Laduree vs Pierre Herme
First stop: Laduree @ the Champs Elysees
Next stop, Pierre Herme @ Galleries Layfayette
Analysis: Laduree gets extra points for presentation and decor. I love the extravagant decorations, signs and pastel colors. It makes you feel like you are transported to the times of Marie Antoinette. It makes you feel like these macarons are worth every expensive Euro it costs. It makes you feel like it was worth waiting on line for. (Luckily, the line wasn’t too long when we went.) For taste, I’m definitely no macarons expert, but honestly I couldn’t tell the difference. I’ve had macarons from Bouchon bakery and a few other places in NYC that were pretty good. I would say that they definitely did taste good, but I’m not sure if they were so much better than other places. Maybe I need to try the other places again to compare? I enjoyed the raspberry and pistachio ones. I do need to try some of their other flavors as well.
Pierre Herme was inside a huge department store (Galleries Lafayette). There were actually two of them inside that store! I was really impressed by these macarons, more for the uniqueness is flavors. We tried infiniment rose (pink), creme brulee (cream), huile d’olive a la mandarine (green & orange) and infinement menthe fraiche (green). I really liked all of them. They all had unique tastes. The combination of the olive a la mandarine one was especially delicious! The mint green one was a bit more unique flavor. Overall, I was really satisfied. I will definitely be going back and trying the other flavors.
Final result: Go to Pierre Herme if you are looking for best taste. Go to Laduree if you want the complete, I was in Paris, macarons experience.
I have had to back track through your posts to be updated on your parisienne experience. I always thought a macaron was a macaron – continue to enjoy tasting your way around Paris.
Okay, now I am starting a must do list the next time I get to Paris. What fun to have a taste test! Yum!
They look so pretty which makes me hungry!
I’ll take either…or both! You look like you are having great fun, as well you should!
I equate macaroons with Passover. Perhaps I need to try ones that look like the ones in your photo.
I’ve never been a fan of macaroons … but I’ve never seen ones as pretty as the ones you show here. Clearly it’s time for me to get back to Paris and do a little taste-testing of my own!