Mimi's Cake Tour: 4-star

Showing posts with label 4-star. Show all posts

小森美丸 [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: 小森美丸現烤甜甜圈 (Komori Mimaru Freshly Baked Doughnuts)

Address: No. 259, Section 3, Guohua St, West Central District, Tainan

Website: facebook

Style: Doughnuts

Price: $$

Let's follow up one 4-star review with another~! This Japanese-inspired doughnut stand and cafe was the only 4-star Cake Tour during my trip to Taiwan. That's right, out of nearly 100 stops, it was this doughnut stand that captured my heart and taste buds. Sold out of a little display case right outside the cafe, these baked doughnuts are supposed to come in seven fixed varieties and you do get a discount when you buy more (which I was thinking of doing the following day). When I came, however, there was literally one doughnut left and I had little choice in the matter.

Luckily, I did decide to take that final milk doughnut ($30/each, 4/$100). Baked doughnuts are certainly not my favourite type and, outwardly, there was nothing remarkable about this particular doughnut. It was a little blackened in areas, it wasn't necessarily even pretty, so I wasn't expecting much. However, the taste and incredible texture, that crunch on the outside and dense and chewy inside took me completely by surprise. It was a little greasy, a little sweet. It was AMAZING!

Rating: ****

Golestan Bakery

Bakery: Golestan Bakery

Address: 1755 Robson St, Vancouver BC

Website: n/a

Style: Persian

Price: $$$

There are some bakeries where the name alone just brings that sparkle to your eyes and everything else in life simply vanishes upon the memory of whatever delectable treat you had. Yes, it doesn't happen often. Actually, it hardly ever happens, which can be evidenced by how few 4-star bakeries there are on my little blog. In this case, however, one word is needed to transport me back to bliss: zolbia. Zolbia from Golestan, to be exact. Whoa, and here we go... *-*

When it comes to Middle Eastern and Indian pastries, I'm such a sucker for what I universally call jalebi, though of course they have different names depending on the country and language. I just love these golden yellow/orange spirals of syrup-soaked fried dough and in my opinion Persian zolbia are the best in terms of style. So when I spotted the zolbia at Golestan - a bakery originally from North Vancouver with a newer location on Robson - among their wide array of traditional pastries and cookies (all sold by weight) in addition to a few more universal treats like chocolate cake, I knew I had to try them. These zolbia ($5.15 for three) didn't look like anything particularly remarkable, but that first bite was incredible and it only got better from there. They had the perfect texture: super chewy with a mild crisp on the outside, just the right amount of sugar syrup inside and out. They were so good, to the point where I couldn't stop until I'd eaten everything. Wow, these changed my mind about how I see these simple pastries. The best ones I've ever had!

Rating: ****

Copper Kettle Cafe

Bakery: Copper Kettle Cafe
Address: 312 Dundas St E #4, Waterdown, ON
Website: https://copperkettlecafe.ca/
Style: Apple Fritters
Price: $$

A few weeks back, I had a huge craving for apple fritters. I mean, who doesn't love apple fritters? Finding new spots to try apple fritters, on the other hand, isn't that easy. Just for fun and expecting little results in return, I typed apple fritters into good old Google Maps and this undiscovered cafe popped up. Copper Kettle isn't a bakery, but it is a cafe with a difference. And that difference is their fritter station. That's right, these fritters, coming in standard apple or pear, are fried to order. Wait 10-15 minutes and you've got a box (because, really, how could you order less) of piping hot, fragrant fritters. Oh yeah!

Unlike the doughnut variety you'll encounter at bakeries, Copper Kettle's fritters ($8.75 for 6) consist of whole rings of apple that are battered in a light, fluffy dough, fried to perfection and then rolled in sugar. The warm, softened fruit is the star attraction but there's just the right amount of dough for you to also get your doughnut fix. Crunchy on the outside, soft and steaming on the inside - these were phenomenal and worthy of that highly coveted perfect score! It was rather unfortunate that the in-store experience was so unpleasant and you're thrown out the back door like a dirty leper before getting your fritters; I wish businesses would try harder to make their customers feel comfortable.... But in the end the amazing, fresh apple fritter trumps all.

