Inside Hugo & Victor
By Paris Pâtisseries in Hugo & Victor, Pastry Reviews
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If the enjoyment of pastries is, in so many ways, about indulging in their beauty, refinement and luxury – as though they were edible jewels – shouldn’t the shop from which you buy them convey that same feeling? Shouldn’t you be able to visually indulge in each, one-by-one, mere inches from it – like the little work of art that it is? Cold steel troughs of sweets suffice at the other shops, but at Hugo & Victor, the celebration and capacity for the adoration of pastry is taken to its logical extreme.
Those of you who read the pastry reviews here know that I love H&V’s crèmes, fondants and gateaux. Even if the boutique were not more akin to the interior of of Dolce & Gabbana or Dior than to a regular high-end pastry shop, the quality of their work would still have me head-over-heels. But the luxurious excesses of their patisserie’s design cinch my love affair with them. Hugo & Victor is incomparable.
Remember: You can click on any photo to see it huge in the PP image vault. (hint: there are even more shots of H&V there)
The above is the first thing you see, as soon as you walk in the front door – a glistening black granite console of macarons, tartes and entremets. And, as you look to your left, you see a fantastic assortment of perfect house-made chocolates on mirrored plats…
Even looking at them now, I feel almost intimidated by it all. Hundreds of dollars in super-fine cacao never looked so opulently . . . opulent.
What really gets me though is the display cases. The below is a perfect strawberry millefeuille, individually displayed and lit for your viewing pleasure. But that’s just the one “on the floor”. When you place your order, your request is relayed to the kitchen below the shop, and a fresh piece is prepared and boxed just for you. Though totally unrealistic, isn’t that how all patisseries should function?
In the below, you can see the floor-to-ceiling columns of yum offered-up by H&V. Each consists of two pastries that are both based on a shared flavor, chocolates to match, and a bottle of wine chosen by H&V’s sommelier – one, of course, selected to perfectly complement the unifying essence of those pastries and chocolates. As I already mentioned, and as I hope you’d agree, the “logical extreme” has been hit. I’m at a loss for how you can top what’s happening here.
Even their “humble” works – like this simple strawberry tarte – look decadent. Having just posted the review of it recently, I can assure you it is magnificent. Hugo & Victor are fruit tarte deities.
Masterting texture and flavor-scapes isn’t their only strong suit. As you saw in the opening shot, the shop’s interior design is dazzling, but so is the outside . . .
There is not a single element of H&V that’s anything short of fantastic. It is a dreamworld of pastries and chocolate, and one of the most beautiful shops of any variety in Paris . . .
So, as if my reviews of the last 8 months weren’t enough, how well has this look within H&V inspired you to pay a visit? It truly is an experience not to miss. It’s also one in which I plan to repeatedly indulge, once I return to Paris in a mere 21 days. In fact, Hugo & Victor will be my first stop. What better way to kick off a 6-month-long luxe pastry binge?
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