Petit Delights
Petit Delights is bringing Quebecois cuisine to Toronto with its selection of cakes and pastries.
Helmed by husband and wife duo Inpan Veluppillai and Thushy Thevarajah, this chic cafe is the couple's latest venture, following the success of their Montreal-based business, Desserts ETC.
The cafe is characterized by its clean lines and elegant furnishings, with a large display case against the east wall that's filled with dozens of tasty treats.
A smooth jazz soundtrack lends the space a relaxing vibe, allowing you to peruse the menu at a leisurely pace.Miniature Eiffel Towers are a recurring motif and can be seen atop the cabinets, behind the counter, and even painted on the walls.As a graduate of the pastry program at the Pearson School of Culinary Arts, Thushy has a strong background in baking and a keen eye for detail.
During my recent visit, she explained that she has always enjoyed decorating sweets — and her passion can be seen in every dish.Start off with a Red Velvet Milkshake ($8), a rich chocolate milkshake that's loaded with whipped cream and topped with fresh strawberries.
The pièce de résistance is a chunk of real red velvet cake atop the glass, which gives the drink an interesting texture (and makes for a nice snack).If you're feeling thirsty, the Passionfruit and Mango Bubble Tea ($7.50) is another good choice. This bright orange beverage expertly balances both flavours and has mango chunks and soft tapioca pearls to enhance each sip. The Ricotta Berry Croissant ($8) is an airy dessert filled with ricotta cheese and seasonal fruits. A dusting of icing sugar adds some extra sweetness to this berry-focused bite, making it perfect for an indulgent breakfast or decadent midday snack. The Berricotta Bowl ($14) has a lot in common with the croissant, but trades flaky bread for crispy granola. A dollop of cottage cheese gives the bowl a slightly salty taste, while honey keeps it from overwhelming the other ingredients.
The Custard Fruits Crepe ($12) is a sweet mess of pineapples, bananas, and berries, all wrapped in a paper-thin pancake.
Of all the treats I tried, this fruit-forward dish was the one that stood out the most. In particular, the combination of tart pineapple, mild banana, and creamy custard gave the crepe a unique character.
Eclairs ($5.50) are available in a variety of flavours, including pistachio, praline, chocolate, and tropical. Each pastry is bursting with cream filling and decorated with sprinkles and icing.
My favourite type was the tropical, which tasted a little like a sweet pina colada.In addition to their standard Cinnamon Rolls ($4), Petit Delights offers creative variations on this classic dessert. I'd recommend trying the Lotus Biscoff ($5.50), which is adorned with a layer of caramel sauce and a full-sized Lotus cookie.Macarons ($2.25) are light, crunchy, and practically melt in your mouth. The cafe stocks a whole rainbow of colours in flavours like lime, pistachio, coconut, and chocolate-raspberry.Cupcakes ($4) are delicious and moist, with flavours such as Red Velvet, Lotus Biscoff, and Matcha setting them apart from their store-bought counterparts.
But as incredible as these offerings might seem, all of them pale in comparison to the custom cakes. Thushy claims that cake orders account for more than seventy percent of the cafe's sales. The cake we received was one of the simpler designs: a small chocolate cake with vanilla icing, red embellishments, and a fondant design on top. Other, more extravagant, options are available upon request.
From casual meetups to full-blown celebrations, Petit Delights serves sweets for every occasion. Though the cafe doesn't presently offer tableside service, its dining room is still a delightful place to spend a lazy Saturday.
Petit Delights is located at Unit 1, 2130 Morningside Ave.
Fareen Karim