Opening This Sunday: Manila’s Newest Patisserie
posted by Lori in Food Purveyors
This place for sweets is primed to become Manila’s best.
Sometimes, before even taking a single bite, I just know something is going to be good.
Like these macarons that Karen Yang makes. Shatter-light shells in rainbow hues, sometimes smooth, occasionally mottled, always slightly domed, each is thinner than a whisper. Elegant confections these are, ensconcing an imagination’s worth of flavors to savor. Passion fruit, pistachio, salted caramel, milk chocolate and more, they’re all here.
When bitten into, there’s the tiniest bit of resistance, a pulse of subtle sweet, and then the gentlest tug of texture and taste, crisp-soft, balancing-enhancing.
As someone who earned her Patisserie Diploma from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and trained under Pierre Hermé, the dubbed “Picasso of Pastry” himself, it’s no surprise that Karen’s macarons are unrivaled in Manila. Try one and see if you don’t agree with me. Karen was one of the macaroniers working in Hermé’s Rue Vaugirard commissary and at his boutique on Rue Bonaparte. “I made macarons for seven hours a day,” she recalls. “My colleagues joked that my stage [pronounced stahzh] was the “macaron stage” because that was what I was stuck doing for the larger part of my internship at Pierre Hermé.” No wonder then that this pastry chef considers the macaron as her signature product and Hermé as her greatest influence. “Working in his kitchen opened my eyes and honed my palate. It was where I learned to never compromise – always start with good ingredients, follow it up with good technique, and [the result] is an exceptional product.”
Packaging as exquisite as the product it carries.
Karen’s patisserie, Chez Karine, which opens this Sunday, June 24, will be a showcase of the skills she’s learned and mastered. It’s also a homecoming of sorts for her, having come back to Manila after living in San Francisco for 14 years. The space in Serendra is envisioned to be streamlined and modern, highlighting the stars of the store, which is the pastry.
The majority of the products to be made available are decidedly French with Asian and American influences present as well. Expect the exceptional macarons of course, small cakes and tarts, panna cotta, and potato chip chocolate which are pecan shortbread cookies pocked with potato chips, doused in bittersweet chocolate, and finished with fleur de sel. Mmm.
I’m lucky to try what Karen calls Royal Pudding. A custard dessert set in fancifully-shaped bottles, its appearance fascinates as its flavors scintillate. Specks of vanilla bean speckle the smoothness of the Vanilla, its divine finish is broadcast in flavors of smoke and fruit. The Muscovado, such a dark and rough-hewn sugar, finds finesse in a liquid layer of burnt caramel. And the Chocolate, because chocolate is eternal, captures my attention and affection with its initial boldness backing up into a luscious flavor memory of a dream come true and eaten with a spoon.
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Chez Karine
Opening on June 24, 2012
1/L Serendra Piazza
11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Chez Karine website and Facebook page for more info.
I’m definitely going to try those royal puddings, like something I’ve had in other Asian countries. I even have 2 of those fanciful bottles on my desk right now, holding knick knacks.
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Lori Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 7:55 pm
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Richard Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 11:13 pm
I’ve had them in Korea and Hong Kong, will head out there soon. Thanks for the heads up.
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So very excited for this! KY is a high school classmate and is passionate of her craft, superby talented, kind and humble. I just know this will be a surefire success and will definitely enliven Manila’s pastry scene!
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Lori Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 7:56 pm
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i’ve been looking forward to this since they started construction in serendra! glad to know they’re opening this sunday!
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Lori Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 7:57 pm
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So excited for this Lori! It’s very near where my mom lives and we are always looking for places to get dessert from during our Sunday lunches
YAY!!!
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Those macarons looks like a dream.
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Lori Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 7:59 pm
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Oohhhh. Can’t wait to visit a new dessert place. Must try those macarons and puddings and more. Ty lori for the heads up!
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Lori Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 8:01 pm
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Looking forward to visiting this place next time I’m in Manila and see if these macarons do compare with Pierre Herme. Or Jean-Paul Hevin.
At least Manila has this place. LA? Nada. Nada. Nada. =(
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Lori Reply:
June 24th, 2012 at 4:21 pm
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Vince Reply:
June 27th, 2012 at 2:46 am
Unfortunately, no. Joan’s on Third is just okay. They have decent cakes but very limited. And Sprinkles is mainly cupcakes which I’m not a big fan. I just googled and there’s a couple that might be worth checking out. Too bad, Boule closed down a few years ago.
