Tatte Bakery, Boston

Update Review, Summer 2024 Visits

Crunchy Halloumi. $14.50.

"Baby lettuces, seared halloumi cheese, roasted carrots with sesame and raisins, radish, apples, & crunchy almonds, in a tahini vinaigrette. Served with a housemade roll (140 cal). "

Ok, so a year ago I had this salad and was let down enough to say I wouldn't get it again, but then ... it was a really hot day when I was visiting Cambridge (as in, 95*!), and I was craving a salad.

I liked it again this time.  Fresh crisp greens, very flavorful lightly crunchy carrots (they are fascinating really, not raw, but not soft as you'd expect from roasted carrots), tons of texture from the sliced almonds and sesame seeds, some sweetness from the raisins, it just ate really well (although I don't really care for the thinly sliced raw apple in there).  The halloumi was hot and fresh when I picked it up, nicely seared, and didn't taste as feta-like this time.

I don't really recall much about the dressing, and forgot to take notes. I think I may have not actually used it.

So overall, I really did like it, and I'm glad I took the risk.  ***+.

The roll was slightly different than last time, and I wished it was warm, but it really was quite good, a lofty style with slight crust.  Far above average for a dinner roll.  ***+.

Sour Cherries Almond Scone. $4.

"Tender and buttery scone with sour cherries and toasted almonds. (500 cal)."

I had this once before, nearly 4 years ago, and was again drawn to the flavor, although I hadn't found it as good as I had hoped last time.  4 years later? Same review.  It is a well made (hard style) scone, with a good crumble to it.  Nice buttermilk (?) tang.  But I didn't really taste sour cherry.  The pearl sugar on top was ... extensive.  

Best served warm and turned into a shortcake biscuit with fresh berries!  *** as served, ***+ as a shortcake biscuit.

Chocolate Croissant. $5.

"Four Valrhona dark chocolate batons rolled into Tatte flaky croissant dough. (480 cal)."

Another item I've had before, and didn't love, but liked, and wanted to give another try: the chocolate croissant.  And 3 years later, I have basically the same review: you can clearly taste the high quality butter, the dark chocolate is really dark and flavorful, far better than what you normally get in a chocolate croissant.  But I wished for it to be flakier, it was a sorta chewy style.  **** chocolate, *** overall.

Strawberry & Raspberry Cheesecake Cup. $7.50.

"Creamy cheesecake made with fresh Israeli cheese and a rich buttery crumb topped with raspberries and strawberries. (350 cal)."

One of the first things I ever got from Tatte was the cheesecake cup, and I fell in love instantly.  Besides the "croissin", which they no longer make, this was the most memorable thing I ever had from Tatte.  I'm not sure why I kept trying pastries and other items that I've felt are good, but not great, and why it took me so long to come back to this.  But I'm so glad I did!

What a dreamy cheesecake.  It is light, not dense like NY, but still richer and a bit thicker than a standard pudding, and not more cake-like as in a Japanese style.  It is remarkably creamy, no textural bits like a ricotta cheesecake can have.  Lovely, well, fresh cheese taste, as they say in the description, which I didn't understand until I first tasted this.  It just tastes clean and fresh, not heavy like a traditional cream cheese or ricotta cheesecake.  Sweet but not too sweet, light tang.  Really, a unique cheesecake, and I really enjoy it.  

It is available with either strawberry/raspberry (as I got), blackberry/blueberry, or with crumb top on too (in addition to the base).  I appreciate that the fruit is just fresh fruit, it isn't glazed or compote-style.  The berries were good.

And finally, the crust, which is really just the base of the cup, which is a soft, sweet, buttery crumble, delicious on its own too.  Since it sits in the cup, it doesn't need the structural integrity of a regular cheesecake crust, and I like this considerably more.

I really like this cheesecake cup.  ****+.

Iced Pistachio Latte. 16oz. $5.75.

"Housemade pistachio syrup topped with espresso and milk. (350 cal)."

I was going through a pistachio phase (it was BEFORE the Duabi chocolate craze, I swear), and even though I'm not generally a latte drinker, this called out.

The coffee flavor was good, it was milky, standard latte.  The pistachio flavor wasn't super strong, but there were nutty undertones.  I liked it when I got some of the chunks of nut and thicker bits of syrup that settled to the bottom.  ***.

Update Review - December 2023

No intro needed at this point.  Another Christmas visit to see family, another stop at Tatte.

Prosciutto & Fig Panini. $13.

"Fig jam, brie, fontina cheese, prosciutto and sliced Bosc pear on housemade ciabatta."

One day, when in Cambridge, and my mom was coming to pick me up, I was really craving brie.  It was the holidays, and my mom had been talking about making baked brie as an appetizer to serve at a Christmas eve gathering, and, I had brie on the mind.  I knew she'd like the fig jam and ciabatta elements of this, so I got it for us to split for a light lunch, alongside some salads I had picked up elsewhere.  

It came nicely toasted, crisp exterior, still warm inside, lightly melted brie.  The fig jam was flavorful and complimented the brie well, as they are frequently a classic pairing.  The prosciutto was nice quality, but dominated by the cheeses, as was the little bit of thinly sliced pear hiding inside.  The fontina was also a strong cheese flavor, so, really, cheese was the star here, and you had to be in the mood for funky strong cheese.  I found the ratio of bread to filling to be a bit off - lots of bread, and I didn't want more brie, but I wanted more meat, or really, just less bread.

