Product: Dufflet Small Indulgences

Dufflet Pure & Sweet: Cranberries & Blueberries in Pure Dark Chocolate

Cost: $10.99

www.dufflet.com



Everyone knows the name Dufflet. It's synonymous with heavenly baked goods. If you haven't had a cake, tart or pastry from Dufflet, then there's something horribly wrong with your life. And you don't have to visit a Dufflet store to buy the cakes (although, it is fun 'cause you get to buy miniature treats for yourself other people). Dufflet cakes are available at many grocery stores such as Loblaws, The Kitchen Table, Rabba's, Longo's and Grocery Gateway (online). For a full list, go here.

But the reason to go to a Dufflet store is so that you can buy 'small indulgences' like the one pictured here. Cranberries and blueberries drowned in pure dark Belgian chocolate! No artificial flavours...really. I looked.

I bought this tin at 25% off, which is still pricey, but worth it if you really want to indulge. Just have a little handful..it's better than, say, having a whole cake.

N'awlins: Cafe Du Monde's "BenYAYs"

Locations:

Riverwalk Marketplace, One Poydras, Suite 27, New Orleans
Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9:30am-6pm

French Market, 800 Decatur Street, New Orleans
Open 24 hours a day, closed 6pm December 24, opens 6am December 26

Cost: $4 for 3 Beignets and a Cafe Au Lait

www.cafedumonde.com/main.html

"What are beg-nets?"

"Ben-yaaaays.."

"Oh. What are they?"

"They're French doughnuts, covered in icing sugar...you MUST try them."

"Will do. Sounds amazing!"

And. They were.

Everyone kept telling us that we'd have to try the beignets while we were in New Orleans, so imagine my excitement when I came across a Cafe Du Monde at the Riverwalk Marketplace! The timing couldn't have been more perfect. It was of course, tea-time!



There was a terrific line-up when we jumped in, but it moved along swiftly and as we got closer to the menu board, we realized the only items you could order were beignets and cafe au laits. And the beignets came in three's (for $1.82) which was perfect as far as I was concerned.

One of the difficult things to avoid while eating these outdoors, as we did, is getting the icing sugar on yourself!





At the Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter, the atmosphere was much the same...carefree, easygoing staff but an ordering system a bit different from at the Riverwalk. You place your order at your table and the beignets and coffee arrive to you.



The icing sugar behaves the same way no matter where you are....



I fully understand now why they're called "benyays"...I found myself exclaiming "YAAY!" whenever I saw a Cafe Du Monde. And, I know it's touristy but I had to bring back a box of beignet mix and a tin of Cafe Du Monde's original coffee. Needless to say, they've both been opened and the joy has been spread as quickly as the icing sugar on the top.

Desserts from Le G

Location:

152 Spadina Ave., Toronto

Cost: $4.99 each

Le Gourmand undoubtedly has the best chocolate chip (and walnut) cookie in Toronto...and we've already certified that their chocolate bombs are da bomb, but they also carry some fancy desserts in the window behind the cash register which, until recently, I hadn't tried.  **Note, these are from Rahier Patisserie (1586 Bayview Avenue, Toronto) and not made at Le G.



Top left: Coconut and white chocolate - the best of the lot.

Top right: dark chocolate and hazelnut with pistachio on top - kind of dry.

Bottom right: Opera cake - dry and a bit bland. 

Bottom left: caramel mousse- moist and not too sweet, but quite good.



Overall though, they looked great adorned with sparklers as a birthday cake.

Bijan Bakery and Cafe, San Jose, CA

Location:

170 S. Market St. Suite 110,
San Jose, CA

Cost: ranges from $1.50 +

www.bijanbakery.com

After a much needed breakfast at Il Fornaio, we remembered (from having passed by it the night before), that Bijan Bakery had a magnificent array of desserts and pastries and both agreed we had only enough room to share a small treat.



I don't think I have ever seen so many pastries in my life! We got there when there was hardly a line-up but we took so long to decide what we wanted (read: overwhelmed with choices) that by the time we were ready to order a line had grown.



