Petit Thuet

Date Visited: Lunch on Sunday Sept 8, 2013

Company: Grabbed a quick bite for myself on the way to a TIFF volunteer shift

As I was walking along King Street after leaving Roy Thompson Hall after a TIFF volunteer session, I randomly glanced upon Petit Thuet, a small bakery very close to Will's place that I had never seen before. Thinking back, I was a bit nippy so I was probably looking around for a place to grab a small bite. I walked by and it looked a bit intimidating truthfully, so I continued walking, contemplating whether or not I should have gone in. The next morning however, I walked by again on the way to RTH for another volunteer shift and took the steps into the bakery this time. The place was very lighted from the sun outside, shining through the windows with high ceilings. There were a few people in there, sitting and having coffees. They didn't seem to have very much selection that Sunday morning with about 3 choices of sandwiches. I also noticed that they were also pretty pricey, about $8 for a small sandwich. 

I ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich off the top of my head and got it heated to go. I regretted not getting a croissant while there as I read on Foursquare right after that they were a signature item. They also had a few macaroons that also seemed popular from reviews. I had a nice conversation with the waiter about TIFF and he said that the bakery caters to celebrities and it's where they get their bread from while in Toronto. The owner's son who is also an employee gets to meet many of the celebs while delivering their food (fun fact!). The owner also has a book on display and for sale near the cash register.

Anyway, I got my sandwich and ate while walking down King St. The sandwich was nice and warm when I took it out. It's pretty standard sized but just a bit thinner than usual, so I thought that there wasn't much pulled pork between the buns. However, the it was packed a lot of flavour despite its look. The sauce was very sweet and the cheese was melted which added a nice texture. The bread was crispy fresh and the sandwich wasn't too heavy and very delectable.

Food: 3.5/5 - Excellent quality, but over priced.
Decor: 3/5 - Simple, spacious and classy.
Service: 3.5/5 - Kind of pretentious but friendly.
Willingness to come back: 1/5 - Too pricey for me, unless I wanted to try a macaroon or croissant.
Overall: 3/5
Website: http://www.petitethuet.com/

Mamie Clafoutis

Date Visited: Lunch on Saturday Aug 3, 2013
Company: Getting a quick meal for a group of 4 before Osheaga

It was our first full day of Osheaga and +Elliott wanted to take us to a nice breakfast place for brunch. We Bixied over to this restaurant on St Denis but was met with disappointment seeing the large line of people waiting outside. Instead ,we went to the Boulangerie next door to grab some French baked goods and enjoy it outside in the park nearby.

The bakery was very spacious and modern, but still had an authentic feeling to it. Upon entering, we had to grab numbers to get our orders taken. All the foods were on display for our choosing and there were tons of options to satisfy what kind of food you wanted: pastries, desserts, breads, they had it all! I decided on a Chicken Curry Sandwich for lunch and a Raisin Roll for some sweetness. The servers were very patient and didn't rush your orders, they even toast the sandwich for you to have it warm. They had an upstairs with a bathroom and I assumed a sitting area but I didn't get to see it. It looked like a large area though so it was probably a nice and comfy cafe area.

We all got our orders and walked over to St Louis Square and sat on the benches to eat our meals. One noticeable thing was that all the breads were extremely fresh. The loaf was delicious, I loved the hardness as it was still chewable but not soft and soggy. The chicken curry in the sandwich was very mild but had nice flavour. The sandwich was actually very large once you start eating it, they put a lot in there! I couldn't finish it all when I still had my Raisin Roll to go. The roll was a pastry dessert coiled up with fillings of raisins and custard between the layers. It was a delicate, but fun roll indeed! The pastry was flakey but the custard added moisture so it didn't fall apart. The taste wasn't overbearing or sweet and had an excellent balance between all elements. I was extremely happy with my lunch choices that day and that we got to go to an authentic french bakery!

Food: 5/5 - I don't know what could've been better!
Decor: 4/5 - Great lighting, space and look.
Service: 3.5/5 - Took some time but mostly from waiting for them to toast the sandwiches, good system of serving people.
Willingness to come back: 3.5/5 - I would eat the same thing again too.
Overall: 4/5
Website: http://mamieclafoutis.com