Out & About 331 | Duo Patisserie & Cafe Preview

​Eclairs, macarons, petits fours - these French pastries share the similarities of being visually impressive and labour intensive. With Nadege, Nugateau, Delysees, and many other independent bakery-cafes making waves for their respective specialties in Toronto, there's an alternate option for comparable treats in the uptown region.

Located in the same plaza as Go for Tea's old location on Commerce Valley Drive and neighbours to It's A Bao Time and The Captain's Boil is quaint pastry shop-cafe hybrid by the name of duo Patisserie & Cafe.

​The ceilings are tall, but effective dining area is minimal. duo consists of several small tables for dine-in clients, a long, narrow refrigerated glass case for showcasing various pastry and bakery items, and a decently large kitchen at its further depths. Hovering in the centre of the shop is a small selection of dainty packaged goods ranging from artisan chocolate bark to mini madeleines to loose tea leaves.

Not particularly a fan of these costly elaborate pastries myself, I was on a mission to obtain an item that would bring pleasure to my favourite fangirl.

​For first-timers, there was little to no acknowledgement nor assistance provided when we made our entry. Customers were expected to line up along the length of the display case, relay their order(s) to the cashier, and merely linger until the boxes were packed.
Undecisive and unfamiliarity with the menu was a problem, as this quickly caused queuing and a state of confusion for the customers that followed suit.  Albeit the incredible degree of clarity on the labes resting in front of the available pastry options, there was seemingly no other method of data assembly available except standing in front of each item to read their simplified ingredient and allergen list. The two frontline members of staff managing the shop were also found incapable of providing adequate information and product details to further our understanding of the items before our eyes.

Some ten minutes later, our picks were finally narrowed down (with difficulty) to Pearl, Yuco, Mont Blanc, Tatin, and a Pain au Chocolat; the five pieces came to a jaw-dropping total of thirty five dollars and forty three cents.

​Pearl adopted the demure attitude of an oyster, presenting a textured swirl of mint cream and spoonful of chopped mangos barely encased in a choux pastry. A light dusting of what appeared to be lime zest floated on the protruding edges of the cream filling.
As one of the patisserie's best sellers, I would presume the texture and flavour profile to satisfy even the pickiest of cream puff enthusiasts. Personally, I did not try this and therefore cannot comment on its degree of satisfaction, or lack thereof.

View the full album HERE !

​Mont Blanc was another fan favourite: the tower of chestnut cream was uniformly piped around sweet vanilla cream and several pieces of crunchy chestnut to resemble European snow-capped mountains. Likely the priciest $7.50, the pastry was essentially a gold mine for chestnut-lovers with its smooth, sweet filling and unexpected nutty crunch.
The tart base was rock-solid, which served as a formidable foundation for the delicate filling, but not nearly as applause-worthy as a buttery, semi-firm base.

​A delicate, dome-shaped creation earns top points for originality: the snowball-like Yuco combines a shower of untoasted coconut flakes, a burst of citrus with rich cream and a thin, crumbly crust laced with coconut shreds. In concept, yuzu cheescake and coconut nectar make for quite the unique duo (no pun intended). However, it's unfortunate to say that its realization was an entirely different story.
Besides the hassle of removing an impossibly fragile base from its serving plate - only to witness its anticlimatic (literal) downfall several seconds later - the spoonful of this wobbly dessert tastes no different than digging into a partially set tub of flavoured heavy cream. The silky richness is overpowering, and the fruity centre is insuffient in alleviating its effects for a harmonious balance.

Tatin, a condensed term for the traditional tarte Tatin, was a circular mound of coiled apple flesh, pastry cream, and another sturdy tart base. Supposedly cooked and browned in butter and sugar prior to assembly, this pastry scored the lowest amongst our entire takeout selection for its absurd flavour combination.
The apples, instead of yielding warm, buttery comfort, were cold and tasted of an indistinguishable mix of sour and salty. Pastry cream was applied in such a thin layer that it was barely discernible; once again, the lard-lacking crust was a brittle letdown. (Would it be too much to say that I lost my appetite after a bite of this?)

​Pain au Chocolat was the single emerging champion of this quest. Unlike the typical viennoiserie, duo's rendition of the indulgent bakery item was a substantially-sized roll boasting a phenomenally flaky outer shell, crisp middle shell, and fluffy centre.
Layers of crunchy chocolate goodness were found with each bite; the only factor missing was the fragrant essence of butter - Brioche Dorée takes the cake in that department.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
But pastries with a major absence of butter is an outright tragedy. The grease has been banished, though copious amounts of stomach-churning heavy cream is the new substitute.

The value of their goods is debatable, as a three-dollar viennoisserie is well justified but a seven-dollar invention is a mistake to never commit again.

​Perhaps the primarily Chinese-dominant communities in Thornhill, Richmond Hill, and Markham are the cause for this modification. duo Patisserie & Cafe is not an authentic French bakery nor does it pride itself in claiming the title. Their products are not lacking in appearance, but rather catered a tad too strongly to suit the gustatory palette of their surrounding neighbourhoods. Consequently, the implementation of the ingredients themselves have been impacted.

As a cafe, it can viewed as an establishment suitable for post-lunch gatherings or an intimate catch-up. It provides adequate temperature levels for maintaining freshness of baked goods as well as a cozy, cushioned seating area.
I have yet to attempt their caffeinated beverages, and am open to the idea of testing a croissant-latte pairing.
Needless to say, it looks like I'll be skipping their exotic-looking pastries next time.