Rating: ****

LeTAO Pathos [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: LeTAO Pathos (ルタオパトス)
Address: 5-22 Sakaimachi, Otaru, Hokkaido
Website: https://www.letao.jp
Style: Japanese
Price: $$$

Ahhh, LeTAO! Just the idea alone brings back many pleasant memories of cake perfection... LeTAO is without a doubt the confectionery empire in Otaru. With like fifty concept stores in town (okay, perhaps a slight exaggeration), it's nearly impossible to miss - even if you did, Chitose airport sells whole cakes - and not going is equal to passing up one of the food highlights of Hokkaido. Think I'm going overboard? Well, I would have thought so too....

LeTAO's main focus is selling nicely packaged cheesecakes and cookie gift boxes at unsurprisingly high prices. Depending on which store you go to, the specialty might be slightly different, but cheese is a definite theme. I was thinking of getting a whole cake at first, but had second thoughts when I saw the price; even the individual slices sold at the cafe corner (one of just a handful of sweets sold for immediate consumption) were a bit over my usual budget. However, all that changed when a worker stepped up to me and offered a free sample of their "famous" double fromage cheesecake - I was in line for a slice the next instant and was seriously thinking of making a return in the evening.

Although they have a few other - including seasonal - flavours, only the original is sold in slices. The double fromage cheesecake (410 yen) is a multi-tiered creation consisting of essentially two cheesecakes on top of each other - hence the name. The bottom layer is a classic Japanese souffle cheesecake, heavier and denser compared to everything else. On top of this is a fluffy mascarpone cheese cream layer; above that, whipped cream and soft cake crumbs. This was an incredible flavour and texture experience. It was like eating a creamy yet unbelievably weightless cloud. Oh man... this was AMAZING! Too small, but cake perfection nonetheless.

Rating: ****

Loukoumania Cafe

Bakery: Loukoumania Cafe
Address: 3120 Rutherford Rd Unit 10, Concord, ON
Website: https://www.loukoumania.ca/
Style: Greek
Price: $$

I can't even remember the last time I encountered a new 4-star sweet spot in the GTA - it's been a long time! I'd driven past Loukoumania a couple times and kept saying I'd give it a try in the future. The idea of a cafe specializing in the greatest of Greek pastries - loukoumades - was certainly an appealing one, though having tried them elsewhere, I wasn't really prepared for how good the ones from Loukoumania were.

The one thing Loukoumania definitely has going in their favour is that their loukoumades - honey-soaked dough balls - are made to order so they're not sitting around at room temperature all day, getting soggy and losing the incredible crunchy outer layer they have when freshly made. Of course you have to bypass all the gimmicks and go with their traditional, in as big a pack as possible ($16.95 for 36). They're soaked in honey and dusted in cinnamon, deliciously crunchy on the outside and, with a quick crack, you have a moist spongy centre. These were a transcendental experience - I'll never look at loukoumades the same again!

Rating: ****

Fugetsu-do [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: Fugetsu-do (風月堂)
Address: 2 Chome-1-3 Kawayuonsen, Teshikaga, Kawakami District, Hokkaido
Website: n/a
Style: Japanese
Price: $$

After a disastrous and downright humiliating trip to what is listed online as the only "bakery" in the village of Kawayuonsen (there are two next to the train station a few kilometres away), I was beginning to lose hope that there was a bakery here. However, there is a cluttered knickknack/cafe and confectionery on the main street that seems to always look closed and outwardly resembles a convenience store. Despite the closed, albeit unlocked, doors, minimal lighting and complete lack of staff until you make enough noise, this rather eclectic spot has a surprising array of pretty cake slices, gift boxes and other treats.

Their signature item - as the countless newspaper articles and increased signage indicate - is without a doubt the "ponta" cake (250 yen), an adorable slice of chocolate cream cake with a little raccoon popping out of the top. Despite not being a big chocolate cake fan, I decided to give it a try. It's a good thing I did - this was absolutely delicious! Not only was it very fresh, the cake was unbelievably complex with layers that included vanilla and chocolate cake, white cream, orange jam and nuts - not to mention the chocolate coating on top and soft meringue underneath the cute critter's face. Amazing.

