Tatte Fine Cookies and Cakes

nut tarts

Situated around the corner from my accommodations in Boston, this enchanting bakery is enough to sway one to move into the neighbourhood. To launch each morning with their coffee is enough right there, but to stand in their shop amidst such deliberate art is the pull that keeps one a regular. Nut tarts, classic Brioche, gorgeous pear pies, crumbly-topped cheesecakes, XXL fig biscotti, and sandwiches which beg to be taken for a walk along the Seine (or Charles River) are all successful temptresses. Personally, I can not pass up their infamous "chocolate rose", a "flower shaped yeast dough brimming with chocolate filling". Could you?

brioche

More photos after the jump!

CoCoLo

rainbow roll

When you have three children under the age of 11, going out to eat as family often ends up being a lunch affair. We needed to head to West Fourth for some shoe shopping, and since we'd been meaning to check out CoCoLo, we took advantage of the opportunity.

When we walked in shortly after noon on one Sunday in February, we were only briefly confused until we realized that they were empty because it was during the Olympics.  The server who greeted us gave us the pick of tables or, even better, a tatami room. After our children started into the room with their shoes on, our server's reminder to remove shoes was quick but completely professional; we did not feel the least bit admonished.

Le Procope

Le Procope, the oldest running restaurant in Paris and in the world, is obviously going to be a huge draw for tourists. Yet, somehow, I get the impression we are surrounded by native Parisians at this establishment.

Granville Island Fruit Displays

Enjoy!

DOW: Whisky Sour

Although we don't have sweet drinks regularly, every once in a while we indulge ourselves. Inspired by some friends, we decided to mix up some whisky sours at 5:45 one Friday evening.

Marulilu Cafe

Natto. How many breakfast places in Vancouver serve natto? Probably the same as the number of Japanese restaurants that are open for breakfast. When we learned about Marulilu Cafe, across the street from the Broadway-City Hall SkyTrain station, we knew we had to pay a visit. We both chose the most delicate and filling Japanese breakfast. How could we not order this quintessential meal our first time here? We were served omelette, salmon, miso soup, and rice with our choice of soft tofu or natto.

Plaisir Sucre

On my third trip back to Plaisir Sucre, I chose chocolate for breakfast. A chocolate brioche with a cappuccino. Brioche demands generous egg and butter content to create a rich and tender crumb. If you haven’t tried it before, settle yourself down with a fresh one and get ready for a new temptation. This new French bakery is close enough to home to render it very dangerous. My fourth trip was later that afternoon, but I'll get to that in a moment.

Pâtisserie Bordeaux

Sometimes you get in a rut and do the same things over and over again.  Entering Pâtisserie Bordeaux, tucked away in a strip mall at the corner of 10th and Alma, I was determined to order something new.  This poppy-seed pastry caught my eye, and it reaffirmed the notion that you do need to step outside the box now and then.  The flavour and texture of the poppy seeds offset the sweetness and creaminess of the frosting.  I would definitely order this delicacy again.

Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates & Pâtisserie

Another day, another pâtisserie. Ahhhh ... the sacrifices we make.

I met a friend at the Kitsilano Thomas Haas location, and we decided to share two exquisite looking pastries: a pear galette

and a sour-cherry turnover.

La Petite France

Smiling, I began my day knowing I would be sampling from La Petite France, a bakery with full breakfast and lunch menus on Arbutus Street. We used to live only a few blocks away, and we had to exercise quite a bit of restraint every time we walked by. 

While waiting on a friend (excuse the gratuitous Rolling Stones reference), I sat tucked away in a corner comforted by peach-coloured walls and soft French music.

My friend ordered a delicious croque madame, while I ordered pain aux raisins and a coffee. My coffee was served with warm milk (warm milk!) on the side. The pain aux raisins was swirly and slightly sticky and scrumptious. My breakfast date was a delightful repose, but eventually I knew it was time to leave... and bring something fancy home for me to share with my sweetie.

La Baguette et l'Echalote

I like to set myself up for little moments of success, or more to the point, straight-out happiness. And it's certainly been a gleeful past few days tasting treats from our local westside patisseries.

All in the name of research, you understand.

Dropped off at Granville Island for three blissful hours on my own, I knew I had enough time to properly stuff myself at La Baguette et l'Echalote, one of the few spots in town to find a proper French baguette by the way. Too overwhelmed by the choices, I took a breather and walked around admiring the mounds of colourful produce at the public market while plotting my next moves.