on the outside with a good amount of almond flavour. I enjoyed it. Not the best almond croissant I’ve had but it’s good.

Final Thoughts

Overall, there were a few hits and misses but items like the salted egg yolk croissant can’t be missed. We only tried a small amount of the items they are baking so we will be back again. The prices are also very fair for all the baked goods.

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dailydeliciousbakery/

Address:
110 – 2811 No 3 Rd, Richmond, BC

In Bakery

Good Mong Kok Bakery: Take Out Dim Sum in San Francisco

January 8, 2019

Good Mong Kok Bakery is a popular spot for homemade dim sum and baked goods in this tiny shop. They are located in Chinatown in San Francisco. As we arrived on a weekend in the morning, there was already a long line up. Since we wanted a small snack and had some time to kill, we thought we would give this place a try.

Don’t forget to bring cash.

Line Up

Everyone self-organizes themselves into a line, so you just need to ask around to find the end of the line. The line up was long when we were here but it moved at a decent pace.

Interior

The space is very small and cramped inside and it is to go only as there are no seats. Dim Sum and buns are pumped out constantly from the shop. When you get your order, don’t forget to ask for utensils if you’re eating it nearby.

If you come later in the afternoon, they sell out of popular items so don’t come here too late or else you’ll be out of luck.

Shrimp and Chive Dumplings

It comes with 3 pieces each and it’s very very affordable. The skin was a bit thicker than what I normally like, but the shrimp and chive filling inside was good.

Sticky Rice Ball

The big round thing on the right side if a big ball stuffed with sticky rice. Something interesting that I haven’t seen that often.

BBQ Pork Bun

The BBQ pork bun was big and had a good amount of filling. Sweet and meaty. Highly Recommended.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I thought this Good Mong Kok Bakery was ok because I come from a city that has some of the best Dim Sum in the world. If you’ve never had dim sum before, you’ll enjoy this place. Just know its not very typical to have dim sum for take out. I personally prefer to sit down at a restaurant to have dim sum.

Address:
1039 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA

In Bakery

Tartine Bakery: Pastries in San Francisco

August 29, 2018

Tartine Bakery is a go to place in the Mission District. I asked a few people where I needed to go in San Francisco and they highly recommended Tartine Bakery. They are best known for their pastries.

There was a line up when we arrived, but it didn’t take too long to put our order in. Most people were doing take out.

Interior

The interior is small and feels that way especially when there is a long line up outside the door. What is interesting is that they always feature local art on the walls, which you can purchase if you like.

Croissant

The croissant is a classic item to get. It has a lot of crispy layers on the outside and soft pillowy layers on the inside. I noticed a few of their baked croissants looked a bit scorched, not sure if this is normal or not.

Fresh Berry Tart

The berries were very fresh on top of the tart. The crust was very thin, which is pretty difficult to achieve from watching too many baking competitions on the Food Network. The cream in the middle was a good amount of sweetness to go with the fruit and crust.

Mushroom Croque Monsieur

This has a variety of mushrooms, béchamel, gruyère, and pepper on top of their country bread. It is served with spicy pickled veggies on the side. This was a surprising combination of flavours but we were glad we got it. The mushrooms had so much flavour covered in the gooey cheese.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was good to come here for a visit to try a few of their different pastries. It’s one of the most talked about bakeries, so it was good to see how it compares. The berry tart and croque monsieur were a hit for us. We really enjoyed these items.

Address:
600 Guerrero St, San Francisco

Website:
https://www.tartinebakery.com/

In Bakery

District Cafe and Bakery in Edmonton

July 18, 2018

District Cafe and Bakery is located in the heart of Downtown Edmonton. I was staying close by and it was highly recommended that I stop by for a coffee and pastries before I ventured off for the day. A day doesn’t really start until I’ve had a good yummy breakfast with coffee.

Interior

The space is pretty large and suits small to large groups. It is surrounded by windows, so there is a ton of natural light.