I sorely miss the variety of cakes, pastries and desserts in Manila, and reading this blog is not helping either.
But definitely will check out this place when I’m in Manila again.
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Ooh! I used to eat the Royal Pudding thingies on my travels to HK and they came in the exact same packaging! Thank God someone is making them here now. Thanks for the heads-up, Ms. Lori!
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After I read this when i woke up this morning, i rushed to chez karine right after working out! well-worth the trip! thanks for the heads up, lori!
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Lori Reply:
June 24th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
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grace Reply:
June 24th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
I thought the macarons were the best I’ve tried here in Manila
Favorites were the salted caramel, passion fruit and earl grey! I’m going back for the puddings!
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For a moment I thought you said that Karen Young had a new patisserie, and I got all excited! Not that I’m not just as excited for Chez Karine. I’m very curious about the Royal Pudding. I hope she has macaron flavors that are as unique as Pierre Herme does. And I’ve gotta say, those boxes are adorable!
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Went to Chez Karine awhile ago. Don’t want to be mean-spirited but those macarons are “makunat”. I could be just expecting too much but texture-wise and macaron “foot”-wise, they are a far cry from those of Herme’s.
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I have to plan a trip to Serenda soon! BTW, this might sound weird but are the macarons cloyingly sweet or just right? I haven’t found a macaron here that isn’t overly sweet.
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Pam Reply:
June 28th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
The macarons have the right bite and balance of chewy and crunch. Initially, the filling was shockingly sweet, but, after a night in the fridge, they turned delicious. Sweetness tempered, chewy and crunch still intact. The Lemon and The Dark Chocolate are good.
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Hi Lori. The buzz about Chez Karine got me so excited that I couldn’t wait for a dinner scheduled with friends when we’d also decided we’d go to Chez Karine for dessert. Thursday night, I just had to buy a box of 7 macarons, one of each flavor and the 3 pack with the royal vanilla pudding, the muscovado and the strawberry pannacotta. I have to admit being disappointed. I’m not overly fond of macarons but really appreciated them once I tried Laduree. The ones at Chez Karine I guess just don’t compare for me. The texture, chewiness, bite were inconsistent (maybe they really are meant to be this way, I don’t know). I also felt some lacked flavor like the salted caramel. I guess I wanted to have more of the salted caramel taste, was a bit faint for me. I’d go back for the muscovado pudding though. That was the one I enjoyed most. But the packaging is exquisite! Love the little bottles. Sooo pretty. They didn’t have the short bread cookies and chocolate covered potato chips available so must go back to try that …
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Hmm… Macarons are very temperamental. Maybe our weather is not conducive to making these delicious babies?
I’ve heard raves from friends. I’ll be checking this place out soon and will give my verdict.
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Lori Reply:
July 3rd, 2012 at 7:26 pm
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aji Reply:
July 6th, 2012 at 8:27 am
Hi Lori!
I finally was able to try the macarons and the royal pudding at Chez Karine.
The Muscovado Royal Pudding is the shiznitz! The taste of that syrup just brings me back to my childhood when I would impatiently wait for our regular taho vendor every Saturday just so I can lick the arnibal off my spoon after goobling up the whole thing. If I can only fit my tongue inside that tiny jar.
Speaking of the tiny jar, that’s my only disappointment with the pudding. Huhuhu. It’s serving size not substantial enough for me.
For the macarons, I have to say that I can see glimpses of her training from Pierre Herme.
Visually, the macarons are what they are supposed to be, flat and silky smooth. It was not overly chewy because I didn’t eat it right away. I think if the macaron is eaten while still a bit cold, it tends to be too chewy.
The Lemon Macaron was sublime. It doesn’t taste like air freshener unlike some lemon macarons I tried. Lol.
The Salted Caramel was good. She really makes great caramel.
I’m a Dark Chocolate kind of girl so I find the Macaron to be too mild for my taste despite it being bittersweet. I guess she uses about 50% dark chocolate for this. I prefer a more chocolate-y punch. But, the market might prefer it this way. I actually can snack on 95% dark chocolate if it’s available.
I do hope she comes out with other flavors soon. I would love to see her take on a Rose macaron or a Yuzu macaron.
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Lori Reply:
July 6th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
i cant wait to try the macarons. i tried the one in pierre herme last May in Paris i loved it . hehhe
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