I also took a rhubarb cream cookie (160 yen). One, because I can't remember seeing anything with rhubarb in Japan. Two, because it seemed like another specialty, especially as there were multiple flavours of cream filling. The cookie was soft and slightly airy with a delicious brown sugar streusel top. There was just the right amount of cream in the middle so it wasn't too rich combined with a slightly tart rhubarb jam. Maybe it wasn't on the same level as that chocolate cake, but it was excellent nonetheless. What a totally unexpected hit!

Rating: ****

Milky House [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: Milky House (ミルキィーハウス)
Address: 60 Noboribetsuonsencho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Website: n/a
Style: Cheesecake
Price: $$$

Milky House isn't in any way a bakery, but it was still one of the most memorable Cake Tours on my Hokkaido trip. Essentially, it's the retail outlet of Noboribetsu Dairy Farm, so they sell everything... well, milky. This mainly includes soft ice cream, but they also sell milk, coffee drinks, pudding and fresh cheesecake - all made from their own milk and dairy products. Prices are hot spring town prices, but it is worth it. if I was considering going back for seconds (I so would have had it not been for the fact the same lady was working there a few hours later .__.), it has to be!

I took the cheesecake (500 yen; also available in chocolate). This is what I call a "fresh cheese cheesecake"; the cheese mass is poured on top of a sponge cake bottom and left to set, not bake. The result was a slightly jiggly, incredibly creamy mass. This was amazing! The texture was perfect, you could really appreciate the taste of local dairy products - it is what Hokkaido is partly famous for, after all. Perfect rating.

Rating: ****

Pastry Chef

Bakery: Pastry Chef Bakery
Address: 380 George St, Prince George BC
Website: facebook
Style: Canadian, German
Price: $$

The best bakery in this part of the province? It's right here! Pastry Chef was actually one of the last bakeries on this particular trip and it really came as a welcome change from the sparsely stocked bakeries I had encountered along the way. For one, the selection was amazing: they had a little bit of everything, all of which was generously sized and fairly well-priced. And they had poppy seed buns - finally! I'd been waiting for this moment for over a week now... That being said, Pastry Chef is an old-school bakery in downtown Prince George - it's the only bakery in town, for that matter; the counter space is pretty big and is fully stocked with an impressive, downright jaw-dropping array of cakes, cake slices, doughnuts, danishes, cookies, squares along with a few more European treats (Dutch and German) like strudels, poppy seed baked goods, "Russian pretzels" and apple cake.

Of course I had to give their poppy seed buns ($3.49) a try. It looked amazing with its thick layers of poppy seed mass and drizzle of icing - and it tasted amazing as well. Slightly flaky dough wound round a surprisingly generous amount of delicious poppy seed filling. I would liked more than just a sprinkling of crumble on top, but this really was nearly perfect and would have been the best baked good on the trip...

... Had this massive apple doughnut ($2.49) not come along and upset things. It'd been a trip a bit too heavy on the apple fritters and yet the second I saw this monster, I knew it had to be featured. This huge spiral of perfectly fried and glazed dough was dotted with chunks of apple amid the crispy, yet moist dough. Oh boy. This bakery was phenomenal.

Rating: ****

Pane et Tua [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: Pane et Tua (빠네뚜)
Address: 11-2, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Website: n/a
Style: Korean, European
Price: $$

Please, please tell me this bakery still exists - it's my final bakery from my Korea trip and also one of the highest rated, but there's no sign of it existing on Google either in its name or the Korean version. Good old Naver says that this bakery is (now?) operating as "Burrito-do by Pane et Tua" (브이리또 by 빠네뚜) - is that still the same bakery? There were no burritos when I was there....

Nonetheless, Pane et Tua was celebrating its grand opening when I was there and there was a hint of newness to the whole operation. The baker was even on hand greeting customers so the enthusiasm was definitely there. It being pretty busy, they were restocking even as I was standing there, wandering through the small selection and deciding what I wanted among the flaky pastries and a few more classic Korean "bread".

