Macarons at The French Baker
The French Baker
The French Baker
Macarons at The French Baker
Croissants at The French Baker
Foods from The French Baker
Comments

2013 Jul 28
I went here last weekend while waiting for another shop on Bank St. to open, and had a croissant, a chocolatine and a latte. The coffee was quite good, but the pastries tasted like they were leftover from the day before. I can't imagine that's true, so it must have been something else. They were tough and just didn't taste fresh like some I'd had from other shops.

Also, there was one girl working behind the counter and in the time it took her to make my latte, a considerable line of grumbling patrons had grown. Lucky me, I guess, that I got there first.

2013 Jun 16
I've been to both locations. I thought the Bank Street one was exceptionally snooty. I decided to forgo the other treats that I wanted to look at/try. The girl seemed annoyed at my presence despite that I was the only person in the facility. I stuck to the baguette, there were 3 there. One was burnt. I asked for the other loaf. She sighed, rolled her eyes and reluctantly gave it to me. I paid and left.

The Byward Market location was a much more pleasant experience. The workers are friendly even though it took a few tries before they had some baguettes when I was able to go. I also tried a croissant but I did nto enjoy it. If I want fluffy I'll opt for the Costco kind. I prefer mine more crunchy than soft on the exterior and buttery.

I want to try the Macaron...however I have yet to spot them at this location and refuse to go back to the other. Perhaps when I go back on a different day/time

2013 Apr 17
I went there for the first time today to get coffee and a pain au chocolat. I was a little underwhelmed by the pastry however their selection of delicious looking items looked good enough that I would definitely return and try other items. Also the Illy coffee was fantastic.

Update - Visited it again today and tried yet another pastry only this time I went for the almond croissant. The coffee was still solidly good but the croissant was possibly the best pastry I've ever had in my life.

2012 Oct 5
I addition to the chocolate mousse cake, I make another purchase of 4 pastries/snacks (croissant, pain au chocolate and pain au raisin, chocolate macaroon) for about $11.

Had the chocolate macaroon myself since it is hard to split :D tasty enough but not as good as some I have had.

Split them with my parents over coffee and we tried a little bit of each.

The pain au chocolate was decent but not as good as those I have had in Paris or even Montreal. I prefer a lighter and flakier pastry. The pain au raisin is also doughier than my taste but have loads of raisins. the croissant is also denser then I liked.

Opinion, okay to grab if I in in the neighbourhood and wanted a snack but I would not go out of my way to get these pastry. I would go out of my way for some of their freshly baked cakes like the chocolate mousse cake.


2012 Oct 5
was downtown for some errands in advance of my trip. Went to the French Bakery to talk to the patisserie chef since I am looking for another source for sugar free or low sugar cake for my dad for special occassions now that I want to stop using the Cake Shop due to their frozen sugar free chocolate mousse cake and more.

Had a quick word with the pastry chef. They do not bake sugar free since those cakes are suppose to be rich and a tad sinful. But they do have a proper chocolate mousse cake made with real chocolate mousse from ganache and fresh whipped cream which is supposed to be 72% chocolate. The dark chocolate they use do have sugar but they do not add any regular sugar in the recipe.

Bought a little personal chocolate mousse cake for a bit of change over $5 to try them out.

The chocolate mousse cake was fantastic and as good as any I have had in Paris. Light but rich chocolate mousse where you can really taste the dark chocolate and the cocoa from those sprinkle on top. Definitely rich and sinful but did not seem that high in sugar.

Would definitely consider buying it for my parents for special occassion. If he is careful of his sugar and carb that day, it would even out with the sugar of this special treat. It is one of those desserts that would be worth the sugar/carb spent.


2011 Jun 27
Cinnamon Roll & Pain aux Raisins.
Un délice! I had never had such a light cinnamon roll. And the pain aux raisin was one of the best I have ever had -- and I've had quite a few. Well baked,right amount of cream and fruits.

2011 Mar 1
The French Baker makes these gorgeous Chocolate and Sea Salt Cookies - they are basically a chocolate chocolate chip cookie with a sprinkling of salt crystals across the top, and they are awesome. Really high quality, nice fine crumb, and the salt brings out the sweet so nicely. No longer must I decide between sweet and salty!! Glorious. Try me.

2010 Apr 15
I've had the macarons here. They are good. Nothing compared to those made in Europe which are heavenly but there aren't many places in Ottawa that make and sell them. They don't last very long and bruise so easily.

2010 Apr 15
Went there today for croissants and macarons and I am very, very happy.

As the people here have said, the croissants are light, fluffy, flaky, and not the least bit greasy. Divine.

And the macarons! I don't even need all the information I've found reading up on them to know they're miles better than the ones at the place on Preston. Soft middles, crisp exterior, divine filling...and they actually taste like what they say they taste like (raspberry, hazelnut, chocolate), instead of having a fairly-uniform "sweet" taste! I have a new source for this tasty cookies.

2009 Aug 6
Really like their florentines... Just the right balance of well-caramelized sugar and good dark chocolate. Consistently crispy.

