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2014-03-16
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my relationship with macarons started off shaky to the point we almost called for a break up in california but reconciled months after with promise of better things in chicago and subsequently progressed into adoration in tokyo before growing into love in kuala lumpur.macarons are one of the most delicate desserts that require quite the finesse to achieve the perfect balance in flavors and textures. so i am constantly in search of one that would even come close to gratifying my picky sweet tooth
macarons are one of the most delicate desserts that require quite the finesse to achieve the perfect balance in flavors and textures. so i am constantly in search of one that would even come close to gratifying my picky sweet tooth .
"it cannot be too sweet... it can't be too soft.. it has to have a crispy exterior... its flavor should be more than just sugar......"
my acquaintance with les deux garçons began at shell tower in 'little india' earlier this year in january. the danger of temptations was imminent considering it was close enough for me to drop by for some sweet surrender way too often. i wonder if it was a blessing in disguise that i haven't heard of their main patisserie located in taman desa and their more popular location in telawi, bangsar which started more than two years ago. as it is now, i have visited enough times that the friendly staff recognizes me as i walk to the macaron counter at their shell tower kiosk.
much more than just macarons in their reportoire, this french patisserie flaunts what malaysianinsider.com coined as the best croissants amongst all the viennoiserie as well as a range of other desserts that could fulfill one's sweet desires. these confections don relatively steep price tags; justifiable by the creative flavor combinations and attention to detail in each creation which could ultimately lead to contented satisfaction. and like the french, coffee is enjoyed with the dipping of croissant at breakfast while coffee serves as meal-enders after the serving of desserts at lunch and dinner which explains their breakfast sets of black/white coffee with a piece of viennoiserie that ranges from rm 10 - 12.
the petite kiosks of les deux garçons are dressed in classic combinations of black and white hues sprinkled by occasional gold fonts, the perfect canvas for displaying their bright, colorful desserts. the bangsar and shell tower outlets are more designed for to go desserts but has a few small tables at these locations.
coffee :: hot caffe latte (rm 9)
absolutely thrilled to find illy coffee, and had high expectations that it would rival my favorite coffee from espressamente illy. perhaps i have found a nearer coffee substitute!
first sip, it made me frown slightly.
" too bitter"
slightly over brewed. sigh.
the lessons from my coffee appreciation class crossed my mind - the taste of coffee is not determined merely by the quality of the coffee beans but also very dependent on the barista's skills & moods.
perhaps it was a bad day for coffee. hopefully, better luck with the pastries...
le favori :: pistachio biscuit tender . raspberry brûlée . pistachio mousseline . white chocolate . cocao dust. (rm 17)
resembling a block of miniature golf green, this pistachio dessert was surprisingly light on pistachio taste but seemed to feature green tea although it wasn't described in the place card. the raspberry tartness gave it a fresh tart berry-ness that was inviting and echoed an overall delicate demeanor that was reflected similarly in the two-toned soft textures. if there were white chocolate, i didn't discern it, which was a delight for me.l'amer :: 72% dark chocolate mousse . biscuit tender . black mirror glaze . chocolate fence . chocolate pieces . gold leaf . (rm 16)
this confection sang a tribute to dark chocolate with its mousse-like consistency that highlighted the richness of the cacao creaminess but was borderline too sweet for my liking. while it was good, i didn't feel it was anything outstanding but perhaps the chocolate addicts may sing a different tune than myself. le marquis :: noisette dacquiose . crispy feulletines . chocolate creameaux . 72% dark chocolate mousse . black mirror glaze . crushed hazelnuts . gold dust (rm 17)
in comparison, l'amer pales in comparison to the this work of art made out of chocolate hazelnut whose name is le marquis. equally as grandoise in creamy chocolate richness but with a nuttier disposition, each layer was a textural symphony to the taste buds. savoring in nibble-fuls, i was greeted with pleasant surprises from the play of different ratios of chocolate to hazelnut of each layer and smoothness from the mousse and crunchiness of the crispy feulletines and hazelnut for a textural treat. the playful creation that engaged both the flavors and textures in a nice balance made this an irresistible lure for a nutty chocolate escape. it was on the brink of being too sweet but was mellowed by the hazelnut.tarte au citron :: pâte sucrée . biscuit joconde . citron creameux . burnt swiss meringue (rm 14)
a departure from the chocolate desserts, the lemon tart was a mini tangy citrus explosion. we had a slight difficulty cutting through the crust but granted it was a rather flimsy plastic fork so it might work better with a proper metal utensils. skipped most of the crust which was a crumbly, buttery shell to hold the tangy, slightly tart, sweetened citrus pudding crowned with the sweet, soft, marshmallow-like torched meringue.passion :: silky passion mousse . mango coulis . biscuit joconde . velvet chocolate coat . chocolate piece (rm 17)
one of les deux garçons unsung heroes of the tangy passion fruit and its loyal classic sidekick, the sweet mango. a light airy mousse that captured the tropical breeze with a bright yellow coat that pulled me in like a bee drawn to a fragrant flower. the sweetness of the soft biscuit joconde with light nuances of vanilla that countered the fruity tart fragrance of the passion-mango fruit combination just works for me.macaron lovers are spoilt for choice with the variety of macaron flavors les deux garçons has to offer and i've had the pleasure (and perhaps displeasure?) of tasting 8 out of the many flavor combinations - one of which was the premium macaron (doubles the price of the regular macarons - i just had to to satisfy my curious cat inside me)
{ casis } sweet and texturally pleasing. the flavor was a punch of blackcurrant.perfect for those who loves the fruit.{ dark chocolate }cloyingly sweet, despite it supposed to be dark chocolate rendition.the filling in the middle wasn't creamy, which was disappointing.
{ cho + passion} dark chocolate sandwiched between passion fruit shells where the former overpowered the latter in an unflattering way. too sweet for me.
{ rasp, rose & lychee }mimicked the flavors of ispahan but no where near the counterpart.
no distinct prominent flavors.
{ wasabi }interesting, yes. a favorite, nope. accented the wasabi punch which was odd in a dessert.
it has come down to my top three favorites that i've tried, thus far. a disclaimer: these three are top of the eight i have tried and thought it was special to make it to the list.
winter truffles :: premium (rm 1o)
the fine gold dust shimmers on the two off-white, delicate meringue cookies that hugged the almost pearl white colored filling. the aroma of strong earthiness of the truffle emanated as i took a sniff, followed by a punctuation on the taste buds. it was a strange sensation when this petite confection hits the tongue - it was strongly earthy alternating with the sweet which was interesting in an odd way.but i have to give the patissier kudos for his/her audaciously adventurous spirit in this creation.
pistachio (rm 5.5o)
pistachio flavored - done right. light on the nuttiness and balanced on the sweetness. enough said.salted caramel (rm 5.5o)
perfection in the texture - the smooth meringue thin shells had crispy exterior, enveloping the chewy, airy, almost ethereal under the crust that embraced the soft, smooth and light creamy filling to make a complete masterpiece. what makes it outstanding is the balanced collaboration of the salty and the sweet from the salted caramel.
les deux garçons is gradually making its mark in the desserts industry via some of its chef-d'œuvre in the forms of croissants, macarons and cakes. whilst there are some room for improvement for some of the creations, its outstanding work of art called the salted caramel macaron has claimed a spot in my heart that induces a nagging craving to seek almost constantly for its sweet comfort.to that, i'd say:
"go on..... give that salted caramel macaron a try.
you know you want to" ;)
to read a full review and all the photos, please read on at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/03/les-deux-garcons.html
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