Eat. @ La Belle Miette

30 Hardware Lane, Melbourne 3000 ph : (03) 9024 4528

Sitting amongst the many cafes that Hardware Lane is famous for, La Belle Miette is a little piece of Paris in Melbourne.  A shop that sells only macarons in different colors and flavours (well, it does have a coffee machine!) that has brought many a blogger to sample their products since its opening at the beginning of 2011, I found myself following the masses to this little shop after my pleasant brekkie at The Hardware Societe.

The macarons are stored in a glass cabinet on a slab of cool marble.  The flavours offered include the more traditional strawberry and vanilla to the more unusual cherry blossom and sake.  I brought home a box of 5 in one of their pretty little boxes.  For an extra $3 you can buy a more sturdy gift box.

That's right!  Macarons are NOT macaroons!!!!!!!!

Anyone who's had a look at my blog will know that I am fussy about macarons.  Since making my own batches I have been very reluctant to spend $2.50 on what are usually disappointing macarons.  My conclusion.... IF I HAVE TO PAY FOR MACARONS, THESE ARE THE ONES I WOULD SPLURGE ON!!!!!  The texture of these macarons were very good, not too crunchy or too soft, with a lovely bite and slight chewiness, and very very nice flavours.  The Pink Grapefruit was the first one I had and I was very excited about the lovely texture, coupled with the interesting flavour and beautiful looking shells.  The

Fleur de Sel macaron is a fine example of a salted caramel macaron.  The Blueberry and Violet had a lovely tang (it's inspired me to try blueberry as a macaron filling in the near future!) and the Raspberry was also very flavoursome.  The Cherry Blossom and Sake was novel, very subtle, and kind of Japanese-y and was probably my least favourite, but it beat a lot of other macarons I've tried elsewhere!

From left : pink grapefruit, fleur de sel salted caramel, blueberry and violet,
cherry blossom and sake, and Raspberry macarons.

Eat.Play.Shop. Recommends : coming here if you're going to spend $2.50 on a macaron.  Best I've bought so far!

Give it a miss : if you want to eat anything else.  This is a macaron specialty store!