It's not often we write bad reviews on Domestic Sluttery. After all, how bad can cakes be? But after trying Belle Epoque in Selfridges more than once, I'm just not that impressed.How unimpressed? Well have you ever bought macaroons and seen them last longer than ten minutes? Nope, me neither. But on New Years Eve, I popped in, bought all of their orange blossom macaroons and skipped off to a party. At the end of the very messy party, despite us polishing everything else, there was still macaroons left. More than one. And when you're paying 55p per tiny treat, you want them to all be gone, don't you? Sure, they're not the most expensive you could buy, but you want them to be enjoyable. These weren't. I think some of my friends carried on eating out of politeness.
They were too chewy. They didn't have enough flavour. And they just weren't that great. Of course they looked pretty, but if a bunch of people with rather a sweet tooth don't want to eat them, who will?
There's a branch in North London that I need to go to before I can make up my mind completely. I won't judge a bakery on just one item (unless it truly is awful) but so far, Belle Epoque haven't won me over and I'll be buying my macaroons elsewhere. Or, baking them. Now where should the Domestic Sluts go next?
I'm making the trek down to london in February and want to pick up some Macaroons near Kings Cross/St Pancras - can anyone recommend a good place.
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I don't know of any in Kings Cross, but if you're willing to go slightly further afield to Soho (about 15 mins tube journey from Kings Cross) then pop into Yauatcha (http://www.yauatcha.com/). It's a Chinese restaurant but they do *amazing* macaroons.
ReplyDeleteObviously only judging from the pic, but they don't look particularly appetising. They look a lot like burgers that have gone horribly wrong.
ReplyDeleteI like Raymond Blanc's 'Maison Blanc Patisserie' macaroons from Waitrose - they look a lot nicer than the pic here!
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing worse than bad cakes/treats but I have heard a few bakers who supply to Selfridges and there stuff is sometimes left out too long or not cared for to keep it fresh so it'll be interesting to see if you have a better experience at their shop!
ReplyDeleteOoh I haven't tried the Waitrose ones! In fact, I've never seen a Waitrose that has them. Off I go in search of macaroons!
ReplyDeleteThe branch in north London, just round the corner from where i used to live in Newington Green, is fine; we used their cakes regularly for birthdays and dinner parties. I have to say the coloured macaroons look to me like a conceit, not a food ...
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