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| - Continuing a theme of French Pastries, but in a more modern light, our visit to Olivier Potier was similar to that at Le Fromentier in that our first visit, around 9:00am, found them with only breakfast pastries while a visit later in the day around 6:00pm found them entirely sold out of most of the dessert pastries aside from a few macarons - it was almost enough to make us give up, but a visit to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts directly across the street would prove the adage of the 'third time's a charm' as we entered the semi-subterranean space to find a full array of options from the former Laduree (and so many other places) patissier.
A small space, heavy on wood and brick, with pastries and breads up front plus a small seating area and café in back, the service at OP was impressive from the moment I walked in and with the young woman waiting patiently as I weighed my options she offered her advice to another gentleman who seemed confused as to what pate de fruits actually are before returning to gather my order, bag/box them elegantly, and wish me an au revoir as I made short work of the packaging.
Starting first with a selection of three macaron in the standard flavors of pistachio, caramel, and the more exotic pear my first taste of Potier's wares was not favorable - the salted caramel macaron was far too gummy, almost as though it had been wet or refrigerated and then thawed, but from there things improved substantially as both the pistachio and pear crackled on bite giving way to a smooth filling with intense flavors, the pear every bit as flavorful as the real thing and one of the better macarons I've had in North America.
Moving next to two more esoteric takes on French classics, Potier shows a deft hand with his use of choux in both the Litchi and Raspberry St. Honore as well as the Praline, Almond, Hazelnut Paris Brest. Dubbed by my mother as one of her happiest memories of the whole trip through Canada the St. Honore was truly a breathtaking dessert with the dough perhaps a millimeter of crunch followed by an airy interior piped with citrus and cream subsequently topped with an airy mousse of berries plus a slightly sticky glaze - "refreshing" is not generally how I'd describe a St. Honore, but it was quite appropriate here. Moving next to the Brest - one of my favorite pastries, it was certainly not 'light' or 'refreshing' but the choux again was miraculous, this time with a light sugar glaze, while the interior of the lower shell was stuffed with light almond cream and the top decorated with a swirl of more dense hazelnut mousse. All things being equal, aside from one aberration in the caramel macaron, I'd say Monsieur Potier's time in Paris was well spent and Montreal is lucky to have him.
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