We asked Zachary Barnes, who is helming the kitchen at the newly relaunched Le Sélect Bistro, to taste-test one of his favourite classic French dishes. Here’s his take on eight of the city’s best quiches.
WINNER: JULES PATISSERIE – Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion & Potato
“This is delicious, very sweet. The caramelized onion comes through a lot, and the crust is quite flaky. The texture and density hold it together well, but it’s also not too dense.”
julescafe.ca 617 Mt. Pleasant Rd., $24
RUNNER-UP: CHOCOLADA – Smoked Salmon & Broccoli
“I love smoked salmon, so this one is very nice; the texture is great and holds together nicely. The crust holds together a little less than the other ones, but this flavour combination is a classic with the broccoli.”
chocolada.com 180 Steeles Ave. W., $25
LA BAMBOCHE – Mushroom & Goat Cheese
“Very unique, less of a traditional crust, but I don’t mind it. Mushroom and goat cheese is a great combination and so well seasoned, but the goat cheese makes for a softer texture for the filling.”
labambochecake.com 1712 Avenue Rd., $7.75 per slice
PETIT THUET – Roasted Vegetable & Goat Cheese
“This is probably the best crust out of these. It’s heavy on the roasted vegetables, so it’s a little less quiche-like and a little more like a vegetable tart. It’s more crumbly too. But the vegetables are seasoned beautifully.”
petitethuet.com 1162 Yonge St., $27
L’AVENUE BOULANGERIE – Ham & Cheese
“I love ham, and ham and cheese is always so classic. But this is a bit more run-of-the-mill, and it doesn’t have the flakiness in the crust. It would do the trick with a big salad.”
instagram.com/lavenuebakery 1850 Avenue Rd., $8.50 per slice
NADEGE – Assorted Minis
“These are a little bit on the drier side because of the amount of crust compared to the filling. The flavours are good though! And for a cocktail party, these bite-sized ones are a great way to go.”
nadege-patisserie.com 1099 Yonge St. $40 for 16 pieces
RAHIER – Pear, Walnut & Roquefort
“More of a unique flavour combination with the pear and walnut. It’s delicious. The crust is a bit more dense and less flaky, but I really like this flavour combination.”
rahierpatisserie.com 1586 Bayview Ave., $23.75
PATISSERIE LA CIGNONE – Ham, Tomato, Basil & Goat Cheese
“This is slightly less baked, so the quiche is on the wetter side. The flavour is nice, super well seasoned. And ham in a quiche is so classic.”
patisserielacigogne.com 1626 Bayview Ave., $37