Then I spotted it: the final kouign amann (2900 won). As I've said countless times before, if there's a kouign amann to be tried, I am there. It's Cake Tour policy! It didn't look overly intricate, just French dough coiled round in a spiral, but everything about this was spot on. There wasn't too much of the caramelized sugar bottom; the dough was flaky on the outside and soft on the inside with a deliciously buttery taste - none of those funny, somewhat off-putting flavours/smells I encountered with other butter baked goods. Flawless execution, this truly was on par with French bakeries and one of the best stops on the Korean leg of the Cake Tour.

Rating: ****

Gwangjang Market Doughnut Twists [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: Gwangjang Market Doughnut Twists (광장시장찹쌀꽈배기)
Address: 170-1 Jongno 1.2.3.4, Jongno-gu, Seoul; inside Gwangjang market
Website: n/a
Style: Korean, doughnuts
Price: $

Want to experience heaven in a paper cup? Here's your chance - the name might be a mouthful, but this stall in Seoul's Gwangjang market (look for the yellow sign next to the coffee towards the end of pancake alley) has some incredible doughnuts and earned the first as well one of the only 4-star reviews for Korea. A Mimi 4-star review is like a Michelin star for bakeries and desserts - never forget that!

This stall is little more than a doughnut factory: the dough is kneaded, divided, twisted and then fried. Only at the very end, right upon ordering, is the doughnut rolled in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. There you go: the chewy Korean doughnut twist (1000 won). While the various TV channel appearances don't really mean all that much (come on, almost every stall had someone visit them; there's only so many places these variety shows can go), the line does and this line was even more promising, because everyone was waiting for the doughnuts. That's right: they were still being fried. And when mine arrived in its paper cup, it was hot and the cinnamon made it super fragrant. I bit into it and mmmm, oh man! when was the last time I'd had a hot, freshly fried doughnut? It was amazing; texture was perfect, slight crunch on the outside.... Truly a transcendental experience~

Rating: ****

Kuchen Brot [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: Kuchen Brot
Address: 28 Yeonhuimat-ro, Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
Website: n/a
Style: Korean
Price: $$

This was the inaugural bakery of my trip to South Korea and, strangely enough, very few equalled or exceeded this fantastic neighbourhood bakery just north of the Hongdae business "cluster". Kuchen Brot is what I would term a classic Korean bakery: grab a tray and make your way down the aisles of Westernized, but not entirely Western, sweet and savoury baked goods. A few French-inspired like the madeleines, others a bit more North American like the pies and chocolate cake and others after that are quintessentially Korean like the cream buns. Outwardly, they don't look that much different from other bakeries, but taking a bite was a very pleasant and wholly welcome surprise.

The first item was a massive, generous cream bun (2,800 won) with a fantastic crusty exterior and plenty of rich, delicious cream on the inside. Maybe a bit too much, but a little extra cream was nothing to complain about. This was like ice cream.

Beyond this, there were the twist doughnuts (1,200 won). Yes, those twist doughnuts. Freshly fried, perfectly plum; impeccably crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Coated in simple sugar. And incredibly good. This was the reason for the onslaught of twist doughnut trials that followed me on my trip throughout South Korea. One or two did reach the same level, but there is still something sentimental about that first really good bakery. Thanks for the memories, Kuchen Brot.

Rating: ****

Fomi's Bakery

Bakery: Fomi's Bakery
Address: 6049 BC-6, Winlaw, BC
Website: n/a
Style: Canadian, Russian
Price: $$

I do love stumbling on bakeries that shoot up right to the top of their class, and Fomi's Bakery -- a cozy bakery and cafe serving some old-fashioned Doukhobor Russian food in a rather unlikely and unassuming location down a driveway right off Hwy 6 -- has to be the best bakery in the Kootenays and the only 4-star bakery for hundreds of kilometres.

Operating out of a house, this small, colourful bakery counter past the wooden seating area features a classic - and fairly large for a rural bakery - selection of bread and baked goods like cinnamon buns, doughnuts, and cream-filled treats behind the glass. Along with a few surprising and less common finds.