Overall, a reasonably well composed sandwich, but not one I'd get again.  990 calories, in case you care, which is a bit high for a lunch item, also part of why we split it. ***.

Chocolate Rose. $4.50.

"Enriched egg dough similar to brioche rolled to create a rose shape."

The last time I got a chocolate pastry from Tatte, I went for the chocolate snail, which uses croissant style dough, rolled around the chocolate.  This time, I went for the "rose", which is more like a brioche, and more elaborately rolled.  The bread was rich and not too eggy, but definitely enriched, and there was a generous amount of chocolate in the folds.  

I liked it, but really wanted to be able to serve it warm with ice cream or at least whipped cream, and alas, I had none with me.  Just as-is, I didn't find it particularly compelling.  A bit hefty at 510 calories compared to the chocolate snail (only 390), but not as decadent as the other rose, the cinnamon & pecan one, which is 660. ***.

Update Review - July 2023

Another Boston visit, another stop at Tatte ...

Coffee. $3.25.

"Traditional batch brew made from Stumptown Hairbender Blend served hot."

Somehow, in all my visits to Tatte, I never tried the coffee before.  I'm not sure why, as my hotel (no matter where I've stayed in Boston), always has had such horrible coffee.  I got it black, just a regular coffee.

The coffee was nicely hot.  But ... it was fairly acidic, and had a harshness to it that I didn't care for.  I don't think this is Tatte's fault though, I haven't generally liked other Stumptown coffee I've tried before either.  Why is it so hard to find decent coffee in Boston (and no, don't tell me to just get Dunk's, I've obviously had that many times ...). **+.

Savory French Toast. $14.50.

"Housemade challah soaked overnight in roasted garlic custard, topped with crunchy sesame, served with bacon, 2 fried eggs, VT cheddar, tomato jam, and spring mix salad."

After trying the sweet version of Tatte's french toast a few years ago, I was drawn in by the savory version, which sounded really quite fascinating.  I don't think I've ever had savory french toast before, and the idea of soaking challah in roasted garlic custard sounded pretty great to me.  

This was a substantial meal, with two eggs (fried, sunny side up, pretty textbook execution as you can see), lots of bacon (reasonably crispy, but fairly greasy), and a small side salad (very crisp, fresh, simply mixed greens with a vinaigrette that I didn't use), plus the fascinating "tomato jam" that was kinda like sophisticated ketchup.  The tomato jam I found quite tasty, but, I didn't really think combined well with anything in the meal - not the french toast, not the eggs, not the bacon ... delicious, but, better suited for breakfast potatoes or something?

These elements were all well executed, and highlight Tatte's kitchen skills not only as a bakery, but, as a breakfast/brunch destination.  ***+ for those all being done well.

Savory French Toast: the cheese!

Once I dug under the eggs and bacon, I found the cheese.

The cheddar element of this was totally unexpected.  I thought it would have melted, runny cheese, but rather, it was a cheesy crisp frico.  Definitely unique, and it added crunch.  I liked breaking pieces of it and mixing with the side salad, or with the eggs, rather than with the french toast itself.  Strong quality Vermont cheddar flavor.  ***+.

Savory French Toast: garlic custard / crunchy sesame.

Under the cheese frico, we finally got to the savory french toast!

It was a large, really thick slice of challah, just like the sweet version.  Fluffy, super moist and custardy, really nice base.  As promised, it was soaked/slathered in the garlic custard and tons of sesame seeds, which added flavor and crunch.  Very savory.  A bite of this, with runny egg, was a tasty experience, very brunch appropriate.  I think it would be fairly heavy for breakfast, but, for brunch, it was hearty and savory and still had tones of breakfast to it.  ***+.

Overall, I found this fascinating and enjoyable, but it really made me want to use the savory french toast base for a lunch or dinner entree, with different toppings, although I'm not quite sure what.  I need to keep thinking on that.

Update Review - December 2022

As you know by now, when I visit Boston, I basically always make at least one stop at Tatte, which, you've read about in my previous reviews.  This visit was no exception, although I only made it in once, I was still able to try two more pastries, and another lunch.

Chocolate Croissant. $4.85.

"Four Valrhona dark chocolate batons rolled into Tatte flaky croissant dough."

The chocolate croissant at Tatte is rather massive.  I know it is hard to tell in this photo, but, it is really quite large.  Huge and puffy.  

The croissant base was decent - nicely buttery, lightly flaky on the outside, good chew.  Better than a  generic cafe or hotel breakfast, but not as good as some better bakeries.  The butter level was great though.

Inside was the full batons of really high quality, nice dark Valrhona chocolate.  I really loved the chocolate.   There were four of them, but, given just how big this croissant is, there were many bites, particularly from the ends, that were croissant only, which was a bit of a letdown.  I shared this with my mom, and she even remarked on the quality of the chocolate, entirely unprompted.

At room temperature, I could appreciate the quality chocolate and buttery dough, but felt it was still just barely above average.  It was better heated up a bit.  ***+.

Almond Croissant. $4.85.

"Filled with housemade almond cream, topped with almonds, and dusted with powdered sugar."

