Bakery: La Pâtisserie BelgeAddress: 3485 Avenue du Parc, Montreal QC
Website: http://www.lapatisseriebelge.com/
Style: French, Belgian (?)
Price: $-$$
[Gone?! When did that happen? I walked on Parc once or twice without really noticing that this place wasn't there. It was only when I really thought about that I realized that I hadn't walked past La Patisserie Belge and that this long-standing bakery was indeed gone without a trace. Especially given the fact they weren't replaced by a bakery, it's a sad piece of news. :(]
I could have sworn that I reviewed La Belge ages ago. It was only when I was looking for some photos when I unearthed a whole, hidden folder of photos from one year ago. I went more recently and so I only thought I had to update it, but I guess there is indeed something for me to do today. ^^
Nonetheless, La Pâtisserie Belge is a fairly old institution (the logo is enough for you to see that :DD) in the area and for years and years, I knew this place existed since it's in the area of our usual "hotel", but it was only last year that I actually tried them and after that, well, I was a little angry that I hadn't bothered beforehand. La Belge is a fine patisserie and deli selling pastries, baked goods, breads and also cold cuts/cheeses and, in comparison to other patisseries with "fine" tagged onto them (de Gascogne -- which is only one of my most popular posts ^^), this one has some pretty impressive prices. All cakes are at a set price ($3.25) whereas tarts are slightly cheaper.. I'd like to say $2.50, but this sounds too good to be true. I think I might be mistaken... but as always, if the prices are wrong and you know what they are, don't hesitate to let me know and let this be updated! :) Still, I do remember thinking it unfathomable to get such goodies at under $4 with tax at such a place! This is one great thing about this place.
The second is that they're good. I personally don't find them as good as de Gascogne, which uses a lot more fresh fruit and, according to the brothers, also uses higher grade chocolate, but seeing as you pay double, this is understandable and almost expected. ;) At the same time, there's always something tasty to be found at La Belge, even if you go, like I did, one hour before closing. So, here come the purchases:On my first trip there, and fresh from my vacation in Paris (which I still need to finish posting reviews for), I couldn't resist the strawberry tart, which not only looking yummy, but ended up tasting the same. Actually, this was really good! I was pretty impressed, thinking I wouldn't be able to find such delicious fruit tarts on this side of the Atlantic.
The brother got a Cointreau, which is, as one may guess, rather plentiful is the liquor of the same name: a sheet of dark chocolate with candied orange peel tops layers of chocolate cake and orange mousse.In fact, they seem to offer a lot of mousse-y cakes, since on my return here, the three pieces I picked out of what was left was all mousse-based. The pink one was mine: a dual-mousse concoction of raspberry and chocolate. Personally, I found this far too much. I think that if I had noticed in the store that the bottom of chocolate mousse, I wouldn't have picked it at all. The first few bites were good, but then the moussiness really kicked in and I had had enough. For myself and maybe for future customers, I'd definitely recommend either the tarts (which are amazing ^^) or something with substantially more... dough. ;)
I suppose the opinion is pretty unanimous: La Belge is indeed a must-visit... just come early before the tarts sell out. ^.^;; That's advice I'll keep for myself, heh heh heh...Rating: ***
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