There were chocolate chip, almond, raisin, and various other cookies, baklava, marzipan, cinnamon buns, twists, strudels, biscotti, cookies with fruit centres, mousse pastries in a variety of flavours, cream puffs, fruits tarts, cheesecakes, eclairs, chocolate covered strawberries, napoleans, tiramisu, black forest...and....so much more!



We decided upon an apple tart (boring, I know, given all the selection! But anything else would have gone to waste since we were short on time and had already over-eaten at breakfast!)



Warmed, the apple tart wasn't bad, but it didn't blow my socks off. I should have tried their specialty Princess Cake (alas, if I had been plugged to trusty ol' Chowhound I would have known to do so!) They also serve soups, salads and sandwiches!



Bijan Bakery and Cafe certainly leaves MUCH to be desired....

Caffe Greco

Address:
423 Columbus Ave
San Francisco, CA
www.caffegreco.com

Cost: Items range from $1.85 (water) to $7.95 (panini)

Caffe Greco was another place we had walked past on the way to Union Square with the intention of coming back.  

So, on Day 2 when we were looking for a place to have coffee, I was determined to find "the place with the posters" and we turned our noses on many other cafes in search of it, all the while ignoring our tired calves and thirsty throats.   When we finally found Caffe Greco, and squeezed into the last corner window spot, and rested our aching feet on the worn wooden floors, with this view...all our effort was without a doubt, worth it.



With high ceiling fans and art nouveau playing fancifully on the cream-coloured walls to jumbo glass canisters filled with delectable treats and an open 'book' menu behind the counter, this place embodies everything that is caffe Italia.



Around since '88, Caffe Greco serves homemade (and award-winning, according to their website) tiramisu (I'm happy to say we tried it, and it's simply the best tiramisu I've ever had!), cannoli and gelato.

 

We also had a chai caffe latte ($4.25/5.75) which is a tea AND coffee latte.....and it was absolutely heavenly...a definite MUST-HAVE if you're ever in North Beach.  My usual Earl Grey ($2.50), was divine and fared well with the large square of moist, creamy succulent tiramisu ($4.75)...it was so good, I wish the inside of my mouth were made of it!

Wooden chairs that creak with good use, illy coffee tins, leather benches and familiar wall hangings all gather together to make Caffe Greco a really warm and popular home for locals (I know it looks empty, but everyone happened to be either, out of shot, sitting outside or in the other room when I captured this photo).





Caffe Greco, I miss you. We'll be back again, someday.  If you live in SF, and haven't been....what on earth are you waiting for?  I'm so jealous.

Messis

Address: 97 Harbord Street, Toronto

Phone: (416) 920-2186

Cost: Valentine's Day special prix fixe menu at $35 pp

Messis sports a minimalist, airy interior, definitely a good thing when seated elbow-to-elbow with love-sick couples on Valentine's Day. We were lucky to score a reservation that wasn't after 9!

Although a prix fixe menu, Messis boasted a much greater selection of dishes (including seafood, chicken, duck, steak and liver!) than other restaurants on the Winterlicious circuit (even though Messis was not on the Winterlicious circuit this year). After sneaking peaks at the items ordered by the patrons beside us, we decided to go with the curried shrimp and crab cakes and the grilled scallops to start.

Curried shrimp and crab cakes with coconut, mango, red pepper slaw and cilantro green onion drizzle.

The curried shrimp and crab cakes were pretty darn tasty with a crispy outer crust and a tender, flaky and savory filling.

The coconut, mango, red pepper slaw on the side added a nice contrast to the cakes and cilantro sauce.

Grilled scallops with a small salad of blood orange, and fennel served with pepper coulis and a mango drizzle.

The grilled scallops could have used a little more of something...more heat in the coulis, perhaps?

Next, we had the chicken and the fish.

The roasted free range chicken breast stuffed with pancetta served with zucchini, portabellini-mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted sweet potatoes in a gorgonzola broth (we ordered it without the cheesey broth) was the tastiest dish we ordered and I wanted it back after promising to share half with my husband.

