Opinion: YYC is in search of the best croissant

Croissants have been around since the 13th century in Austria as a slightly denser bread – Kipferl. But it was here in Paris that they evolved into the wonderfully delicately layered pastries we enjoy today.

They are now sold in bulk and for takeout at Tim Hortons.

My first croissant was from a small bakery by the sea in France—in seventh grade with the French club. When the crunch of the crust meets the light, doughy interior, I'm hooked. To say that croissants are my favorite pastry is an understatement.

With many options, including traditional French pastries and Superstore's frozen aisle, everyone can find a croissant.

But I often wonder, which one is better? Where can Calgarians turn? When they need a delicious treat with a special layer to get them through the day, which bakery can they trust?

I had a question on my mind: Where is the best croissant in Calgary?

I went to the city center. Then after browsing blogs and referencing Yelp reviews, I narrowed down my bakery choices.

To judge each bakery fairly, I created criteria based on five aspects of the bakery and of course the pastries themselves, which are: 1. atmosphere, 2. price, 3. flaky, 4. butter, and 5. overall taste/presentation.

Enlisting the expert help of our friends, we headed to the East Village for a Sunday morning croissant, the first of many.

Sidewalk Citizen Bakery, East Village – Sourdough Croissant $4

The brick and mortar store along the bow is simple. Upon entering, I'm greeted by the hustle and bustle of a coffee shop, the Citizen's Bakery on the sidewalk.

Needless to say, the deli-style restaurant makes a great place to bring a large group. With plenty of seating on two levels, views of the Bow River and lots of people-watching, the coffee and croissants are well worth the price of admission. Although it was a little late in the morning, there was less choice of croissants.

Sidewalk Citizen offers one of the most interesting choices with their fresh yeast croissant. This was my first yeast croissant. Not being a traditional Parisian croissant, I was a bit hesitant to try. However, my group and I were pleasantly surprised.

The natural firmness of the sourdough allowed for a slightly tighter roll than a traditional croissant. But the pastry was still lightly buttery and flaky – wonderfully flaky.

In addition to crust and yeast, sidewalk bakers have taken the initiative to create some sort of egg wash to cover the top of a croissant. The egg wash is another unconventional aspect of their daring, dare I say, villainous croissant.

The tough layers from the sourdough and egg wash resulted in the most disastrous flaky dough I've ever encountered. My napkin, pants, and table are full of crumbs. Perhaps this challenge to test the timeless ingredients of croissants reminds us why sometimes there should be no room to deviate from the norm of such a classic and beloved pastry.

Overall, the location of Sidewalk Citizen was the most attractive feature for me and my group. Croissant prices were about the same as other bakeries in town, but nothing beats Costco's bulk containers. Ultimately, I would not discourage anyone from visiting Sidewalk Citizen, the customer service was impeccable and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. But if you're going for a yeast croissant, invest in a handheld vacuum cleaner.

Mari Bakeshop, Bridgeland – Weekly Special Sweet Almond Croissant – $5

Dusted off, we strolled across the Bow River and into Bridgeland for our next croissant of the day.

Mari Bakeshop is bright and aesthetic with trendy wallpaper and an A-line marble counter that displays all their pastries. Their dessert display of jelly cakes and chocolates of all colors and flavors distracted me from my mission.

The most expensive croissant, the weekly special croissant-danish hybrid, left a lot to be desired. The almond sugar topping was nice, but not too sweet and not sweet enough.

How does a cookie crumble or a croissant flaky?

The dough itself was more Danish than a croissant. It had almost no layers, no flakes, and it wasn't even in the canonical croissant shape.

The bakers there were very welcoming and the service was quick. However, there weren't many seating options. I prefer to walk off the street and into a public park to eat. And the price of pastries was not worth it.

I would go back to Marie's to try the chocolate, but given how they make one of the most common and simple French staples, my expectations are not high.

Les Moulins Lafayette, Calgary Core – Plain Croissant $3.50

The third stop of the day was the biggest fail of the entire tour. Les Moulins is a classic French bakery in the heart of the city. It's often walk-through, with limited seating and a glass wall that overlooks the mall, giving it the vibe of a zoo.

Even though we arrived an hour after opening, the croissants were a great fall. Even before eating, it was clear that the butter did not stay cool enough, resulting in crumbly and deflated pastry layers. If you're looking for delicious bread like Subway's Italian bread, look no further. But for a bakery with a reputation for classically crafted French bakers, you'd better be prepared to back it up.

This croissant didn't resemble a traditional crescent-shaped pastry and didn't fill your mouth with a distinctly flaky buttery flavor. I wouldn't recommend this cafe to anyone looking for a quick croissant break. Instead, I'd recommend Cafe Triste on the third floor, which has fewer croissants, but the Italian shop does it ten times better than Les Moulins.

Black Sheep Patisserie, 17th Ave SW – Plain Croissant $4.70

Tucked away on the sunny patio of 17th Avenue, you'll find this traditional French bakery. How French? When I entered, the cashier was talking. Ordering a croissant with the largest selection of flavors from mouth-watering Saskatoon berry to funky pineapple pear, I decided against jumping the gun and buying day-old pastries.

The cafe is narrow, with few seating options and a small park across the street. You almost feel like you've been transported to a small bakery in Paris as the counters toss the French back and forth.

All other bakeries visited claimed to bake using classic French techniques. But something about Black Sheep Patisserie puts the rest to shame. The croissants are great. Their layers are prominent, swollen and distinct. There is a certain amount of flake on the outer layer, but this indicates that the layers are thin and light, and not strictly for the outer egg wash. The middle of the croissant continued with the consistency and had perfect spiral layers with a melt-in-your-mouth buttery taste.

It was the last croissant of the day and it was the best. Although it's a little more expensive, you're really paying for an unparalleled French croissant with classic quality.

It depends

Report an error or bug