Sherman's Food Adventures: Ladurée

Ladurée

Hype.  Fad.  Lineup.  These 3 things can generally mean either a place is really good or that people really have nothing better to do.  Well, with lineups out-the-door and down the block, the recent opening of Ladurée has all the earmarks of being over-hyped.  That was the experience I had with Payard in Vegas.  I couldn't of had any worse macarons!  I think my daughter stopped talking to me for a bit when I fed her a few!  But alas, I gave in and braved the lineup due to the endless posts on IG.  Lo and behold, we only waited 5 minutes!  For that reason, we decided to sit in the small dining area and enjoyed the treats right away.

Of course we couldn't have a few macarons and call it a day right?  So with the kiddies joining us for this food adventure, we started them off with a few finger sammies in the Smoked Salmon and Ham.  As much as these can be as exciting as watching Coronation Street on CBC, the kids enjoyed them (especially since they had just ate lunch).  The bread was soft and the amount of filling was more than adequate.  Next up, we tried their Madeleine and Financier Cake.  I liked the crispy edges that gave way to a semi-sweet and buttery cake.  However, I found it a touch firm.  As for the Financier, it also featured a crispy exterior that was more firm than the Madeleine.  Texturally, it was firm with bits of almond and hits of nutty brown butter.

As for the Macarons, we went for a selection that included the Coffee, Pistachio, Rose Petal and Orange Blossom. I found the textures of the macarons depended on each flavour.  All featured a crispy delicate exterior, however inside, some were appealingly chewy while others were completely soft. Of the 4 on the plate, my favourite was the coffee as it was purposefully sweet and aromatic.  The pistachio was also aromatic and really had a natural essence The next 3 consisted of Salted Caramel, Lemon and Marie Antoinette Tea.  Loved the lemon as it captured the flavour of fresh lemons with only the right amount of tang balanced off with sweetness.

The final 3 were Chocolate, Raspberry and VanillaRichly chocolatey without being overly sweet, the chocolate macaron was just as good as the natural-tasting raspberry.  It sported a mild tang and sweetness that was palate-pleasing.  When I spotted the Lemon Cake on the menu, I ordered it without even blinking an eye.  Good thing too as it was lemon-soaked being firm yet moist at the same time.  It was sweet, but the natural lemon essence really came through.  Overall, we found the macarons to be quite good and spot-on in terms of taste.  Texturally, there were some inconsistencies though.  As for the other items, they were okay, yet unspectacular.

The Good:
- On point flavours for the macarons
- Generally good texture
- Attentive service, once seated (was confusing to get seated though)

The Bad:
- Not unlike other shops, it can get pretty expensive
- Confusing manner they seat people (maybe have a number or name system?)     

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