Duc de Lorraine

Oui, Oui, Paris.

5002 Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal, QC H3V 1G6 

If you have ever been to Paris, you know that you could walk into just about any bakery off the street to discover the sweet scent of homemade pastries, buttery croissants, and café au lait. There is nothing better than sipping a coffee, and biting into flaky pastry, while sitting at a tiny round table in a quaint café. Don't book that flight to Paris just yet! We have a delicious, charming, and warm spot just as I described right here in Montreal-  Duc de Lorraine.

This is by no means a new spot. In fact, Duc's doors opened in 1952. Set on Cote-des-Neiges adjacent to Mont-Royal with the picturesque St-Joseph's Oratory in the background, this place has remained a classic for good reason. Walk in to smell the sweet aroma of freshly baked goods and either grab some to go, or take a seat in the naturally-lit dining area. Both the atmosphere and staff are warm and welcoming and you will immediately feel transported to a café in Paris.

We ordered café au laits, some mimosas, and a basket of viennoiseries to start. The pastries were buttery, flaky, and sweet, as they should be. The mimosas were refreshing and they definitely did not skimp on the champagne, and the café au laits were creamy, strong, and just what we needed to start our day.

The sweet start was followed by a savoury onion soup (au gratin) served piping hot and by a (generous) slice of leek quiche. Both were impressive and could have been flown-in directly from France! 

On our way out, we couldn't help but pick out some croissants and fine pastries to take home! There are also an array of beautiful cakes for any occasion. Duc de Lorraine has been around for a long time, and it is time for a new generation to experience its lovely atmosphere, service, and food. To those who have not yet been, it is definitely an experience that needs to be had in our city and I HIGHLY recommend a trip for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or simply to pick up some pastries and desserts to go!

Mind, Taste, Love.

Dolce et Gateaux

Will you be my Valentine?

Cupcakes are now seen as passé, with macarons having moved into the spotlight recently. But how could a pint-sized cake topped with a dreamy icing, be considered passé? After tasting Dolce et Gateaux's cupcakes, I declare cupcakes back in style. The cake itself is what stood out to me. Perfectly light and fluffy-  it could stand on its own. But of course it is iced with a creamy and buttery frosting that is smooth and not too sweet.

Valentine's Day

With Valentine's day just around the corner, I am sure tons of you are scramming to have something delivered to your loved one at work or at home, and I have just the thing. Dolce et Gateaux has created a beautiful bouquet made up of.......wait for it.........red velvet cupcakes. What's better than a bouquet of roses that you can eat? (Seriously...let me know if you think of anything.) And if you're looking to make a little less of a statement, the boutique also has a large variety of v-day themed cupcakes as well as XO shaped sugar cookies.

 

Fresh and Delivered to your Door

Unlike some other cupcake shops in the city, this one delivers (anywhere for a price). Just call and inquire to see how much it would cost to deliver to your area!

Most importantly in my books, their cupcakes are freshly baked DAILY. No cupcakes on display are form the previous day. Every evening, leftovers are brought to the nearby mission.

Nutella Cupcake with Nutella Filling

Special Events

If you're hosting a bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, or wedding, they also have incredible cakes and specialty cupcakes. We were shown an album full of impressively decorated baked goods for a wide-range of events. Contact them with your ideas...they can make them happen.

 

Summer Treats

In the springtime, Dolce et Gateaux starts serving their homemade Gelato. They have tons of flavours and use only natural ingredients. Spring/summer can't come soon enough....

The boutique itself is adorable. It's a great place to go grab a latte and a cupcake, and catch up with friends. Check out their boutique and café on Bernard, or grab some cupcakes to go at their location downtown. Check out their website for more deets!

http://dolcegateaux.com/fr/

 
Mind, Taste, Love.

Restaurant Review: Hof Kelsten

Hof Kelsten

Brunch + Bakery....Brunchery?

4524 Saint Laurent Blvd Montreal, QC H2T1N4

If you're into brunch, pastries, bread, or coffee, then I highly suggest you read on. Hof Kelsten has been on my "must try" list for a while now, and I finally made it there this weekend for brunch and some baked goods to-go of course. Two of my favourite things under the same roof!

When you walk into the small, but hip space, you're immediately drawn-in by the scent (and sight) of freshly baked breads, pastries, and COFFEE.

Short & Sweet Brunch Menu

The concept is simple: order your brunch at the counter and then grab a seat and wait (impatiently) for your name to be called. The menu is equally straightforward- only a couple of options, but they're done right. I ordered the shakshouka, and my friends tried the smoked salmon sandwich on homemade rye bread (accompanied by some freshly squeezed OJ and some coffees). The smoked salmon was thickly cut atop a spread of dill cream cheese and onions. They thoroughly enjoyed their sandwiches til' the last bite. My shakshouka was just as delicious- poached eggs in a cumin-spiced tomato salsa with merguez and grilled toast.

OJ and Coffee

Smoked Salmon Sandwich

Shakshouka

Iced Coffee

I filled a box with mixed pastries to-go- which lasted less than 10 minutes on my kitchen counter (next time I'll get a bigger box). I advise you try the babka- somewhere between a cake and a chocolate danish. I could get in a lot of trouble for saying this, but in my opinion, theirs rivals Cheskie's, and that's saying a lot.

Pastries To-Go!

Apparently their challah is worth a try, but order in advance, or go early on a Friday to pick it up.

Overall, Hof's has already successfully built a name for themselves in the Montreal bakery/brunch world. If you're smart, your next cheat day will be spent here. After all, they do provide some of Montreal's BEST restaurants with their homemade bread. And if it's good enough for Joe Beef, it's good enough for me!

Reservations: Nope- order at the counter and hope a seat opens up!
Date night: ------
Attire: Plateau-chic

The damage: $$

Mind, Taste, Love.