Oh, hi! I'm back and this is (literally) my first real full day off in forever.
I've been on a little bakery bender lately - not intentionally, I've just been finding myself in and around bakeries all over the city these days (This is me living life on the wild side.)
Last weekend, I spent my Saturday with my 9-year old cousin. He's an awesome kid who happens to think I'm super cool, which makes me like him a whole lot more. We got to the metro where I discovered that my cousin had never ridden the metro before and was pretty concerned about the speeds at which we would be travelling. BF and I put all those fears to rest by ridiculing the situation with exaggerated scenarios of how our "trip" could go horribly wrong. The kid may or may not have found it funny.
We then went to S.O.S. Labyrinthe, a warehouse that houses a giant (kinda spooky) maze where you have to find 4 hidden spots, and collect stamps from each. It's a great way to keep a kid amused and burn an hour or so. And to be honest, I was dying to go. Once we were done there, naturally the little guy was hungry so we hit up a food truck for a big ol' poutine. He inhaled it and was ready for dessert. It was a warm day so we COULD HAVE had ice cream, but I knew a place that had something a little different that would impress my little companion: Bar à Beurre.
Now we went a lil' overboard on the treats but when you're with a kid, discretion on the matter goes out the window. I apologize in advance - I only have pics of one dessert, but let that be a testimony to how quickly we ate up everything else. You can follow their Instagram for some drool-worthy pics. We ordered a few giant chocolate cookie sandwiches that had a fluffy marshmallow-y interiour. Nothing in that last sentence would normally appeal to me, but this cookie sandwich is honestly phenomenal. The cookie part has a good cocoa flavour - not too sweet and a hint of salt - balancing the sweetness of the center, which has an awesome consistency. They're pretty large, so I recommend sharing with someone.
BF ordered a berry smoothie (which was super uncharacteristic of him BTW) and loved it. I had a sip and it definitely beats a pile of ice cream on a hot day, as far as refreshing treats go.
The pièce de résistance - in my opinion - and what keeps me coming back to Bar à Beurre - is without a doubt their "boules de beurre." They're a fun spin on the traditional Italian pastry "Pesche dolci" (Italian for sweet peaches) which are traditionally 2 boozy cookies covered in sugar with a cream interiour. I've never been a fan because I'm not into boozy baked goods or sweets, however Bar à Beurre has created several fresh new flavours that have me completely obsessed.
I left the place with a box of six of these bad boys (I swear, I shared them with the BF... a little) My favourite flavour is hands down the Nutella & Cafe, with the Lemon flavour being a close second. BF loved the Red Velvet flavour, being a big red velvet fan. If you're looking for the original recipe, order the Nonna Maria flavour: you'll quickly see why Italians call these things Pesche dolci (they look like peaches, duh!) They have an awesome texture: soft cookies with a thin crunchy shell of sugar and a fluffy, creamy interiour.
Next time you're hosting a party or are invited to someone's house, be sure to pick up a box of these babies as well as a few of those cookie sandwiches. They're very different from your usual Italian bakery desserts and they're so incredibly delicious, you'll definitely make an impression.
Visit this place next time you're in or near Old Montreal: it's charming, dreamy, and the menu is packed with yummy stuff - good luck making up your mind. You can even make a reservation for high tea on Sundays which includes tea and a wide selection of their desserts (totally beats the "hoity-toity vibe" than that at the Ritz's.)
Parking in the area is so-so (being in Old Montreal and all...) so your best bet is to use the bus & metro: it's within walking distance of Champ-de-Mars metro station or if you're looking to burn some calories before/after stuffing your face, get out at Berri metro. It's near the corner of Notre-Dame east and Bonsecours.
Bar à Beurre
350 Notre-Dame Est
Montreal, QC. H2Y 1B7