Roasted free range chicken breast stuffed with pancetta served with zucchini, portabellini-mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted sweet potatoes in a gorgonzola broth

His fish dish wasn't quite as good. Bland, actually. The shrimps were okay, but again, lacked flavour. I also always feel that bok choy is filler on a plate, much like sprouts.

Pan seared black cod with a jumbo shrimp brochette served with roasted potatoes and sauteed baby bok choy with a shrimp essence.

Dessert was much better. We ordered the "Grand marnier chocolate mousse cake with raspberry ice" which was entirely too dense but quite good. We simply could not finish it and "had" to take it to go.

Grand marnier chocolate mousse cake with raspberry ice

Messis is just West of Spadina on the South side of Harbord, steps away from where Eduardo's (formerly Latitude, now The Harbord Room) used to be. So for now, and for the area, Messis is one of the nicer places you could go for a sit-down dinner.

Le Gourmand Grocer Cafe

Address: Two locations:
152 Spadina Ave., Toronto
20 Bloor St. East Unit R1-2, Toronto
Cost: $3+

www.legourmand.com

As I sit here writing this, I can hear thunder rolling in the distance and can feel a cool breeze on my skin. Perfect weather for some tea and cake, I think to myself. Although, anytime is 'perfect time' for tea and cake for me. Which is why, almost every week for the last two years, I've ended up at Le Gourmand Grocer Caf? sometime after 3 pm for my tea (and by tea, I mostly mean cake) break.



It must be the banana bread pudding which always brings me back, either for it's generous proportions or combination of flavours. One thing is certain, it's definitely best eaten fresh as I've learned after receiving the slightly hardened corner slices mid-afternoon. Still, when it's good, it's delicious; the bread soft with mashed banana and a crust thick with chocolate chips and icing sugar.

photograph credit: Andrew Lam

It's a tie for 'second place with the mini nocci cookie and the chocolate 'bomb'. While the nocci may be small, it's a crumbly mouthful of glorious chocolate, suitable for one.

The chocolate 'bomb', on the other hand, is suitable for two. Covered in a dusting of icing sugar, it appears robust on the outside but is in fact a delicate explosion of dark chocolate mousse on the inside. Still, it leaves you wanting something more. It needs an extra punch of something - Cardamom? Mint? Raspberry? Orange? Hazelnut? Chilli? Something.

Next on my list is most definitely the chocolate chip walnut cookie. It's quite simply, the best cookie in the world. Yes, that's what I said. After all this, there's still much to be had at Le Gourmand. The croissants are good although not great. The raisin croissant is decent; flaky but a little on the eggy side for taste.

The blueberry scone is delicious, but ask to have it warmed and buttered to really make it worthwhile.

photograph credit: Andrew Lam

The lemon poppy seed muffin is not terrible, but perhaps better when fresh out of the oven in the morning. I must say, it was a nice compliment to the "Taylors of Harrogate Lemon & Orange Tea"; a wonderfully invigorating tea.

I was unlucky with my chocolate raspberry tart I ordered one afternoon, which melted by the time I got home (it was a really hot day), but I'm glad to say it still tasted good. Although I am a fan of the occasional Turkish Delight of the rosewater kind, the mastic Turkish Delight was not to my taste. I found the flavour to be sickeningly sweet with an overwhelming aroma that wouldn't go away afterwards. During the summer season, they serve a selection of gelatos which, according to owner, Milton Nu?es, is brought in from La Paloma Gelateria & Caf? in Toronto. However, I have to say apart from the hazelnut chocolate, the gelatos are quite disappointing. The raspberry flavoured gelato tasted like a "maybe it's Maybelline's", while the mango had a very tart after-taste.

photograph credit: Andrew Lam

If you have time, you can sit in a cane chair under the high-ceiling with fans circulating lazily above you while you sip your tea and gaze up at the giant wall of goodies on one side of the cafe. They have a wide selection of chocolate bars, teas & coffees (Illy, Dean & Deluca); olive oils, pastas, sauces, vinegars and other products, which can be made into gift baskets if you so desired.