Since I had liked the insides of the pistachio croissant so much before, I decided to try the more classic almond croissant next.  The croissant itself was much like the pistachio and chocolate ones - a reasonably good croissant, nice butter level, crispy exterior, chewy inside, but not really noteworthy beyond that.  Better than generic, but not as good as a good bakery in Paris, or one of the best croissant ever.  But certainly above average.

The toppings were great - it was well crusted in slivered almonds, and I think some almond paste, and plenty of powdered sugar.  It was sweet, crunchy, and more appropriate for dessert than breakfast, and totally delicious.  Honestly, I'd love that topping just on top of some ice cream.

Inside of course is where it got even more interesting, with plenty of almond paste.  The menu said cream, and it seemed more like a paste to me, but there was a fair amount of it, it had lots of bits of almond, and was pretty tasty.  The pistachio one was more magical, but this was certainly very good.

Overall, one of the better almond croissants I've had and excellent warmed up with a little ice cream stuffed inside.

****.

Crunchy Halloumi. $14.50.
(housemade roll).

"Bibb & red leaf lettuce, seared halloumi cheese, roasted carrots with sesame and raisins, radish, apples, and crunchy almonds in a tahini vinaigrette. "

I had eyed the crunchy halloumi salad for many years, and finally ordered it last year at Tatte.  As you could have read back then, I wasn't as in love with it as I expected I'd be.  It did have great textures, and I did quite like the dressing, but it was the halloumi itself I wasn't a huge fan of, which shocked me, given that I love halloumi.

I tried it again however, remembering the incredible dressing, and how much I did like the crunchy toppings.  The halloumi was hot and fresh this time, but ... yeah, I still didn't love it.  It tastes more like feta, or something sheep or goat like, to me, which I just don't care for.  The sesame carrots were fine, the crunch from the slivered almonds was great, and the juiciness and sweetness from the plump raisins worked well, but I wasn't in love with it overall.

The main problem for me was the dressing.  I had adored it last time, but this time it just seemed like, well, a vinaigrette, not the style of dressing I generally pick (I'm all for mayo laden creamy dressings).  The tahini was barely noticeable.  It was fine, but just not something I'd ever rave about or seek out.  *** overall for the salad.

Like all salads, it came with a fresh roll.  The roll was not served warm, and I'm not really one for dinner rolls, but it was a nice roll, lofty, clearly quite fresh, with a nice shine on top. ***.

I likely will not try this salad again, but do appreciate the textures still.

Update Review - July 2022

When I visit Boston, I basically always make at least one stop at Tatte, which, you've read about in my previous reviews.  This year, I managed to make it in three times, at totally distinct times of day: for a hot brunch, a lunch salad, and breakfast pastry.  Amazingly, NOT for dessert baked goods this time.

Breakfast

I never really get the actual hot fresh breakfast/brunch at Tatte, because I am too drawn in by the extensive breakfast pastry lineup.  But Tatte is *very* well known for the breakfast fare, served all day, for a reason.  The lineup is extensive, with a slew of different breakfast sandwiches, egg plates, a zillion tartines, several kinds of shakshuka, granola, muesli, and more.  On weekends (which includes Fridays), lineup is even more extensive, with the challah french toast I had last time.

Biscuit & Egg Sandwich. $9.

"Two eggs soft scrambled served on a housemade biscuit served with tomato salad."

I love a good biscuit.  So one morning, when for some reason eggs also sounded kinda good, I went for the biscuit & egg sandwich at Tatte.  I didn't notice when reading the description that it was very ... plain.  Literally, just a biscuit and scrambled eggs.  I expected cheese (isn't this a standard thing for a breakfast egg sando?), a sauce or spread (pepper jelly?), maybe some kind of vegetable ... just, something?

Anyway, the biscuit was good.  Some tang to it.  Decent crumb.  The eggs were just, well, plain scrambled eggs.  Fine I guess, but, just scrambled eggs.  Unseasoned.  Eh?  Together, no, the biscuit and eggs didn't magically turn into something more exciting.  

The tomato salad on the side seemed a bit random.  It wasn't particularly good, the tomatoes not all that juicy or flavorful, and it was just ... well, tomatoes, a bit of onion, and not really any seasoning.

So, decent biscuit, but overall, kinda a boring dish.  ***.

Lunch

Lunch is also a draw for most people at Tatte.  In addition to the aforementioned breakfast served all day, the menu has numerous sandwiches, salads, soups, quiche, and veggie/grain bowls.  Again, not where I usually go, although the creativity in the sandwiches and salads nearly has tempted me many times (I mean really, a sandwich with a corn latke inside?  Braised short ribs with beer relish in challah?  Even the simple proscuitto & fig panini calls out).   But I'm usually there for pastries, not lunch.

Crunchy Halloumi.  $14.50.

"Bibb & red leaf lettuce, seared halloumi cheese, roasted carrots with sesame and raisins, radish, apples, and crunchy almonds in a tahini vinaigrette."

I've had my eye on this salad since I first discovered Tatte.  The thing is, to me, Tatte is a bakery first, and a cafe second, and so even though I loved the sound of this, for years, I never wound up there at salad appropriate time.  Luckily for me, it is a menu staple, and is always available.  I finally got it.

