Loony for Macaroons

Not too long ago, a new cafe opened near my place. Cloud Espresso Bar is an ultra modern looking spot, dressed in stark white. Despite the coolness of the decor, it's actually a nice little place to hang out and watch the people go by on Queen West. While I wasn't initially wowed by their café au lait, their baked goods, which I now know are created by Vladimir Martinez, formerly of Bonjour Brioche, have converted me.

If you visit and they have any savoury scones, I highly recommend you get one. The chive and goat cheese one I tried last weekend was, funny enough, cloud fluffy and moist and the flavour was delicious. This morning's boreka, filled with potato, mushroom, and onion was equally as good. Paired with a cup of Reunion Island coffee, it made a more than satisfying breakfast.

But I'm here to tell you about the dulce de leche macaroon. Just to be clear, since macarons are experiencing a popularity boom right now, these are the coconut cookies I'm talking about. Macaroons are one of my favourite cookies, and these ones from Cloud may have shot to the top of my list.

First of all, look how cute it is! Only a heart of stone could resist that little coconut-y morsel. It's dulce de leche, people. The texture is perfectly dense and chewy and packed with coconut flakes. But the flavour! It's this delightful balance of caramel and molasses that will satisfy any sweet tooth. Totally drool-worthy.

So far, every baked good I've had at Cloud has hit a home run. You should also try their brunch special scrambled eggs with cheese and chorizo. I could easily become a weekend regular here, and look forward to making my way through their menu.