I made a spontaneous decision today to visit the all-hyped up store in town – the Ladurée boutique that just opened shop at Takashimaya in Singapore. These macarons are probably the most expensive I’ve ever tasted in my life, and they are justifiably expensive for several reasons: (1) They are imported from Europe to Singapore rather than produced here in Singapore; (2) The reputation and fame of the Ladurée store is supposed to be unbeatable, what with the Ladurée story starting back in the 1860s. That was when the Ladurée family began selling food items like pastry, chocolates and tea to the Parisian high society; (3) Given the fact that the Ladurée store is located in Champs-Elysées (among other places) in Paris, one should therefore expect the macarons sold here to be competitively priced as well.
From left to right: Gold-speckled chocolate macaron (2 pieces), Caramel with salted butter, Chocolate Yuzu, Vanilla, Coffee, Marie-Antoinette & Pistachio
Verdict:
The macaron shells are extremely soft and warrant a ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ sensation. A bite is all it takes to get the cream oozing out from between the shells. I personally like the vanilla-flavoured macaron, especially because it exudes a light vanilla fragrance and is not as sweet as some of the other flavours. A delightful treat for anyone who feels like pampering themselves with a light, non-savory pastry.
Tips:
Visit the store on a weekday afternoon to avoid the crowd and queue. It is located at #02-09 Takashimaya, Ngee Ann City, Orchard Road.
Visit the Ladurée homepage to view the available range of macarons and decide what you want first before making your way down to the store.
Prices:
$7.60 per piece for the gold-speckled chocolate macaron; $3.80 for the other flavours
