With all the malls bringing in the Instagrammable from downtown Toronto last year, it seems that Nugateau started its pop up in Square One just above the food court. I was talking to them how it was only supposed to a month pop up but they've extended their spot for who knows how long! That news seem great as this is an indulgence I can easily grab in Mississauga without making the 40 minute drive to Queen St W.
Similar to it's home spot on Queen St. W, the little pop up shop looks more similar to a high end accessory store with it's eclairs look like jewels on display in the case. It is a pop up so I'll look past the white curtain drapes to make the room smaller (I think it's the former Michael Kors space) with it's boxes and treats being the vivid green, pinks, and gem colours.
Service here is warm and thoughtful and if you're lucky, you're able to snag a generous sample of their current eclairs. On display, they had at least 7 available here. I know their Queen St W site has a lot more but this is still a good selection. Price wise, this might give most people pause... they start at $6 each and some are sitting at $7 here. They do have seasonal good ones but I didnt see any at this spot. I decided to go with the traditional flavour of caramel and see how it went. I really like how they boxed these up... a sturdy vibrant box with a inner plastic sleeve that protects the eclair for being mushed and moving about.
Caramel Beurre Salé - True to its name, the salted buttery caramel flavour did shine strongly in this. I love the shiny glaze that made for a nice gooey texture compared to the creamy caramel ganache. I would say I did taste a bit of salt but nothing overbearing that made you think this wasn't a dessert. With my experience, I find most eclairs on the soft side with their pastry as it takes in the moisture over time since baking. Usually it should have that crispier exterior to contrast the soft filling. From a taste perspective... delicious. From an execution point of view, I would say that it probably has been some time since it baked up and that's why it's softer. 4/5
I like the fact that Square One are showcasing a lot of these downtown Toronto spots and making it easier for us to enjoy them without driving 40 minutes on way and find parking! read more