Well, well, well, it's taken some time for my first post to appear here. As a matter of fact, I had the biggest problem choosing which place to review first and I settled on... my best photo. -_- But weee, it's finally up and from now on, I'll be (hopefully) updating more often. And hopefully, you'll be here to join me. :)
Bakery:
The Sweet Gallery
Address:
350 Bering Ave., Toronto, ON (also two additional locations)
Website:
http://www.thesweetgallery.com
Style:
Austrian/European
Price:
$$
I discovered Sweet Gallery several years ago by chance (while hunting for a Finnish bakery, as a matter of fact) and since we had already spent enough money at one bakery, we decided it was no use stepping in and being disappointed, so it had been something on my major to-visit list, especially when I could see from the window the typically Austrian display of marzipan animals and Mozart chocolates. ;) Seeing as the Mount Pleasant location was *really* out of my way, I went to their other location on Bloor St. last summer (and no, I didn't think of chronicling my stuff back then) and found their variety wasn't as amazing as their website promises. I had an apple turnover-like pastry which was very memorable.
I always wanted to go back, but again, it was slightly out of the way, so along came my third opportunity, which was proposed by my mom: the Sweet Gallery headquarters is right next to the subway I go to every Saturday. This is, by the way, my favourite location (note that the other two have since closed). Nevertheless, in addition to carrying cakes (mostly chocolate or Black Forest), they have their famous apple strudel, a few pastries, some tarts/fruit cakes and cookies. You can take it out or sit down and have a cup of tea or coffee with your snack. I'm pretty sure they have some sort of breakfast and light lunch (sandwiches) available too, but don't take my word for it on that latter point.
Anyways~~ unfortunately, I was so eager to delve into my treat that I sort of forgot to take a picture of it first and only remembered after I had eaten it. And it ended up being my favourite one too. :( Regardless, it was a slice of plum cake [
around $3.25] (I believe it's a seasonal thing) with plums, shredded dough and cinnamon on top, and some sort of mass beneath the plums. It was delicious!! ^^;; I'm the biggest fan of plum cakes and this was probably the best I've tasted, I swear it.
In addition to this, I snagged myself a slice of their apple strudel [
around $3.25] *points* because the online opinion is unanimous that this is probably the best apple strudel in Toronto -- this time, they're probably right. ;) This was amazing!! (and PS. I am just *so* proud of myself for how pro this photo turned out, despite constant transportation making it a little messy) I loved the crisp, thin layers of filo lined in sugar and cinnamon and then the mass of apples, raisins, and more cinnamon. Sometime during the eating of this, I must have fainted. Lol! My only issue was that it was
pretty small as slices go. The plum cake and the apple strudel were both the same price, and yet the plum cake was easily twice the size. Taste wise, though, they've got themselves a fan. ;)
[NEW!] Thought I'd bump this back up seeing as a) I went here last week to sample a few more goodies and, b) this has constantly been one of my top posts. Don't know why, but I'm not complaining. This time around, I came to try some of their squares. I picked out two ($2.25/each): the first being an apple and cranberry one with plenty of fruit and some pretty amazing crumble and powdered sugar on top. The cranberries weren't too overwhelming and gave the whole thing a little tartness, but without detracting from the sweetness of the apples (oddly enough, I can't remember there being any cranberries, just the redness... unless it's not cranberry. I *am* only assuming here. XD) I loved it.
Same goes for a slice of cheesecake with the same delicious crumble on top (I love crumble *-*). The taste was pretty Eastern European, but that's more a compliment than anything else. I also happen to love Eastern European cheesecake... Sandwiched between the bottom dough and the cheese was also a thin layer of... raspberry/strawberry jam. Whatever it was, it was amazingness. ;) I probably loved this more than the apple/cranberry one, but for both, I had the comment of: omg!?! why is this so small!?! Personally, I would be willing to pay a little more to get a little more...
especially when these things are so good.
Rating:****
I haven't actually been to Empire Bakery. It's not really in the area and I'm not quite sure if there is a retail location, seeing as they are a commercial bakery and distribute to various supermarkets and delis in the GTA. I got these at Starsky supermarket. As with everything from Starsky's bakery, it's not fresh and that really detracts me from anything they have to offer.
As you may expect (I'm predictable, I know it), I got two different poppy seed treats. I also once tried (no photo though) their strudels ($6.49) which come in a variety of flavours, mostly fruity. I think I got the cherry; it was okay, though, as I already know, not at its freshest. It's fairly generous on the fruit and, like the other goodies, has a dough that's pretty dense. It's definitely a different dough than many other sweet yeast-based goods.
The showstopper was the giant poppy seed ring ($8.99) which was the best. The amount of poppy seed mass (in this one, you also get a generous amount of slivered almonds and walnuts on top and chunks of walnuts mixed in with the mass, which not only adds an interesting and tasty texture to the ring, but makes it stay nice and moist a lot longer than the smaller poppy seed bun above. Of course, it is essentially a commercial bakery and it has the taste of something that is plastic wrapped and sealed, ready to be shipped. Never really fresh, and somehow tasting inescapably... mass produced. You can't hide it. 
