Pastries & Deli

Bakery: Pastries & Deli
 Address: 290 The West Mall, Toronto ON
Website: n/a
Style: Serbian
Price: $$$

First of all, you cannot find any proof of this place existing online (must be their ever-so helpful name -_-), so this address will actually get you the IDA pharmacy next door. Just so you don't start wondering. ;)

Alright, so on Thursday, an attempt was made to take a shortcut to Eddie's Meat and Deli without having to turn left from Dixie. This attempt was a total disaster and the end result was ending up on Bloor and then turning right on the next busy street leading somewhere: The West Mall. Never having gone this way, I was on high alert and rightfully so: the giant "pastries" sign required a sudden right turn into the Bloor West Mall plaza (another very nice name ;D) and away I went~!

To begin, I really think these guys should invert their sign, since this place is definitely more a deli than a pastry shop with a few shelves of imported goods and the rest a lunch spot serving hot meals (the smell of cabbage is unmistakable ;P). The pastry section is rather empty with the glass case containing one torte-style roll, a tray of baklava and those Serbian honey cookies. On top of the case, there's four boxes of cookies, priced per kilo (between $20-30/kg). These were black currant cookies, some nutty things with a Serbian name, fried dough and fried French dough with honey. While the stuff in the case had no prices, the cookies turned out to be quite expensive for what you get, especially given that I'm not exactly sure what the more expensive ones contained. I was actually going to just mention thinking it wasn't worth the price.. and then it always turns out that I try it and well, all such complaints are long forgotten. So, I suppose, let's go! ^.^

First up were the black currant cookies (23.99/kg; 8 bits and pieces of varying sizes cost $3.90) which, despite the name, were far from your boring chocolate chip kind (ha ha can you tell I'm not the biggest fan of cookies) and which I wouldn't actually call cookies at all. It was more like little pieces of strudel: layered puff pastry with a honey and black currant mass stuck in the middle and then literally coated, not dusted, in icing sugar. The black currants were barely there and, had the sign not said it, I don't think I would have been able to tell. The pastry, sugar and hint of honey were pretty good though, even without the stuffing. ;)

Secondly, I got three of the nut crescents ($29.90/kg; three cost $2.50) which I can't say look like much. I was more excited about trying the black currant ones while there, but the second I bit into this.. O_O Whoa. This was like perfect chewiness!! It was a soft, impeccably chewy dough which had this 'crust' of crushed nuts on the outside. At first, you think it's all hard since it breaks apart fairly easily, then you take one bite and you chew and chew... Omg, delicious!! *-*

So, yeah, P&D doesn't have a lot in terms of the former, but that's not too important with these two goodies in store! :D

Rating: ***1/2