Monika Dechene

I had wandered into Two Tarts Bakery during my search for my default macaron bakery.  While Two Tarts Bakery does offer macarons, they provide so many different types of yummy sweet treats that it’s hard to walk out of that place without a beautiful childish grin on your face.  Their little morsels of yumminess are perfect bitesize treats, giving your taste buds just the perfect amount of satisfaction.  I’ve fallen deep in love with their Brownies (not too heavy in texture), their Hazelnut Baci (light, fluffy, nutty perfection), and their Fleur-de-Sel Chocolate Chip (rich bitterness that turns into sweet and accentuated by a hint of saltiness).  Their selections vary daily, so there’s always a sweet surprise for you when you walk into their darling bakery.  If you’re in the Alphabet District and you find yourself craving for a little something perfect, a little detour off 23rd Avenue onto Kearney Street will lead you to Two Tarts Bakery.  Your taste buds will thank you.

I have a weakness for two types of desserts: well made artisan dark chocolate truffles and Parisian macarons.  I had a difficult time finding Parisian macarons in North Carolina, so my San Franciscan friends would visit me with a gorgeous box of these perfect little sweet concoctions from Miette‘s as a gift.  You see, I’m actually quite picky when it comes my macarons.  They need to be bitesize, with a light crunch through the cookie portion and a not-overly-sweet-almost-savory cream in the center.  I’ve actually just started my search for my default macaron bakery here in Portland, so here was my first find…

Nuvrei Pastries is located on the lower floor of a rather unassuming building, so be sure to go down the stairs to find it.  I wandered into Nuvrei because their little sign outside promised rose (one of my personal faves!) Parisian macarons.  As George Takei would say, “Oh my!”  I walked out with one of each of today’s flavours: pistachio, orange/tangerine (I think that’s what it was… doesn’t matter, it was tasty), rose, raspberry, chocolate, and coconut.  The vibrant colours made the photographer in me squee with glee and the taste just made my tummy smile with delight.  Oh, oh, oh!  If you’re a fan of flaky croissants, they’ve got those too!  I just about died biting into one of their croissants, which paired quite nicely with my hot cup of tea.  I would have taken a picture of their croissant, but my shutter was too slow (i.e. my tummy got to it first).

If you find yourself walking around The Pearl and in need of something tasty, stroll over to 10th Ave and make your way to Nuvrei Pastries for a wonderfully sweet pastry or savoury treat.