I started out with two single items (don't even remember what the second one was anymore) but as soon as I went to the cash, I spotted the must-have item and immediately changed my mind: the poppy seed snail ($6.50). There was no doubt about me leaving with this one; the worker recommending it to me didn't change a thing. Consisting of seven small-ish interlocking "snails", this was amazing from start to finish. I loved the consistency of the dough, the poppy seed mass with just a hint of cocoa, and that thin layer of glaze, with its fantastic slight crackle upon biting into it, covering the entire top. Mmm... the moment I saw it, I knew this would be a winner. And it was. This is, yes, BC's best poppy seed baked good!

Also purchased was the deliciously fried, fluffy blueberry fritter ($2.50). It's not that easy to find fritters with anything besides apples, so this was a nice change; good amount of fresh fruit and that yummy glaze over top. What a bakery!

Rating: ****

Le Bihan [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: Le Bihan
Address: 1 Chome-1-43 Abenosuji, Abeno-ku, Osaka
Website: http://www.lebihan.jp/
Style: Japanese, French
Price: $$

After a few weeks of travel in Japan, I'd begun to despair that I'd never encounter another 4-star bakery along my Cake Tour. Luckily, along came Le Bihan. Regrettably, Le Bihan is yet another one of those bakeries with nearly a dozen stores nationwide, though it seems most are centred around Tokyo and Osaka and whether or not it's really headed by the older, decidedly French pastry chef on their website is worth debating. As with many patisseries, Le Bihan mostly features a fairly large selection of the usual Japanese baked goods, such that at first it doesn't seem particularly remarkable. If you look past the croquette buns and red bean treats, there are, however, a few more traditional French pastries.

Fortunately for me, repeated practice had revived my reading skills and examining the label of this lovely pastry gave me a thrill of excitement: kouign amann. Yes, the kouign amann, my most beloved of buttery French pastries. This required zero deliberation and I left the small, somewhat hectic department store bakery with my kouign amann in tow (237 yen).

This was precisely what I expected from a well-done kouign amann and French pastries, in general: the dough was flaky and buttery with a sticky sugar coating on one end and layers upon layers of rich and simple yet flavourful dough. It really was one of the best I've had; truly a highlight not only of my Osaka leg of the journey, but also of my entire Japan trip. A well-deserved perfect rating.

Rating: ****

Schultz Bakery

Bakery: Schultz Home Bakery
Address: 482 10th Ave, Hanover ON
Website: facebook
Style: Canadian, Doughnuts
Price: $-$$

Schultz Home Bakery is located right off the main street in Hanover, making it easy to miss; however, it's certainly worth the detour or u-turn to get back here. This simple, small-town bakery may not have the largest selection and features mostly classic treats, namely pies, colourful cookies and cupcakes. But I'll confess that I'm not here to talk about cookies. Schultz is, without a doubt, all about the doughnuts.

Well-priced, coming in simple, classic flavours, this bakery makes some pretty amazing doughnuts, from their delicately fried sugar doughnuts to their flavourful maple glaze to the star of the show: their golden brown, generously glazed apple fritters. Yes, in a box of six, four spots did have to belong to the fritter. Crunchy, soft and slightly chewy on the inside... perfect. I wasn't planning on finding a bakery and ended up coming back with one that easily takes top honours.

Rating: ****

Floresta [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: Floresta
Address: 8-1 Konishi-cho (1F Raffine Oriental Building), Nara

I couldn't resist one of their more interesting combinations: the white chocolate cranberry doughnut (170 yen). Peeling away the little piece of plastic wrap and taking my inaugural bite was an unforgettable experience. Really, it doesn't look exceptionally good, and yet, the slight crackle of the perfectly applied white chocolate glaze, the soft and dense doughnut dough with punches of sourness from the streaks of cranberry here and there was... wow. Perfection. I didn't want that small doughnut to disappear; I was even thinking of going back later that afternoon or the following day for a second doughnut. Yes, it was that good. One of the most memorable Cake Tours from Japan!