When I was here. I noticed most people were having coffee chats, talking about work, or having mentoring sessions.

Morning Menu

Daily Specials

Latte

I got a latte and it was made with beans from Timbertrain, which is a Vancouver-based roastery and cafe. One of my favourites and they have really honed their craft on creating great beans. The latte had a good ratio of espresso and milk foam. Delicious! It even has a little heart latte art on top.

Raspberry Rhubarb Handpie

I grabbed a raspberry rhubarb handpie as I wanted something small to snack on with the coffee. It was delicious and not too sweet or tart. Just a good amount.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the downtown area of Edmonton, it’s definitely worth a stop here for a coffee and their pastries. They also serve other dishes too for lunch and dinner. They are licensed, so that means later in the evening, they serve alcohol. The space is nice and makes for a great hangout.

Address:
10011 109 St NW #101, Edmonton, AB

Website:
http://districtcafe.ca/

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Gabi & Jules: Pies, Pastries and Coffee in Port Moody

June 6, 2018

Gabi & Jules is a bakery in Port Moody for pies, pastries and coffee. I love the concept of the cafe as they are huge supporters of the local community and provide employment opportunities to individuals on the Autism Spectrum. As their eldest daughter has autism, they really wanted to become advocates of the autism community and show how capable their team is with all their abilities rather than disabilities.

Interior

The interior is nice and cozy with a lot of natural light that comes from the front of the shop. A lot of the tables are set up in 2’s and 4’s but if you go early, you can probably combine the tables together for larger groups.

The pastries is where you will be drawn towards. A lots of different items to choose from and I had a hard time deciding.

They also sell a few things beside pies, pastries and coffee.

Gibraltar

This not so common coffee style has 2 shots of espresso with some steamed milk. It is served with a puff pastry cookie. I enjoyed this as it is stronger and has less milk than a cappuccino or latte.

Cappuccino

My friend ordered the latte and looked good.

Herbed Ricotta and Semi-Dried Tomato Crostata

This was delicious as it was warmed up. The crust was flakey and the tomato and ricotta worked well together for a savoury pastry treat.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This is good paired with coffee or tea. It’s not too sweet and is a pretty sizeable portion.

Final Thoughts

I like this cute space and a good start to the morning by coming here. I love what they stand for and I’m glad I’m supporting them fight the stigma of dis’abilities’.

Website:
https://gabiandjules.com/

Address:
2302B Clarke St, Port Moody, BC

In Bakery

Kamehameha Bakery: Poi Glazed Donuts in Hawaii

May 12, 2018

Kamehameha Bakery is best known for their poi glazed donuts located right in Honolulu since 1978. We were told by several people to come here to check it out if we were in the area.

The interior there isn’t anything special but they do have lots and lots of pastries for sale.

Poi Glazed Donut

We grabbed one and it was a dollar each.

It looks brown on the outside with glaze, but when you bite into it, it’s purple like poi, which is taro stem. It was delicious and definitely hard to find elsewhere around the world as its a local specialty.

The next day, we were on a tour around the island and tour included some poi glazed donuts from Kamehameha Bakery. Not a bad thing to have it twice on our trip to Hawaii.

If you’re close by, I would suggest it as it makes for a nice sweet treat in Hawaii.

We Rate Kamehameha Bakery:

Address:
1284 Kalani St, Honolulu, HI

Address:
http://www.kamehamehabakeryhi.com/

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Mr Osmad: Japanese Souffle Cheesecake in Vancouver

March 8, 2018

Mr. Osmad Souffle Cheesecake is located in Damso restaurant on Bute Street near Robson Street. Osmad is Damso backwards.

They bake the Japanese Souffle Cheesecakes in-house everyday in 30 minute batches, so grab them before they’re gone or else you have to wait 30 minutes for the next batch to be done.

When we got here on a weekend, we only needed to wait about 10 minutes, so we patiently waited. If you don’t want to wait around, it’s best to order it ahead of time.

