Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Bernachon

Bernachon is one of the most famous chocolate-makers, with only one store worldwide, in Lyon. There is the pastry shop, and next door the Bernachon's cafe. It has been many years that I was looking forward to try their chocolate due to their fame and the fact that they are making it from scratch on their own. They don't just take the cocoa beans, melt them down and produce the chocolate, but they even roast them to their taste. 



You can find chocolate bars, assortments, bonbons, pastries, viennoiseries in a great selection. The most famous are the palets d'or (with real gold leafs) and the Gateau President Maurice Bernachon (Bocuse serves it as a dessert in his restaurant).

We went to the cafe for some hot chocolate and breakfast. I have to say it is expensive. At 7 euros for a hot chocolate I expected it to be thick like a melted bar of chocolate (Angelina's chocolat a l' ancienne has set the bar high), but it was moderate and made by cocoa powder. The portion was good for 2 persons thought. A quiche was very good as also a butter croissant. 



One of my favorite pastries is eclair, so I decided to give it a try and see Bernachon's version. It was really fresh but blunt, I couldn't help but remember the excellent one from La Maison du chocolat. A tarte au citron and a chocolate tarte with jam inside were very good. No doubt the best pastry you can find in Bernachon is their famous Gateau President Maurice Bernachon. 




The palets d'or were very good with intense chocolate flavor, but a chocolate bar was lacking in taste and texture (maybe it was my fault, choosing a milk chocolate).   

The only place outside of Lyon that you can find their chocolate bars is A l'etoile d'or in Paris. 

New online boutique Bernachon la boutique


The best pastry I had in Lyon was from Sebastien Bouillet. There is a small store near place Bellecour selling chocolates and pastries, and a larger one in La Croix Rousse.

It was a Saint-honore, different from the classic one,  with a tart base instead of the puff pastry. The tart was very crisp, the salted butter cream was excellent, the whipped cream and the choux too, so freshly made with crunchy caramel top. It was really a masterpiece. 



Related posts:

No comments:

Post a Comment