So, the Choux a la Creme hunt continues and after posting about Popelini on Instagram, many recommended I try Odette. It was already on the list, but I had planned to go only after visiting la Maison du Chou. Anyway, here we were at Odette, led to it by pure fate. We parked the car at Notre Dame de Paris and walked... Odette popped up to our right on the road leading to St. Germain.
The experience at Popelini was so good and so refined, to the extent that I was still feeling their flavors under my teeth. Finding something better was not the easiest of tasks... Choux D'Enfer was disappointing to say the least, as for Odette, the Choux are good, but not exceptional.
Reach a black shop, small and cozy where a fridge displays a selection of choux. The first impression is superb, the place and the pastries are so nice to look at. Colorful and small in size, decorated with a circle of sugar, they shout for you to devour them.
We were handed a box of six that include a paper displaying each choux and its flavor. €9 for a box of 6.
The different flavors:
- Coffee
- Chocolat
- Praline
- Lemon
- Orange
- Fruits des Bois
- Pistachio
- Vanilla
- Green Tea
- Caramel
An adequate size, smaller than that at Popelini, and better looking, but I can't say the same for the taste. It starts with the sugar circle topping all the pieces, a thick piece of sugar that adds an unpleasant sweetness to all bites. The craquelin (the sugar layer on top of the dough) is better than Popelini, crunchier and sweeter. Loved it! As for the filling, too watery and lacking body and consistency. The chocolate is too intense, the coffee is not strong enough and all the other flavors are too sweet to enjoy their real flavors.
Today's tasting:
- Fruits des Bois: Too sweet
- Green tea: Crunchy craquelin, watery filling, tea sensation but again too sweet
- Praline: Full of taste, soft envelop and too sweet
- Caramel: Nothing to write home about
- Chocolate: The topping is too prominent, the filling should be thicker and more intense. Unpleasant sugar aftertaste
- Coffee: Lacks intensity
Now for the verdict: Odette is good, the ingredients are premium, the mix is well balanced and the textures enjoyable, but not for the overall taste. Something is missing and surely a lot of sugar has to be removed. Craquelin + Sugar frosting is an overdose of sweetness. If I had to choose, Popelini is my favorite to date.
- 77 Rue Galande, 75005 Paris, France
- +33 1 43 26 13 06