I got mine for take out so I could bring it home to enjoy. It is 6 inches in diameter and costs $9.52.

It’s best to eat it on the same day. You can either have it at room temperature or heat it up slightly. I wouldn’t suggest keeping it until the next day as it can get a bit dry. The texture and moisture was ok, but isn’t my favourite.

So far there isn’t a lot of places to buy this in Vancouver, so if you’re craving for Japanese Souffle Cheesecake, check out Mr. Osmad.

We Rate Mr. Osmad:

Address:
770 Bute St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://mrosmad.com/

In Bakery

Corvus Coffee Roasters in Denver: Review

February 23, 2018

Corvus Coffee Roasters is a roastery and cafe in Denver, Colorado crafting up delicious cups of coffee each day.

They work directly at origin with dozens of farmers to give customers access to a variety of the finest coffees in the world. The beans are roasted by hand in small batches to highlight sweetness and vibrance in single origins and bring balance to blends.

I am with my family in the morning to grab a few pastries and coffee before meeting up with the rest of our family.

Latte

We both ordered lattes and it was delicious and at a good temperature. Very enjoyable.

Pastries

Croissants look really good here. Nice and flakey with a lot of layers.

Cold Brew

They sell a bunch of their cold brews to grab to go or to give as gifts.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the coffee was great for a morning snack to give us an extra step to our day. A croissant and a latte was our perfect pairing.

We Rate Corvus Coffee:

Address:
1740 S Broadway, Denver

Website:
https://www.corvuscoffee.com/

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Nemesis Coffee: Toast in Gastown

July 23, 2017

Nemesis Coffee is located on Hastings Street right under the new SFU building. I heard they have avocado toast, so cL, Nosh & Nibble and I decided to meet up over lunch. I love meeting up with foodies and trying new places in town as we end up going auto pilot talking about the amazing food scene in Vancouver. The hardest question of them all is “what is your favourite place”. Those who ask me that question know I hesitate to answer. For good reason too, you can ask me IRL one day.

Coffee

The interior of Nemesis Coffee is visually stunning with the light wood, white and some greenery. The aroma of coffee really envelops the room and its so good. They take pride in their coffee and hands down, they make a good cup of coffee. They even have vials of coffee beans.

I got a cappuccino and there was some latte art on top of a heart and perhaps some wings. It was really good coffee and strong, which I really enjoy.

Classic Chocolate cashew sea salt cookie and cold nitro brew was what Hanson had for his snack.

Toast

Bangin’ beans toast with heirloom beans, legumes with romesco sauce.

Avocado Toast with smashed avocado, ricotta, and cilantro. You can also add a poached egg to this if you want. This was ok but it didn’t impress me too much. It looks pretty but it was missing something. Maybe that egg. Either way, it was a good accompaniment to coffee for lunch.

Overall, I love the coffee here, but the food just too way too long to arrive. The service is also lacklustre and inconsistent. Some of our drinks were put on the counter for pick up and the other was delivered to the table. There was a really big time gap between the coffee and toast.

We Rate Nemesis Coffee:

Address:
302 W Hastings Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.nemesis.coffee/

In Bakery

Bjornbar Bakery: Cafe in Edgemont

July 12, 2017

Bjornbar Bakery is located in Edgemont neighbourhood of North Vancouver. We wanted a cute place to have lunch after we finished the Grouse Grind. Since it was somewhat close by and heard this place was good, we made a visit here.

Interior

The space is cute and cozy. A nice neighbourhood space to hang out with friends and chat over coffee and treats. You order everything up at the counter and they give you a number and deliver the food to your table when it’s ready.

Cappuccino

I got a small cappuccino and it came with a sweet treat on the side. A nice touch. Good coffee and it was made very well. After I got it, I wish I got a larger size.