It was a good salad.  I liked the use of big chunks of bibb lettuce as a base for something different - mixed greens, kale, spinach, etc have their place, but this was a nice change.  The greens were fresh and crisp.

I don't actually like cooked carrots, and somehow sorta glazed over the fact that the salad features roasted carrots because I was too excited about the crunchy elements, and, um, the halloumi.  The carrots were ... well, roasted carrots.  Not really my thing, and although I like grilled veggies on a salad, I realized I don't really like just cooked, soft, roasted veggies on a salad.  Anyway.  I did like that they had sesame seeds on them, even more crunch, and they were flavorful.

The radish slices and julienned apple added great crunch and freshness, although the apple was granny smith, and I rather dislike granny smith.  Still, they added acidity that was helpful too.

And finally, sliced almonds, yup, more crunch.

This salad base had a lot going on with textures, which is exactly what I was hoping for, although it turns out, half the ingredients weren't really things I care for all that much.  I liked it more than expected given my general preferences.

And then, the star of the show, the halloumi.  4 large pieces, seared, but, cold.  I was expecting it hot, freshly seared.  Instead it was cold, kinda squeaky, and tasted a bit like feta, which, yup, not my thing.

The dressing I was skeptical of, because, yup, I don't generally like vinaigrettes (hmm, do I really dislike this many things?), so I asked to have it on the side.  I LOVED the dressing.  The tahini flavor just tied everything together perfectly, particularly the sesame coating on the carrots and the almonds.  Nutty essence just permeated throughout.  The dressing really, really kicked this salad up a notch.

Like all salads at Tatte, it came with a roll.  The roll was good.  Just a soft, brioche-like dinner roll, but fluffy and lofty and clearly very fresh.

Overall, this was a good salad, but, alas, it turns out, likely not the best pick for me.

***+.

Pastry

While I did branch out and get both a hot breakfast and lunch item this year, I of course did need to get a pastry too.

Chocolate Snail. $4.50.

"Flaky croissant dough with chocolate pastry cream and Valrhona chocolate chunks."

I finally caved one morning and ordered a chocolate snail.  I was in the mood for a carby pastry, and definitely in the mood for chocolate.  The snail seemed far more fun than a chocolate croissant.

It was ... fine.  The dough was croissant dough, reasonably flaky, but fairly greasy and heavy.  Not light and flaky, not the style that makes a mess in a good way, if you know what I mean.  Between the layers was the chocolate elements, including softer chocolate that I guess was pastry cream but didn't actually seem creamy, just, softer, and some hunks.

Maybe it would be better warm, but it was kinda a miss for me, not bad, but not really good either. ***.

Update Review - December 2021

Another year, another stop in Boston en route to see my family in NH, and thus, another visit to Tatte, my favorite bakery chain in town.  This year, my visits were to two different locations, both ones I hadn't been to before (the South End location and Berklee), but both were fairly standard Tatte locations, with large pastry displays, very busy staff, and a constant flow of orders.  I'll skip the details of the locations, and focus just on what I had this time, but check out my previous reviews for more background on Tatte.

Morning Pastries

The morning pastry lineup at Tatte is always so temping.  Croissants, filled and topped with all sorts of appealing goodies.  Then there is the chocolate snail, the pecan and cinnamon rose, the muffins ... the brioche monkey bread, and coffee cake loaded with streusel, the list goes on and on.  And, if you consider it "breakfast", the kouign amann looks like a specimen of highest quality, so very caramelized.  It is always impossible to pick.

Sour Cherry Almond Scone. $3.50.

"Tender and buttery scone with sour cherries and toasted almonds."

For some reason, this scone called out to me.  Granted, my visit was in the afternoon, so I was thinking mid-afternoon snack (and possibly saving some for dessert after dinner with fresh berries and cream of course), or saving half for breakfast the next day ... but, yeah, this scone jumped out, more appropriate for my mood than any of the flaky pastry items I'd normally go for.

I was also drawn in by the unique flavor: sour cherry and almond, in line with Tatte's slightly middle eastern vibe, and a flavor I can safely say I've never had before in a scone.  Plus, I like sour cherry, and the crunch from nuts would be most welcome.  Also, it was huge!

It was a good scone, a hard style, with a great crumb. I absolutely loved the almonds in it, not just little bits, but real decent size chunks, although they seemed predominantly on the outer edges.  

The sour cherry aspect was ... somewhat lost?  Honestly, I didn't taste sour cherry.  There were no bits of fruit in it. But it *was* vibrant blue inside.  I wouldn't have ever guessed it was sour cherry, nor any fruit really for that matter. So if you expected a real sour cherry taste, or bits of (dried?) fruit, this might disappoint, but it was still a very tasty scone.

This did feel appropriate for afternoon tea, or, as I decided to have it, as dessert warmed up with fresh blueberries and homemade thick whipped cream (from my takeout from The Gallery Restaurant at my hotel), as it was sweet from the very generous amount of pearl sugar on top (which also made the top a bit caramelized/crisp!).

I wouldn't seek this out again, but, I enjoyed it, a very good scone.

***+.

Pistachio Croissant. $4.50.

"Filed with housemade pistachio filling, brushed with simple syrup and topped with crumbled pistachio."

