Chocorrant Pâtisserie Cafe - Edmonton

Now, let's discuss the highlight of my visit: the croissants. They are simply exquisite! The butter almond and crème brûlée croissants were exceptional and practically melted in my mouth. We also tried their coffee. My wife ordered a cappuccino, which she really enjoyed. However, I found my latte to be a bit too milky for my taste. One of the charming aspects of this cafe is its great atmosphere. They have outdoor seating facing the street, making it the ideal spot to savor your pastries and coffee while people-watching. Overall, I had a great experience and would definitely recommend Chocorrant Pâtisserie Cafe. I’m already looking forward to my next visit!

I ordered six croissants and specifically instructed the cashier to place four in the large box and two in the small box. We had to clarify this with her three times, as she seemed quite confused. I noticed she only put three croissants in the large box and reminded her that we wanted four. She mentioned that the salted egg yolk croissant would be added later by the kitchen. However, when I opened the large box, it only contained three croissants, and the salted egg yolk one was missing. I paid for six, but only received five.

The Earl Grey opera cake was absolutely delicious, featuring multiple layers of Earl Grey, which happens to be one of my favorite flavors. The Chocorrant croissants were outstanding too. My favorite was the salted egg yolk croissant, as it has a delightful gooey center that really elevates the experience.

The bakery itself is lovely; it's bright and inviting. As soon as you walk in, you're greeted by a glass display filled with an array of tempting pastries and cakes. They even offer brunch and beverages to complement your treats. I was eager to sample everything on display, as the beautiful cakes were truly enticing. I chose the matcha croissant, hoping it would remind me of a famous one I had in Sydney. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. The croissant lacked the necessary flakiness and layers; in fact, there was a large hollow space in the center, which is quite disappointing. A well-crafted croissant should showcase hundreds of layers, with little pockets of air throughout. While the matcha flavor was pleasant and not overwhelming, it wasn't enough to redeem the overall experience. Next, I tried the lemon cheesecake. It was beautifully presented and appeared quite elegant. The caramel tuile was a delightful addition, and I could easily have eaten a whole bag of them! The cheesecake itself was light and fluffy with a subtle lemon flavor, and the lemon curd inside was not overly tart. However, I found the addition of a macaron shell inside the cake puzzling. It contributed neither texture nor flavor and instead detracted from the overall experience. The soggy macaron only added unnecessary sweetness, which I found off-putting. I suppose it added a pop of color since it was yellow compared to the otherwise pale cake. Finally, I sampled the earl grey cake, which turned out to be one of my favorites among everything I tried. The earl grey flavor was refreshing, and the cake was visually stunning. While I would recommend this one, I found the caramel layer to be overly sweet. A substitution of jam or curd, like raspberry, would improve it significantly. Overall, the bakery is decent but definitely has room for improvement. The cakes are priced at $6.25 each, with croissants ranging from $3.25 to $3.75. I still believe Duchess excels in terms of intricacy, consistency, quality, and flavor.

Last week, I returned to Chocorrant for the second time. My first visit was shortly after they opened, and I hadn't been back since. The restaurant is conveniently located on the corner of 124th Street and 103rd Avenue. Initially, they only offered pastries and coffee, but they've since expanded their menu to include lunch options as well. On this visit, I opted for coffee and pastries, but the lunch offerings looked quite appealing, so I’ll definitely have to come back to try them. Parking can be a bit challenging; there are a few metered spots out front and some free hourly parking on the nearby streets, although you might have to be lucky to find a spot.