The comparative series are a set of reviews I'll be publishing from time to time. I'll be ordering the same item from three to five different places for a constructive comparison... Let's enjoy breakfast and eat some muffins!
This morning, I got myself a few muffins from some renowned bakeries/coffee shops, to check if they really know what a muffin should be... Let's just say that I am still looking for the best muffin in town.
Pain D'Or:
Unattractive. The muffin was presented in an old-fashioned paper case. Small, and extremely dry - it was tough to tear apart with my hands. It was very dry from the inside out - I couldn't bear to eat it. Unacceptably bad! Pain D'Or is the cheapest in price at LBP3,000 for two.
P.s. Since Pain D'Or supplies muffins to one of the other sellers on the list, how come their own are so bad?!
Dunkin' Donuts:
Good sized muffins, moist and soft, fluffy yet with density like an English cake. They're not great but they are good enough. They are sold without a paper cup because they are cooked in a metallic tray. I would recommend you ask a member of staff to heat yours in store to ensure you get the best experience.
Costa:
Just looking at them spoiled my appetite. Each is wrapped in plastic film with expiry date stickers stuck on. They were sticky, bready and chewy. What added some taste to them were their fillings. Hazelnut chocolate spread for the chocolate one and jam for the white one. The muffins were way too expensive for what you get. LBP 10,000 for the two.
Starbucks:
Although better packaged than the others, it was not enough. In nice paper cups, their tiny muffins come in paper bags. You feel that things are handled with care here, but again it's not enough. The blueberry muffin was good. With moist blueberries inside, this muffin was better than all the others but I wasn’t impressed. Smallest and most expensive of all, I paid LBP10,000 for the muffin and a dry chocolate chip cookie.
P.s. I've tasted the muffins directly from their supplier and I remember enjoying the best muffins in Lebanon. Is it storage and handling issues at Starbucks that affect the taste?
I was not impressed with the selection…
To create the best muffin, I would recommend the following: bake them in Starbucks paper cups for a better look; fill them with something sweet like the ones at Costa; make them a more satisfying size like those from Dunkin' Donuts and avoid Pain D'Or's old school paper cases.
Verdict: I still haven’t found a good muffin! If I had to choose one, it would be Starbucks.
