A new pastry shop opened in downtown (Toronto) and we went to try it first hand. The store is opened by Nadège Nourian who was previously an assistant executive pastry chef at Hakkasan in London.

The store is located at 780 Queen Street West (the corner of Queen Street and Gore Value Ave). The shop is easy to miss if you are not paying attention. The only thing that makes it stand out are the bright white exterior walls.

No sign on the outside = hard to find

I really like the design of the shop. It’s very trendy and modern. The whole store is white except for the splash of colors in the store sign. I would of taken more pictures of the store but for some reason, pictures are not allowed! I got told to put my camera away after someone from the counter saw me with it. Gave me a feeling that the place was a little snobby and not too friendly. It’s not like they were displaying special art pieces that have to guard against. Even though the design was nice, it wasn’t anything spectacular… you can find much better designs in art magazines. If anyone know the reason why pictures aren’t allowed, let me know.

The sacred counter where photos are forbidden…

Now on to the goodies… the pastries! Our final order consist of 3 cakes, 1 tart and 1 cappuccino. The first cake we tried was the strawberry champagne mousse cake (I don’t recall their actual names). Wow, this cake is different then any cakes I have tried in the past. It’s sweet, creamy and smooth with a subtle amount of champagne flavor through out. A unique cake with a unique taste that I would eat again.

Taste like strawberries but looks like a peach

The second cake in line was the raspberry chocolate cake. The interesting design attracted me to this cake. It looks like the cake was wrapped in paper covered with a piece of white cardboard… but everything is edible. The raspberry chocolate cake was good. The cake was moist and rich complimented with a sharp tasting raspberry sauce.

The last piece of “cake” was what looks to be like three giant chocolate balls. Each ball is suppose to have a different texture and flavor, but since the dish was split between 4 people, I only got a chance to sample one of the balls. This dessert reminds me of a glorified Ferrero Rocher. The texture is completely different (the entire ball was soft and creamy, not crunchy like the chocolates) but the taste was similar.

Raspberry Cake on left, Chocolate Cake on right

We weren’t full after the 3 pieces of cake so we ordered an extra tart since it was recommanded by my friend. The tart was beautifully decorated but unfortunately, the taste did not measure up to the ascetic appeal. The tart taste like your average quiche with a few pieces of lettece on top. Is it suppose to be served cold because it would of tasted better if it was warm. Seems like the tart has been sitting there for a while because it didn’t taste too fresh either.

A beautiful looking tart

CrazyDiva was the one who orderd the cappuccino so I will let her comment on it.

crazyDiva:  I think my cappuccino tasted good, but it just tasted like any other cappuccino at the nicer cafes or at Starbucks, nothing special.

A tasty cappuccino

Conclusion

Nadège is considered a high end pastry shop and the prices reflect that. At around $6 for each item, it is pricey since the portions are pretty small. Out of all the baked goods I tried, the only one I would purchase again would be the strawberry champagne mousse cake. The other cakes, even if they tasted good, were not special enough to warrant the high price tag. While I would not purposely make another trip just to visit Nadège, it is a place I would happily walk into if I happen to pass by.

crazyPyxo’s rating for Nadège Patisserie

7/10