La Portion Magique

Bakery: La Portion Magique
Address: 236 Boulevard Saint-Benoit O, Amqui QC
Website: http://www.laportionmagique.com/
Style: French-Canadian, Quebecois
Price: $-$$ 

I don't know what it is, but Amqui is home to some of the most bizarre bakery combinations imaginable. Take today's post for example: La Portion Magique also happens to serve takeout sushi and Thai food; they have a gourmet food shop as well. Just the thought of all three together made me want to kind of... move along, but after having gone to the bakery/microbrewery/bar a few doors down, I thought it would be nice to just turn this into a whole novelty. So as downright silly as it sounds, I avoided the sushi counter and made it right away to the small counter of baked goods, which fall right into homestyle baking: muffins, brownies, loaf cakes with a few surprises. I mean, homemade Jos-Louis -- really? Besides simple, traditional goodies, they do have some fancier cakes in a variety of sizes.

And they have these babies: maple tarts. As quintessentially local as these are, it's sad to see not that many bakeries have them. La Portion Magique had a ton, in different sizes and flavours. The small ones ($1.65; seen here plain and local blueberry) are tart shells filled with liquid yum. If you didn't know how to describe melt-in-your-mouth, this is the definition. Delectably rich, buttery yet subtle in flavour, one forkful was enough to have me hooked. This might even have to be the best thing contained in a pie shell -- yes, even the butter tart (sorry little guy). So, so good! 

I can't say anything about their sushi or spring rolls, but La Portion Magique seems to know La Potion Magique... and it contains maple syrup. :P 

Rating: ****