The croissant lineup at Tatte has all the usual suspects: plain, ham & cheese for savory folks, chocolate filed with Valrhona dark chocolate, almond with house made almond cream. All look good, but, it was the rather unique pistachio option that called out to me (again, Tatte having a touch of middle eastern flair).

The exterior was perfectly crispy, it flaked well, and made quite the mess. I wouldn't say it was remarkable otherwise, not particularly buttery or anything, but, fairly classic.

It was inside however that I was excited for.

Pistachio Croissant: Inside.

The inside was more magical that I imagined it would be. Look at all that filling!

It had crunch from the bits of pistachio, it had lots of flavor, and it had sweetness. There was so much filling.

I actually ended up having it for a dessert, warmed up with fresh blackberries (perfect with pistachio!) and a scoop of JP Licks black raspberry ice cream (again, great pairing) stuffed inside. That was pretty fabulous.

I probably wouldn't get another of these, as it was "just a croissant", but, the filling was unique and plentiful, and I did enjoy it.

***+.

Cakes & Desserts

When it comes to a dessert item, the choices at Tatte are equally hard, although at least I can (mostly) look past the cookies and brownies.  I adored the cheesecake before and nearly always want to order it again, and I recently saw that they have rice pudding (random, but I love rice pudding!), and, during my December visit, the seasonal pies were in full force.  So. Many. Choices.

Cranberry Apple Pie. $40.
(December Seasonal.

For the winter, Tatte had 3 pies available: classic double crust apple, pecan maple, or, this, cranberry apple.  Given that I'd had a ton of apple pie lately, and my mom always makes pecan (although not maple pecan!), I decided to mix it up and get the cranberry apple, even though I'm not always fond of cranberry.

The pie was beautiful, and an easy choice once I saw it, because, swoon, that crust. Much like the scone, the pearl sugar on top was a draw in. Available whole for $40, or by the slice for $6 as I got it.

BIG BOX!

I did laugh a bit when I got my slice, as the box it was in was considerably deeper than my slice. Where's the pie?

Cranberry Apple Pie. Slice. $6.

"Double crusted Apple Pie with granny smith apples & tart fresh cranberries in our flaky pie crust. "

So ... I didn't read the description carefully, too distracted by the beautiful crust. Granny smith apples. Doh. I really don't care for them, raw nor in pie form. And, I should have trusted my instinct that I may not be into the cranberry. Doh. This wasn't the pie for me.

But, to give it a fair review - the distribution of apples and cranberries was good, the pops of cranberry were juicy and tart (you definitely need to want to taste cranberries!), the filling wasn't mushy. But ... not really what I like.

The crust looked better than it was. It wasn't particularly buttery nor flaky. It was fine, definitely far above grocery store quality, but not nearly as remarkable as it looked.

So, overall, for me, sadly not the thing. However, my mom was coming to pick me up, and I know she likes tart, so, I saved the rest for her. She enjoyed it.

**+.

Rice Pudding. $4.

"Creamy rice pudding made with arborio rice."

Of course, I also got a rice pudding to-go, as I knew it would keep a couple days, and, I just adore pudding.

It was ... honestly, not that special. It was very thick and quite rich - made with whole milk and butter, but it tasted like made with heavy cream. The rice (arborio) was almost minced, quite tiny bits, and very soft. The thick consistency plus fairly soft small bits of rice made it all just eat like ... mush? I generally prefer slightly al dente rice, to actually distinguish individual grains.

It also didn't have any flavor. Sugar, vanilla, and salt were in it, and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, but I didn't taste the vanilla and the cinnamon was so minimal.

I think Tatte missed an opportunity here. Cardamom, some crushed pistachios, even a touch of rosewater all would have been very on brand with their other offerings, and made this pop. This was just bland.

I tried to give it to my mom, but she also felt it was lacking in every dimension.

Eh. **.

Update Review - August 2021

Another year, another quick stop in Boston when en route to visit family in NH.  And thus, another stop at Tatte, this time however not for pastries, but rather to get brunch, which sadly I had to do takeout style, since COVID.

French Toast.  $11.50.

"Housemade challah soaked overnight, ricotta goat cheese mousse, housemade raspberry jam, fresh strawberries, mint, and toasted sliced almonds."

I'll admit I was skeptical on this one.  French toast isn't usually my thing (meh, eggy). And I loathe goat cheese.  But ... I really was in the mood for a carby, sweet brunch, and this was my best option.

It was .. beautiful!   Although a single slice, the challah was sliced super thick, and this was more than enough for a meal.  The challah was ridiculously moist, not eggy in any way, certainly more on the ... buttery side?  It reminded me of very very buttered thick moist toast, not really what I think of of french toast.  Good, but, very buttery.

The strawberries were a slight letdown, not as juicy and ripe and delicious as I was hoping (am I spoiled in CA?), and they were sliced but still had stems on. The almonds were nice for crunch but felt sort of like an thrown on element to satisfying that bit ... rather than being crusted or something.  So, toppings, looked good, but, not really special.

And then, the spreads. The housemade raspberry jam was sweet and fruity, pretty standard stuff.  But not really what I wanted with french toast.  I wanted syrup!  (Although, jam goes better with the buttered toast feel this thing had ...). 

