Macaron Day TO
I have evaluated macarons from the following establishments: Petit Thuet, Bobbette and Belle, Daniel et Daniel, Butter Avenue, Nadege, Moroco Chocolat, Ruelo Patisserie, and La Bamboche. Each location was graded on their atmosphere, service, selection, packaging, and of course, macarons. Please check out my profile for reviews of the other locations.
Petit Thuet
Location: 1 King St. W, Toronto. (Located at Yonge and King) A convenient downtown location at the heart of the financial district, 30s - 1 minute walk from King station.
Atmosphere: High airy ceilings, big windows for natural light, slightly "compact" space.
Service: While we were there, the girl behind the counter did not seem too enthused to serve us. There was little to no service aside from placing the macaron into the paper bag.
Selection: A very small and unattractive amount of macarons to choose from.
Packaging: It's a paper bag...
Macaron: For Macaron Day, many establishments were giving away a complimentary macaron. Petit Thuet decided to charge $2 for their feature macaron (wasabi with white chocolate) and $2.50 for everything else. The macaron itself huge, though size does not usually matter, it certainly affected the quality of the product. The macaron was dry and crumbly, though the crème was decent (albeit slightly grainy). I have had wasabi and chocolate contrasts before, but I found Petit Thuet added slightly too much wasabi flavour which threw off the ratio.
Conclusion: I have heard that Petite Thuet has great tarts and other baked goods, but suffice to say that macarons are not their strength. Had the service been better and the donation optional, I may have purchased more macarons during my visit. Unfortunately, the experience has left me underwhelmed. I would not return.
I give Petit Thuet: C+
My final thoughts: Out of all the macarons and locations I've tried (and ensuring to cleanse my palette with water after each bite), the top two contenders have to be Ruelo and Butter Avenue. Both establishments made macaroons their specialty and both execute them incredibly well. You honestly cannot go wrong with either of them. Nadege is a good alternative and if you're looking for a dine-in experience to try other nibblets. La Bamboche is nice on the go. Moroco Chocolate and Bobbette and Belle are also both worthy choices. I would avoid Daniel et Daniel or Petit Thuet though I heard good things about their other ventures and products (macarons are definitely not their forte).