I stopped in here recently for a quick Saturday morning breakfast on the way to an appointment hoping for a quick and tasty breakfast. The establishment relatively recently came under new management. It was previously one of West End's numerous Vietnamese bakeries, and while it remains a bakery the new owners seem to be going for more of an up-market French boulangerie vibe.
I ordered a filled baguette and a takeaway Di Bella coffee. The delivery of the baguette was instantaneous and while I waited for my coffee I didn't stand on ceremony, biting into the baguette and assessing their work. The bread itself was quite good, with a slight glaze to the crust and a pleasantly chewy inner. The toppings - chicken and avocado - fairly well-executed for a simple combination.
The coffee however took too long to arrive, causing me concern about whether I'd be late for my appointment. What should for an experienced barista take 1-2 minutes tops took more like 4-5. Even worse, when the coffee arrived, it was insipid and milky, leading me to think the maker either didn't dose enough coffee into the group-head or used an insufficient one-shot for the large cup. Either way, it was a deflating first coffee for the day.
The price also seemed a bit excessive at close to $12 for the coffee and baguette. Considering I could get a tasty roll significantly cheaper at one of the several Vietnamese bakeries in the neighbourhood, if I go back here it will probably be to buy bread for home use. read more