And ... that ricotta goat cheese mousse?  I'm happy to say, it did NOT taste goaty! Nor did it taste like ricotta ... in fact, it tasted just like thick, rich, tart yogurt.  I wonder if I was accidentally given the Greek yogurt that goes with the pancakes instead?  I love having a cream element with my french toast  (usually whipped cream) so I liked the idea of the whipped mousse, but the thick (yogurt) was very tart and savory.  I liked it, but just not with the french toast.

I saved half of it, and brought it home, heated it, served it with maple syrup, and ice cream, as dessert, and enjoyed it far more that way, almost like a bread pudding.

So, overall, not really a classic french toast in any way, some interesting components, but not something I'd get again.  ***.

Update Reviews - July 2019 & 2020

Oh Tatte.  A bakery mini-chain  I didn't discover until 2018, and that I live on the other side of the country from.  But I still try to visit every time I am in Boston, because, well, the pastry case is just too droolworthy.

To learn more about Tatte, start with my original review of their glorious "croissin" (yes, that is a croissant-muffin).

July 2019

Walking into Tatte is like a world of indecision for me.  I want everything.  Pastries.  Cakes.  Cheesecake.  Even things like the Jerusalem bagel look good to me.  I don't really understand why I turn so unable to make a decision when I walk in here, I think because the line is sooo long, and you walk along the case staring at everything, that it doesn't matter what decision you make, there is just too much opportunity to change your mind.

Anyway, on this visit, I walked out with something I'd never normally select, somewhat due to the recommendation of the person taking my order.  I can't say that was a good idea ...

Pistachio Crush. $7.

Behold, the ... Pistachio Crush?  Yeah, I don't know.  I wanted something with cream, and she said this was one of her favorites.  Described as like cheesecake, but not, just heavy cream.  Sounded like a thick mousse?  I took a gamble.

I liked it for a few bites.  The base was a cookie crumble sorta, sweet, but firm enough to stay together.  I was fairly impressed with that.

Next, the main event, the mousse.  It was rich, thick, uh, creamy, and studded with pistachio.  It was good, but I felt myself thinking "this needs just a hint of honey or salt to give it oomph!"

The reason this didn't make me excited past those few initial bites though was the topping, just, tons of pistachios.  I like pistachio, but this was just ... too much, particularly with the pistachio in the mousse too.  Just, too much pistachio, too much nuts, not enough cream, and too bitter overall.

I think I might like it more with another nut (hazelnut perhaps?), or with a fruit layer (sour cherry?), or really, just with fewer nuts, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of sea salt.  But as is, **+.

July 2020

For this visit, I wasn't actually getting items to eat then, which was *incredibly* difficult, as I wanted, um, #allThePastries.  But I was just visiting to get a few items to take to my parent's house with me, to have goodies for my first few days in rural NH.  I mostly got items from the retail and pantry section, designed to take home, but I couldn't resist at least throwing in *one* dessert.  For later that night.

I found some great hits (the cheesecake! the granola!) and had a lot of fun trying other things too.

Bakery & Dessert

Since I wasn't getting something to eat immediately (I was going to lunch with my mom while she picked me up in Boston), I selected the item most likely to be best that night for dessert (cheesecake!) and one item from the bakery (no, sadly, not a croissant or decadent morning bun, but a Jerusalem bagel to have with my dips and spreads from the pantry - I knew I could freeze some to use later with them).

I enjoyed both my selections.

Strawberry & Raspberry Cheesecake Cup. $6.

"Creamy cheesecake made with fresh Israeli cheese and a rich buttery crumb topped with raspberries and strawberries."

Cheesecake cups are available with 3 toppings: simple with just the same buttery crumb from the bas on top too, or with raspberry/strawberry or blackberry/blueberry.  Since I don't like blackberries, but still wanted something interesting, I went for the strawberry/raspberry.

Um, yeah, one bite is all it takes to realize how good this is!  Glorious.  If you are looking for a traditional *slice* of cheesecake, it clearly isn't that, but, I really loved the form factor (difficulty of getting that first "perfect bite" including the crumble base aside).

The cheesecake was beautifully creamy, not quite as thick, nor as rich in some ways, as traditional cheesecake, but definitely cheesecake, not pudding.  I loved the texture.  It was sweet, but not too sweet, cheesy in a more complex way than just "cream cheese" (was it the fresh Israeli cheese used?), and the crumb base was a beautiful compliment, buttery and delicious (I'm a sucker for a butter crumb in general, and, well, dislike standard graham cracker based crusts entirely).  The fresh berries on top just sealed the deal.

This was crazy good, and I absolutely did *not* share as I had intended too!  I'd gladly get this again. ****.

Full size cheesecakes are also available.

Jerusalem Bagel. $3.50.

"Traditional soft, sweet Israeli pastry dipped in simple syrup and coated in sesame."

If you've never had a Jerusalem bagel before, you may not know what to make of this.  The only familiar bagel aspects are, well, it is a bread product, and round-ish.  Besides that, they aren't boiled, they aren't small, are crusty, and I think always have sesame seeds?  Oh, and a touch of sweetness?

Oh, and they are generally street food.  And you can serve them with dips, usually bean dips, like hummus, baba ganoush, white bean, etc, or just olive oil and often za'atar, or ... you can have for breakfast, buttered, maybe with some jam, etc.