Le Gourmand's prices are a little on the high side, but the atmosphere is nice and the service is pleasing when you get an experienced staff member. The separate queues for ordering food versus drinks can be confusing if you've never been there before but because everyone is so friendly you'll find you aren't annoyed when you leave with your brown bag full of goodies.

Read my BlogTO review here.

Bonjour Brioche

Location:

812 Queen Street East, Toronto

Hours: Tues to Fri: 8 -5
Sat: 8-4
Sun: 8 - 3

Cost: an average dish is about $8 (and it's CASH only)

This is the view you're guaranteed to get when you're lined up outside Bonjour Brioche on a busy Saturday or Sunday morning for breakfast/brunch. Yes. It gets that packed. Somehow that and the curt service doesn't seem to put off patrons who show up every weekend for a bit of breakfast or a quick take-away baguette or tart. I know I haven't been put off. In fact, if you're lucky enough to score a seat in this crowded establishment and shrug off the no-nonsense behaviour of the wait-staff, you'll find yourself eating (and eating well) in one of the best breakfast nooks in the city.



Croque Madame: toasted brioche layered with ham and gruyère and topped with a fried egg



Croissants: chocolate, almond and custard....all were very good and not overly buttery or eggy tasting.



Freshly squeezed orange juice, a nicoise salad, a sandwich of some form (I don't remember which kind my friend ordered) and scrambled eggs with smoked salmon (topped with chives, creamy horseradish and caviar).



Cheesy quiche with a mixed greens salad and a toasted and buttered baguette.

Next time I'll have to try the french toast which seemed to be on most people's plates! It's hard not to notice when their meal could practically be mine when seated so close!

So, if you don't mind being tightly packed into the small (and warm) space, Bonjour Brioche is well worth a visit. Speaking of which, It seems the last two times I've been has been in April of '06 and '07....I'd say it's about time for another visit.

The Boiler House is smokin'

Address: 55 Mill Street, Toronto, (Distillery District)
Cost: $30 pp for brunch (live jazz included)

Brunch served from 11am - 3pm on Sunday only
www.boilerhouse.ca

One of our early anniversaries landed on a beautiful Winter's Sunday which we celebrated by brunching at The Boiler House in the Distillery District.

A high vaulted ceiling and bright airy light greeted us as we walked in. We were also greeted by the hosts who helped us out of our coats and hung them on the clothes rack off to the side. The bare bricked walls and raw wooden booths are offset by the bright purple seating at the far end of the room. The interior is minimal playing up on the rugged, steel style of the old warehouse with its iron beams and concrete floors, making them much a part of the decor as the delicate white orchids perched upon the wooden booths.



We were seated at one of these said booths which, although not uncomfortable, wasn't especially cosy. The once airy ambiance now felt drafty and cold. No matter, food should warm us up, right?!


Brunch had been set up in a little alcove not far from where we were seated, so we sauntered over to set our sights on the menu!



Oh and were our sights ever satisfied!

There was an incredible array of breakfasty and lunch items. A wonderful omelette stand (made to order) and then a generous spread of bacon, sausage, prime ribs, ham, home fries, scrambled eggs, eggs benedict, crepes, hot pasta, croissants, bagels, waffles, custard tarts, danishes, muffins, fruit, smoked salmon, tomato & boccocini, shrimp, potato salad, pasta salad and mixed greens salads.....AND....a dessert table with assorted cookies, tarts, mini-cakes and other treats. PLUS coffee or tea.





All while being entertained with a wonderful jazz band just above us.



Incredible, ya? Yes.

The only complaint we did have was that the service wasn't the best (I know, you're thinking "but Atims, didn't you serve yourselves?) Yes, but when we actually NEEDED someone (like, you know, to pay the bill?) it was difficult to get his attention! We even had to go over to the bar/cash to pay! *grumble*

Still, we were thoroughly stuffed by the end of it all and had an enjoyable anniversary! I'd definitely recommend The Boiler House to family or friends (or first dates!) for brunch 'cause not only do you get a tasty meal but you get to walk around in the beautiful Distillery District afterwards...what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?