Old Skool Sandwich

This sandwich has ham, sharp cheddar, grainy mustard and a pickle inside the panini pressed sandwich. It was a really good solid sandwich. Just looking at the cross-section, there is a lot of ham and cheese inside. I really enjoyed this sandwich a lot.

Final Thoughts

Overall, its a great place for the morning or afternoon to indulge in treats and have a cup of coffee. I would definitly be back again.

We Rate Bjornbar Bakery:

Address:
3053 Edgemont Boulevard, North Vancouver

Website:
https://bjornbarbakery.com

In Bakery

Grounds for Coffee: Cinnamon Buns and Coffee

January 24, 2017

Grounds for Coffee has been around since 1993 making delicious cinnamon buns. They are made by hand with locally-sourced ingredients, to hundreds of locations across B.C. and Alberta. I was invited to stop by to try some coffee and cinnamon buns. I’m usually not in this area, so it was great to explore more shops on Alma close to UBC.

Interior

The interior is a bit dated, but it brings me back in time with all the pictures on the walls. A lot of people that were here were studying or reading while enjoying coffee or their cinnamon buns.

There aren’t a lot of seats here, but a good amount of people did take out.

Coffee

I got a latte to go with my cinnamon buns. It’s the perfect combination.

They sell 100% premium organic Arabica coffee beans, with at least 50 percent of their coffee sourced free trade at any given time.

Cinnamon Buns

Frosted or unfrosted, that is the big question, so I got both. The cream cheese frosting is so good, that you want lots of it smothering the top. It’s been a while since my last cinnamon bun but you can tell the difference of the ingredients and it’s made fresh. The cinnamon bun is pretty big, so even splitting one among 2 people is pretty good.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a nice place to stop by for a cinnamon bun and coffee. If you’re in the area, check it out. Just remember to get your cinnamon bun topped with the cream cheese frosting.

We Rate Grounds for Coffee:

Address:
2565 Alma Street, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://groundsforcoffee.ca/

In Bakery

The Birds and The Beets: Cafe in Gastown

January 21, 2017

Bird & the Beets is a cafe that is located in Gastown and they serve up coffee, sandwiches, breakfast and other snacks. We came here on the weekend have a few bites and coffee.

One thing I love about shops in Gaston are that beautiful brick walls. It adds so much character to the space.

By the counter, there is also taps for water. I love pouring my own water, its so much fun. I’m pretty weird.

Coffee

Latte was what I ordered to get me through the day. Waking up on weekends is tough, so a bit of coffee wakes me up. They use Bows x Arrows coffee beans in their drinks. Very good.

You can also pick up some beans too.

Sandwiches

Avocado and Slow Poached Egg Brioche Sandwich was topped with picked vegetables. It is an open-faced sandwich and was pretty good. A nice item to have with coffee.

Overall, it was a nice little hidden place in Gastown to chill with friends over coffee and some snacks. The interior is also very beautiful.

We Rate The Birds and the Beets:

Address:
55 Powell Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.birdsandbeets.ca/

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Peaked Pies: Aussie Comfort Food in Vancouver

January 17, 2017

Peaked Pies has finally opened in Downtown Vancouver on the West End. They specialize in Aussie Meat Pies, coffee and dessert. What makes their pies extra special is having them ‘peaked’ with mashed potato, mushy green peas and gravy.

We wanted a taste of Peaked Pies without going to Whistler, so we were happy their second location was in Vancouver.

Interior

The space isn’t huge, but they have more seats compared to their Whistler locations. There is one large communal table, a few tables and window seats.

They also have a self-serve kiosk if there are long line ups. Very easy to use and you can beat the line.

The few times that we were here for lunch, it wasn’t too busy.

I also love their lights with the familiar colours sprayed on them.

Aussie Pies

All the Aussie Pies and Sausage Rolls are on display and there are lots of flavours to choose from. I had a hard time choosing which one to get.

If it’s your first time, getting the Traditional Aussie, which has ground beef, onions and gravy is a good start. Make sure to get it peaked too.