I was excited to try it in all ways.

First up? Just a chunk, on the spot.  

It was good.  Crusty, but ... bouncy? inside.  I liked the texture.  Slightly sweet, and I liked the sesame seed crunch.  Definitely easy to just eat as is.

But it was even better when I toasted it, and spread a little cream cheese and drizzle of honey on it.  Or toasted it, with cream cheese and smoked salmon.  Or even just warmed it, and had it dunked into labneh with honey ...

It just went well with basically everything I tried it with, and the texture was even better when toasted. ****.

On the cooked food menu, Tatte serves it as the vessel for eggs in a hole, with fried eggs (and ham and cheese if you please).  That sounds pretty epic.

Pantry

The majority of what I got was from the "pantry", an area of pre-made salads, spreads, and longer shelf life baked goods (e.g. tea cookies, granola).  A little way to bring some Tatte home for a few days ...

Meze Plate On the Go. $8.

"3 of our favorite spreads - Cashew Pepper, Chickpea puree with Aleppo Oil and Garlic Labne with olive oil and dukkah."

I was eyeing most of the spreads and pre-made salads, and assumed my mom would want to get a bunch too, as they seemed really her style, but, she wasn't actually into them.  I still planned to get a bunch for myself, until I saw how many had ... pine nuts.  The roast cauliflower salad, the pesto, and others, all, pine nuts.  After having pine nut syndrome a few years ago, I just really, truly can't deal with taking that risk again.

So alas, no pine nut items for me, and no mom who wanted to share.  Thus, I grabbed the packaged "meze plate on the go" trio, which would at least give me a sampling of 3.  I got the aforementioned Jerusalem bagel to use with them, but I also was imagining many many other ways to enjoy.  I was pretty excited to try them all.

All are available by the half pint for $6 as well.

Cashew Pepper Spread.

"Housemade pepper cashew (magic!) relish. Add to salad, eggs, meat, or use as a spread to create your own sandwich."

I started with the one I was least excited for: cashew pepper spread.  I'm fickle on cashews, and not really one for red peppers.  What's in it?  Well, cashews, and peppers (roasted piquillo peppers), along with parsley, garlic, red onion, alepo pepper (EVOO, salt, pepper).

I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I did like the chunky texture.  But the piquillo pepper flavor was just too strong for me, and not what I really liked.  I think it would be good inside a wrap or on a sandwich, particularly with feta, or as a condiment used at breakfast with eggs and feta.  I gave it to my sister, who used it over some sauteed veggies and loved it.

When I looked up how they use it, I was amused to see that yes, indeed, it comes as part of the brunch meze, along with eggs, sunflower spread, whipped feta, cherry tomato salad, and, yes, the jerusalem bagel.  I certainly grasped how to use it, it just wasn't the product for me.  **.

Chickpea Puree.

"Seasoned chickpea puree with Aleppo chilli oil. Enjoy it as is or as a side."

Next up: chickpea puree.

A strange choice for me, sure, as I don't like chickpeas as just cooked legumes, and I don't like hummus (unless chocolate hummus!), but I do like fried/crispy chickpeas, and I liked the idea of the creamy puree.

While not actually hummus, it certainly tasted like a lot like it, which, well, makes sense.  A base of pureed chickpea, blended with caramelized red onions and garlic, and topped with Tatte's Aleppo chili oil.

They suggest eating it as is, which I tried.  Yup, uh, hummus?  I could imagine dunking pita (or your choice of favorite dipping item), into it, if you like hummus.  I don't really, but, my bigger problem was that it turns out I don't like the flavor of the Aleppo chilli oil ... which, well, pretty much ruined this for me.

I also wanted to think about ways to use it warmed up, and did take some from the bottom, avoiding the chili oil the best I could, and warmed it.  It was kinda nice, like a soft falafel patty.  But, still, Aleppo chili oil, and, not for me. **.

Tatte does serve it warm at the cafe - it comes on the All Day menu as the chickpea puree, warm, with caramelized onions, green favas, and warm pita, along with the aleppo chili oil, dukkah, and herb salad.

Roasted Garlic Labneh.

"Creamy Labneh with roasted garlic. Enjoy it as is, or add it to your favorite sandwich, salad or meat dish! "

And last, the one I actually really did want!  Labneh.  Yes!

Tatte is well known for the labneh, available plain, or in savory versions (spicy, garlic, etc), and, now, a sweet version, paired with their own strawberry jam and poached rhubarb.  I've wanted to try the labneh for a long time, and the spicy, garlic, and sweet ones all equally appealed, so I was happy Tatte made my decision of which to try first easy, by including the garlic one in the meze trio.

For the unfamiliar, labneh is like ... Greek yogurt, but even richer, smoother, creamier.  Very thick.  If that makes sense.  It is actually strained, with excess whey removed.  You may hear it called "yogurt cheese" or kefir cheese as well, people do thick of it as more like a cheese, like a soft cheese, than a yogurt.  Commonly used as a spread, as it is so thick.  I still really like it as a yogurt replacement, when plain or sweet that is.  I wasn't quite sure what to make of the savory one.  I didn't want a bowl of savory yogurt ... did I?

