Look, chef fangirling is not really my jam… but is Bertrand Grébaut actually capable of doing any wrong?
I first discovered this chef, not via his food, per se, but as an interlocutor for an article I was writing about, of all things, horse meat. He was interesting and took the time away from his already busy schedule to talk with me, and that, in and of itself, was a lovely thing.
But then I had the chance to eat at his Michelin-starred Septime with my good friend Annie, and I was smitten. I’ve since sipped natural wine at the Cave, enjoyed fish and chips to go at the semi-deconfined Clamato, and have even spent weekends at their country inn, D’Une Ile. So it was high time I made it to Tâpisserie, the pastry shop run by the same team in the 11th.
There’s an innate homeyness at this shop – an attention to detail that’s unsurprising, given Grébaut’s other addresses. Touches like hand-written price tags and dried flowers make it stand out without affording too many chichis or overwrought fussy details.
The selection is small, with just five or six cakes on offer on any given day – perfect for the indecisive among us (*coughmecough*) but also a clue that everything is made fresh each day by a small and dedicated team.
On a recent, late fall visit, a chou à la crème or cream puff was filled with a combination of vanilla and raspberry.
It was rich and just sweet enough, with a luscious pastry cream speckled with vanilla bean seeds and a compote that tasted fresh and fruity, with almost no added sugar.
Of course, my first visit wouldn’t have been complete without the stalwart of the pastry shop: the maple syrup tart that has long been a staple of the menu at Clamato whose popularity is possibly what spurred the new address.
Filled with a thin layer of sweet, rich, oozy maple syrup, this buttery pastry shell is just barely sweetened. The generous dollop of whipped cream on top tasted almost devoid of sugar, affording the perfect balance when paired with the maple. It was like fall in a tart shell, and I was not disappointed.
In short, Tâpisserie is detail-oriented with a technicity I never doubted. Frankly, I expected nothing less – and I’m looking forward to my next visit.
Tâpisserie – 65 Rue de Charonne, 75011