Address: 1097 rue Saint-Jean, Québec QC
Website: http://www.paillard.ca/
Style: French
Price: $$
As unbelievable as it sounds, I actually did three bakery trips this summer, with one carried out by international correspondents and another on the way. Oh, what a great day for bakeries worldwide!! :) One of these trips were a road trip of Gaspesie. Five days doing the full circle with two intermediate stops in each direction. One of these intermediate stops was Quebec City, which, believe it or not, has not yet been featured on the Cake Tour. Scandalous!! Many years ago, we used to go to Quebec City semi-regularly, but not since the start of my little site. The city, in keeping with its French roots, boasts of a great many bakeries and it's downright heartbreaking to walk the streets on Sunday night, admiring all these closed bakeries I'm passing. So, so many bakeries. :(
However, there were two bakeries that were open and Paillard was one of them. I am certain this wasn't here the last time I was here... my jaw must have dropped when I entered into this high-ceilinged, marble-laden patisserie extraordinaire! This is the hint of Paris so many bakeries unsuccessfully try to recreate: downright chic surroundings, delectable treats, and reasonable prices. How insanely exciting! ;D
The one real downside that this place has so many baked goods and pastries and none of them are priced or labelled. This makes navigating through products confusing and rather slow, as no one in the line can figure out what they want until they ask what it is. :/
Of course, after much deliberation, I had to settle for just two items. After all, I had already bought goodies at another bakery. :P The first was a fairly classic cherry danish ($2.95) with a French dough and a handful of fresh sour cherries in the middle. The dough itself was uncharacteristically browned and wasn't as flaky and buttery as I was expecting. Good taste, but the competition's danish was superior.
Without a doubt, the highlight was the jesuite ($2.75), a pastry similar to that of a gateau basque, with an inside made up of a dense, semi-sweet almond dough and wrapped instead in a thin flaky pastry. Think of it as an almond cake strudel. And if that doesn't already sound enticing, let me assure you it was so good. In a poll of three people, however, two said that this was the best from both bakeries and one said this was the least preferred of the bunch. To each his own, I suppose, and Paillard is so mine. ^^;
Rating: ***1/2
However, there were two bakeries that were open and Paillard was one of them. I am certain this wasn't here the last time I was here... my jaw must have dropped when I entered into this high-ceilinged, marble-laden patisserie extraordinaire! This is the hint of Paris so many bakeries unsuccessfully try to recreate: downright chic surroundings, delectable treats, and reasonable prices. How insanely exciting! ;D
Of course, after much deliberation, I had to settle for just two items. After all, I had already bought goodies at another bakery. :P The first was a fairly classic cherry danish ($2.95) with a French dough and a handful of fresh sour cherries in the middle. The dough itself was uncharacteristically browned and wasn't as flaky and buttery as I was expecting. Good taste, but the competition's danish was superior.
Rating: ***1/2
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