Boulange Okuda [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: Boulange Okuda
Address: Yakunin-cho 253-2, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto
Website: http://boulange-okuda.jp/
Style: Japanese, European
Price: $$

Boulange Okuda is attempting to evoke Old World, European bakeries and it certainly succeeds with its decor alone; with its warm brown panelling, black marble accents and gold lettering, it does look like it would be more at home along the streets of Paris than on the ground floor of this fairly drab building in Kyoto. Inside, the baked goods also justify its name and look, a not so common occurrence for European-style bakeries in Japan, with a lovely selection of artisan breads, buttery French dough classics (croissants, croissants aux amandes, kouign amann), and airier brioche-based baked goods. Of course, they still did have those Japanese staples like melon and cream pan, but I have to say that the selection of things that not only looked really good, but authentic was impressive.

Saying that in as objective way as possible, I'll admit that I really did forget almost everything that was in-store, simply because the moment I set my sights on my eventual purchase, nothing else mattered. :D At first, I couldn't believe my eyes: was that...? No, it couldn't be! It had to be black sesame or chocolate; I was just being hopeful, but further inspection and trying to decipher the name was starting to work completely in my favour. Yes! It was a POPPY SEED CAKE. (227 yen each) I saw it and I knew I'd regret it otherwise: I just grabbed the last two slices. If there were more, I probably would have taken them all.

This poppy seed cake belongs to a very few perfect ratings on my Japanese Cake Tour: fluffy dough braided with a generous amount of poppy seeds and a hint of orange peel. On top, there was a thin glaze. This was amazing! This was the best baked good I had on my trip. Even now, I can't believe I found a perfect poppy seed cake in Japan. WOW! *-*

Rating: ****

Boulangerie Cheskie

Bakery: Boulangerie Cheskie
Address: 359 Rue Bernard O, Montreal QC
Website: n/a
Style: Jewish, Eastern European
Price: $$$

As mentioned earlier, I raided "must-have" dessert lists online for the first time, curious to see if I'd perhaps missed something on my regular Cake Tours of Montreal. The majority were well known to me; others didn't really appeal to me, some I went through on my latest trip. I saw pictures of Cheskie's baked goods -- namely, their Russian chocolate babka -- and immediately went for it. How could I not? The photos look amazing.

Cheskie's is a kosher bakery that seems to also be frequented by locals of all kinds and, judging by the amount of online photos, foodies and specializes in Eastern European-style baked goods and a few North American treats mainly for the kids (a wide variety of colourful sugar cookies with icing comes to mind), but what mainly seems to bring everyone in the neighbourhood in is either their famous chocolate babka or their rugullah, available in several varieties.

Unfortunately, most items are sold by weight with no indication of what that price is per kilo/pound; I'm not exactly sure the precise amount I paid for each item either. This can lead to some surprises and I was genuinely surprised how much the man in front of me paid for a dozen rugullah. Next was my moment of truth and, delicious as it is, baked goods are expensive and I probably paid double what I was expecting. Ouch.

However, the pain is soon forgotten, or at least numbed, once you start digging in to your goodies. Of course, I had to try the Russian chocolate babka (I paid $3.78 for two pieces). This is served in almost bite-size pieces, all baked together to create a multi-layered ooey gooey chocolatey mass. As if that weren't enough, it's then drizzled with thick chocolate on top. Quality chocolate and plenty of it, this is a chocolate-lover's dream come true.. and what a beauty it is, isn't it?

Naturally, whenever there's a chocolate babka, there's a high probability that you'll find something with poppy seed. To my disappointment, there actually isn't that much with poppy seed. There was, however, the poppy seed loaf. I had to have it. Costing $15.75 for the whole piece, it can be cut up and is then sold by weight. The latter option turned out not worth it; I paid around $6 for a fourth. And as an essentially individual piece, it was very pricey. This is THE best poppy seed baked good in Montreal, hands down. Crepe-thin layers of dough folded with black poppy seed mass. Whoa. *-*

All in all, pricey and almost wouldn't be worth it... if it weren't so insanely good! A(nother) Montreal bakery highlight.

Rating: ****