We’ve been here several times, but a few of our favourites are:

Traditional Aussie
Chunky Pepper Steak
Chunky Steak and Mushroom

The fillings are delicious and the crisp flaky crust makes it so enjoyable. the mashed potatoes are fluffy and the peas were so good draped in gravy.

Their Sausage Roll has ground beef, onion and garlic. It tasted alright, but the best things here are their pies.

They even have Aussis desserts like Lamingtons.

Final Thoughts

Overall, same great pies as their Whistler location. I love their pies and I will definitely be back.

We rate Peaked Pies:

Address:
975 Denman Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.peakedpies.com/

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Honey Donuts: Sweet Treat in Deep Cove

January 16, 2017

Honey Donuts is a popular spot in Deep Cove to indulge on their donuts and coffee. They serve up home cooked and freshly prepared wholesome food.

The small beautiful village of Deep Cove is 20 minutes away from Vancouver and is popular for kayaking, paddle boarding, boating and of course hiking. The downside is that parking is super tough to find when it’s busy. Also, use debit cards or cash when coming here.

Interior

There are a decent amount of seats inside and outside, but if it’s raining, most people prefer a seat inside where its warm and dry.

We came here over the holidays and it seemed like most people at Deep Cove was here getting lunch.

All the coffee is self-serve. So, you pay at the counter and they serve yourself. Refills are not free.

Coffee and Donuts

We managed to find a seat quickly as another party just left. We had our donuts and coffee ready for our afternoon snack. There were 4 types of drip coffee available, but I just chose the Honey Blend.

Classic Donut was huge and had a light cake-like texture inside. It seemed like it was soaked in honey and I didn’t feel like it was too sweet.

Chocolate Donut is like their classic donut dipped in chocolate. M didn’t really like this as the texture of the donut wasn’t what he expected. Different texture than a traditional donut as it was a bit oilier.

Overall, it’s a nice place to have a snack in the afternoon. It is very popular, so it can get very very busy at peak hours.

We Rate Honey Donuts:

Address:
4373 Gallant Avenue, North Vancouver

Website:
http://www.honeydoughnuts.com/

In Bakery

Chez Christophe: Pastries, Sandwiches and Holiday Treats

December 23, 2016

Chez Christophe is located in North Burnaby and they recently moved locations to a larger venue. There’s more seating and a lot more treats to be had. Since I live pretty close by, I was invited with a few other bloggers to check out a few of their new holiday items as well as their other items on the menu.

Sweet Treats

They have lots of delicious treats at the counter. Small cakes to larger ones for parties.

Freshly baked pastries are in basket that fill the aroma of the shop.

Their decadent chocolates are lined row by row.

Behind the Scenes

There is a huge window where you can see Chez Christophe work on some of his chocolate sculptures. It’s pretty fascinating.

Holiday Showpieces

All sculptures are created onsite with their award-winning Swiss chocolate Carma, which is unique to Canada. The pieces are completely edible and consists of hollow chocolate in its entirety, airbrushed with cocoa butter.

Sliding Penguin was my favourite. He looks so cute with the little santa hat on.

Abstract Santa is bright a red just like the big man.

Holiday Bear is probably really popular with the kids.

Santa’s Boot is decorated with a few chocolate treats.

Large Acorn is pretty cool, there are hidden chocolates inside. All you need to do is crack it open.

Lunch Time

We sat down to enjoy a few of their items on their menu to give more of a more thorough review.

Hazelnut Pain au Chocolate was flakey on the outside with a lot of layers. There was a good amount of chocolate in the centre too.

Creme Salee was an interesting pastry. I didn’t like the crust, but the filling was like a delicious custard.

Croissant Sandwich was pretty good here if you want a savoury lunch crossed with their croissants. You have Irish ham, provolone, arugula and aioli in this. Simple but delicious.