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2010 May 17
I was in Herb and Spice on Wellington and noticed that they carried The French Baker products. Definately an easier place to access than the market location for me.

I bought croissants. They were amazing. Basically, a real French croissant, unlike any croissant-like "bun" that you buy at the supermarkets here in Ottawa. I forgot how good the french croissants were and will be spoiled by this experience from here on in.

I have no idea how much I paid for them as I bought several things at the store and did not get my receipt.

If you are going to indulge, go for the gold and don't waste your time/caloric intake on Costco/Metro etc croissants.

2010 May 1
After seeing the Buzz on Ottawa foodies about how good The French Bakers Croissants are, I went over to check them out this morning. I had recently posted about how Bread and Sons makes the best Croissants in the city and I wanted to see if the FB stood up to them. Well, no, they didn't. Don't get me wrong, they were very good, soft, and fresh. And yes, one of the better croissants in the city - but i resent people saying they are as good as Croissants found in France. This is not at all a negative judgment on this lovely little bakery. I also picked up a baguette this morning which was amazing and I had a really delicious Illy coffee. I just urge you foodies out there, to check out Bread and Sons Croissants because they are simply amazing. In terms of other bakery items tho, I would say both shops have a fair competition in terms of quality. The french baker however, comes out on top in terms of Coffee. I must mention that if you like soft croissants this is likely the place for you - and at any rate, you can't go wrong with practically anything you buy here.

That is my two cents.

2010 Feb 5
ossBASHA, what you are saying is impossible. I know several bakers that work at TFB, and you will never get a croissant that is not fresh. Like the owner says (whom I have the privilege to know), some are kept to make the almond croissant and the pain au chocolat.

Contrary to what you say, TFB is THE place to get a real croissant in the Byward Market. There are plenty of places to go if you want a mediocre one, though.

2010 Feb 4
Dear M. Mantel,
Welcome to Ottawa Foodies! I think the ossBASHA may have meant "pastries" when he said "pates", but he/she would have to clear that up.

I wouldn't be too concerned with one review. The fact that he worries about us calling him biased tells me that maybe he works for the competition! or maybe I am just making up foodie drama.

I think TFB croissants are to DIE for. Every time I have had them, they have been nothing short of perfect! Buttery, flaky deliciousness.

Keep up the great work!

2010 Feb 4
Dear ossBASHA,
I am the owner of the French baker and am a little upset by your comment.
Obviously you were not in my bakery : we don't sale any pâté!
Our croissants like all our Viennese pastries and scone are bake daily in our fournil on Murray St.
At the end of each day, we give away to some charities all our unsold products (Viennese pastries and breads). We just keep croissants and chocolatines for making almond croissants or chocolatines (the real traditional way).

2010 Jan 29
Went to try the croissants on Monday and was disappointed. It was dry and seemed like it was baked 1-2 days before. The same for the pates, although they were slightly less old. I'm not going to suggest somewhere else, so I'm not labelled as biased, however there are better places to go in the market.

2009 Jun 9
I am absolutely in love with their croissants. Better than the grocery store bought ones for sure. I love the crisp exterior and soft and buttery interior. Perfect fluffy texture that just melts in your mouth. Love it.
Next time I'll try their almond croissant and baguettes!
P.s. Their Illy coffee is also delicious!

2009 Apr 25
The chocolatines are to die for. My friend shared hers with me. I was expecting a Bridgehead chocolatine since I thought that TFB supplies Bridgehead, but somehow this chocolatine was 100% better than any I've had at Bridgehead. The outside was perfectly flaky and crisp, the inside nice and soft and buttery - and somehow the chocolate was melted inside? Maybe this only happened because it was so hot today (Mousseline?) but the chocolate inside the ones at Bridgehead is always hard. I much preferred the melted-chocolate version!

2009 Apr 15
I lived in France for several years and I can confirm that these croissants are the real thing. I searched for months here for something that approximated a true French croissant and The French Baker is it. Their almond-filled croissants are very similar to the "Alsacienne" that you find in Alsace--filled with a not-too-sweet almond paste and sprinkled with almond slices. The petits pains au chocolat (I think they call them chocolatines here)are also very good. It's all about the butter....and also about not being overly sweet.

2009 Apr 6
I loved the croissant here. It was airy, light and buttery. A perfect croissant and wasn't even greasy at all. Next time I'm in the city, I will definitely get croissants here.

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2010 May 28
I got a baguette the other day and was quite disappointed. The crust was fine, but the inside was too fluffy and soft, and reminiscent of Wonder Bread. I usually buy their larger oval loaves, which I love, as they are flavourful, but this baguette was just the opposite.

2010 May 17
I purchase a baguette at Herb and Spice today.

The baguette gets top marks from me. After living in France for almost a year, I was so disappointed with bread back in Canada(Manitoba, specifically).

Here in Ottawa, I have been testing out the baguettes at various bakeries.

This baguette had excellent texture and a nice crust which was not too thick.


2009 Jun 24
Their multigrain bread is also delicious. Light and flavourful with a fantastic crust. I bought a couple loaves after being served it in the bread basket at Benny's Bistro.



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2014 Apr 28
I treated myself to a macaroon from The French Baker a while back and I must say - I was impressed!

I'm no "macaroon connoisseur" or what have you, but I loved the crispy cookies and the creme in the middle. Definitely will be back!

2012 Dec 16
Just a suggestion to New User 5206 - If you want to complain to a business about their product or service, then you should complain to them. I can almost guarantee that they want to make you happy. You say you understand how these websites can harm a business (although I think the French Baker is safe), and yet you post a complaint on the site without giving the French Baker a chance to make it right.

2012 Dec 12
Disappointing

I would find myself to be Macaron obsessed!
I try to make it out to Paris yearly and when I get back I have major macaron cravings. Every city that I travel to I have to try one, I have been to nearly every reputable bakery in Toronto. While visiting Ottawa last week I took it upon myself to find a bakery, I came across The French Baker. The macarons them self didn't look that appealing so I only purchased 3 (raspberry), I did feel that I was ripped off $9 for 3. However I didn't become upset until I got back to the hotel to eat one, I do not lie I couldn't even bite into it! After numerous attempts to snap it I finally did and it was foul, I feel I was sold Macarons that had been sat there for over a week.

I own my own small business and know how websites like this can harm someone, so I don't mean to write this in bad taste (pardon my pun) but I think it is important for a company to take customer complaints in.

I apologize if this upsets people but I do want to issue my complaint

2011 Mar 24
I picked up a raspberry one yesterday at lunch and it was incredible: Full of delicious bright raspberry flavour and the perfect crunch. My mouth is watering just thinking about. It was pretty much the best springtime cookie I have ever had. Ever.

2010 Apr 30
I had some macarons from The French Baker today and I was incredibly impressed. They were amazing! I had pistachio, strawberry, and chocolate and I can't wait to go back and get more.

2009 Apr 25
Somehow at 2pm on a beautiful Saturday afternoon there were macarons left. Pistachio, strawberry and chocolate.

I've never had a macaron before so I have nothing to compare them to, but OMG - these were like little cookie/candy/cake (I can't decide what they are) sandwiches of heaven. I thought they were perfect and will be back for more.

I thought my favourite would be the chocolate, and it was very, very good - but actually I preferred the delicate nut flavour of the pistachio variety; and amazing strawberry-ness of the strawberry (they must use real strawberries in these).

2009 Mar 18
I recently tried a macaron from The French Baker, and sadly, I wasn't impressed. The found the outer crust not delicate enough, and the meringue on the inside not chewy enough. There wasn't a fine balance between the two, and the one I had frankly did not have a lot of taste. I also bought one for a friend who had never tried macarons before (I rave about macarons to him all the time), and actually ended up eating it myself because I didn't want his first experience to be a mediocre one.

2008 Dec 1
I went in Monday after lunch for a little pick me up alongside the baguette for dinner.
I picked up a hazelnut macrons, not entirely sure what I was getting into, also not entirely sure when "hazelnut" came out of my mouth why I hadn't said "Chocolate".

Turns out, I was in the mood for hazelnut, I just didn't know it at the time. As cinderella said, the outside is crisp, but not crunchy--more flaky, and the filling is sweet and creamy, with lots of moist, nutty flavour :) They were definitely delicious, and I will be back for more!

2008 Sep 27
i had the hazelnut; i'm sorry to say that i wasn't that impressed. too chewy, and the visual texture was rather lumpy. lots of sweet creme filling.

since this was on a thursday evening, i will go back on sunday morning for a retry. they only had four flavours when i went (lemon, orange, hazelnut, and a pink one which i don't remember); i was told the bakers are there on sunday mornings so i'll pounce them then...

2008 May 28
I went out and bought some two weeks ago after seeing this post. Wow, I'm no macaron expert, but these were exquisite! The exterior is crispy, and the filling is just sweet enough, with lots of flavor! I had one hazelnut, one lemon, one raspberry and one pistachio.

Went back this morning, and they also had chocolate and orange. Picked up one of each. They are absolutely delicious!

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2010 Mar 19
The folks at the French Baker have been making Hot Cross buns during the Easter season. They are a little different, but delicious! And mine was actually hot today... amazing! They have a (perfect) pastry cross instead of icing, and currants and candied citron inside, and the dough has some whole wheat flour. These guys know their baked goods. Why oh why must I work near the French Baker?!




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2011 Sep 4
I never realized that I eat so many different scones, but apparently they are my breakfast of choice. I stopped in to Herb and Spice to buy groceries this morning and brought home a berry scone to try. The berries weren't all the way through the scone (it looked like they were in the centre of the round of dough from which the scone was cut), but the scone was an excellent size and the flavour was incredible. I would put this up there as one of the best scones that I've ever had. Definitely worth a try the next time you're looking for breakfast.