Beef Brisket Multigrain Croissant was put in a panini press, so the exterior. The grilled onions, mustard and that flavourful brisket was even better than the croissant sandwich.

Kalamansi Chocolate Tart has a bright orange centre covered in 70% dark chocolate ganache.

Paris-Brest has a choux pastry with almond hazelnut praline buttercream and kalamansi gel. I wasn’t a fan of the tart kalamansi gel.

Chocolate Bar Trio has:

Honey Ganache and Gingerbread Caramel
Eggnog Ganache and Marzipan
Mandarin ganache and Mandarin Jelly

He also has macarons at the store too. I didn’t end up trying these as I was so full eating all the other things here.

Hot Chocolate was really good and rich. They also topped it off with cocoa that is shaped like a heart.

Overall, a few good items to pick up at Chez Christophe. What they are best known for are the chocolates and some pastries.

We Rate Chez Christophe Chocolaterie Patisserie:

Address:
4717 Hastings St
Burnaby, BC

Website:
http://www.christophe-chocolat.com/

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Shop the Neighbourhood with French Made Baking

October 1, 2016

Shop The Neighbourhood by Yellow Pages celebrates small businesses all year round, and reminds Canadians how shopping locally makes a difference in our lives and directly impacts the local economy. Small businesses are our economic backbone: they create jobs, funnel funds back into the community, keep decision-making power localized, and generally contribute to building healthy, thriving neighbourhoods.

In partnership with Yellow Pages, I wanted to highlight my favourite small business – French Made Baking located in Mount Pleasant.

French Made Baking

Mount Pleasant is a vibrant neighbourhood known for its unique stores, heritage buildings, artistic residents, and fun community festivals. The area is popular with urban professionals and young families. What better place than a French patisserie shop to appear. The Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Area has worked with them over the years to help promote their business at local events and on social media.

David and Catherine Introligator

French-from-France couple, David and Catherine Introligator produce authentic and tasty French pastries. They are dedicated to their craft and have been around since 2011. I remember meeting them at various bakers markets and special events before they had their storefront.

Yummy Treats

They have croissants, madeleines, caneles, and other items but their most popular items are their macarons.

Their macarons are fabulous! The texture and the flavours have always been spot on. I don’t think I’ve found one I didn’t like yet.

My usual order at French Made Baking is a canelé and a pack of macarons.

Canelé is a classic French pastry made from eggs, milk, flour, and sugar. It is a small pastry with a balance of sweet and savoury flavours. What I love most is the crunchy caramelized crust.

Macaron is another classic French treat characterized by 2 pieces of meringue cookie sandwiched with filling like ganache, buttercream or jam. It is generally made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar and ground almond.

They have rotating flavours, but a few of my favourites are:

L’Anglais: Earl Grey tea infused milk chocolate ganache
L’Oriental: rose & litchi white chocolate ganache
Le Provençal: lavender & honey white chocolate ganache
Le Praliné: hazelnut & almond praliné buttercream
Pistache: roasted pistachio white chocolate ganache

Sometimes they make limited edition macarons for special events. I remember one when they made totoro macarons.

They also have larger macaron cakes.

They also sell 11 kinds of Kusmi Tea, a tea company which has been around for 140 years. Delicious high quality tea.

Classes

What to learn how to make macarons, croissants, or choux pastry? They offer hands-on classes with David at their “Atelier” kitchen on Kent Avenue.

A fun way to learn how to make French pastries the correct way while having fun with friends or coworkers.

Go for a visit

French Made Baking is one of many amazing local businesses in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. When you come for a visit, say “hello” or “bonjour” to their amazing staff as they serve their customers in both English and French.

Local businesses are neighbourhood-oriented. Business owners and staff share the community’s interests, and are personally invested in the welfare and future of the neighbourhood.
If you want to learn more about Shop The Neighbourhood, follow Yellow Pages on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Address:
81 Kingsway, Vancouver

Website:
http://frenchmadebaking.com/