In addition to the garlic (both fresh and roasted), it has ginger, mint, and parsley to brighten it up (and olive oil?).  It was thick, it was rather tart, and it was only slightly garlicky.

I think I really may have liked that, except, um, it was covered in dukkah (fine), but also ... yes, sadly, aleppo pepper oil :(

Sadness. **.

Strawberry Rhubarb Labneh . $6.50.

"Creamy Labneh with poached rhubarb and house-made strawberry jam."

As an indulgent yogurt-lover (as in, I dislike non-fat, and honestly even most whole milk or greek yogurts, but love super high fat, super thick, yet creamy yogurts), paired with granola and fruit, for breakfast, the sweet labneh really caught my eye.

I couldn't wait to try it.

Strawberry Rhubarb Labneh: Close Up.

The container came with plain labneh on top, and the layer of poached rhubarb intermingled with strawberry jam (with whole berries!) below.

I started with a spoonful of just the labneh, and was very happy.  It was indeed very thick, very very rich, and seemed a touch sweet.  This is a "little goes a long way" sort of product.  

Next I tried the poached rhubarb.  It too was great, and I'm not a huge fan of rhubarb.  The tartness was lovely with the sweet strawberries interspersed.  

And all together?  Yup, delightful.  Again though, very very rich and indulgent, so hard to eat a large portion as a pudding/yogurt style.  It really is intended to be used differently.

I made a parfait with it, using Tatte's granola (keep reading!), and fresh berries, and enjoyed it, but, it was pretty dessert-like, not really breakfast.  I see why Tatte uses Greek yogurt for their own parfaits rather than the labneh.

I really enjoyed it kinda spread on the jersusalem bagel too.  ****.

(By the way, Tatte also sells just the poached rhubarb, and suggests pairing with yogurt, baking with it, or using as garnish.  I'd definitely consider it in the future!).

Granola. $16.

"Our housemade granola is a delicious mix of whole grains, almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds baked to a crisp with unrefined honey and muscovado."

I've been looking for a good granola for a while, as my favorite granola is only available in Australia (where I don't live, and clearly won't be visiting for a while) and isn't available retail anyway.  My second favorite is from Jane the Bakery - review soon! - in San Francisco, a very different style though.  I've been wanting a more traditional granola for a while, and regular grocery store brands just never do it for me.

Tatte is well known for many hits, but their muesli bowls are ones that I've wanted to try forever, and people certainly love, made with whipped greek yogurt, their housemade granola, fruit (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, pear, apple), and honey and black sesame.  It always looks so delightful, and people love it.

I haven't tried it, but I at least wanted to give the granola a try, so I took home a bag.

Granola: Close Up.

Two tiny nibbles and I was sold.  And quite pleased.

Yes, yes, yes, I had finally found a granola I could purchase and enjoy.  Well, when I was in Boston at least (doh, again, not where I live!).

The granola is a classic oat base (oats only), with whole cashews, sliced almonds, and pecans, sweetened with honey and brown sugar, brightened by a hint of vanilla, and lightly salted.  Traditional oil roasted style, crispy.  I do generally like to have some clusters, and alas this didn't have any, but I still quite enjoyed it.  It was definitely a sweeter style, a bit decadent even.

It was a good munchable granola (e.g. straight from the bag), but it also made a *lovely* parfait with the labneh, poached rhubarb, strawberry jam, and my own berries.

Much like the cheesecake, this was *not* shared with anyone, and I'd certainly get it again. ****+.

Original Review Summer 2018

I just discovered Tatte Bakery on my recent visit to Boston.  I was doing a bit of reading on Flour Bakery (more on this soon), and Tatte was mentioned in an article.  I made a mental note to investigate later, as Flour Bakery was still my top priority for baked goods.  A day or two later, I was looking for an easy option to pick up a salad and dessert item on my way back to my hotel after work, and, Tatte came back up, this time because of the salads.  They have a salad topped with halloumi (!) that sounded amazing.  But I didn't end up visiting then either.  A day or two after that, I was walking to work in the pouring rain, and walked by Tatte.  I was freezing, soaking wet, and looking for something to warm me up, and, uh, make me happy.  Yes, I could have breakfast at the office, but ... I wanted hot coffee right then, and I wasn't impressed with the baked goods at my office.

So into Tatte Bakery I went, without doing my normal level of research.  I must return.

Amazing Lineup!

If I had done my normal research I would have had a game plan.  I would have known which item I was going to get before I walked in.  Instead, I was greeted by a plethora of options, and just picked based on what looked good (which, was everything, really).  This was new for me, but a huge success - the item I picked was one of the best pastries I've ever had.

Setting

Tatte was founded by a self-trained pastry chef from Israel, who started selling at farmer's markets in Boston before opening her first store in 2008.  She has a small chain in the Boston area now, with 4 locations in Cambridge, one just over the river on Charles Street in Beacon Hill, and the original location in Brookline.   I visited the Main Street Cambridge location, down the street from MIT.  This was the 4th location, opened in 2013, and is also where the baking hub is now located.

The feeling of the space is very neighborhoody, and you can tell that this is not a standard classically trained french pastry chef, yet the pastries produced are top notch.

Outside Seating.

Simple wooden tables and chairs fill the (covered) sidewalk outside.

Interior.

The interior was light filled, even on a rainy day, with high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows.  There isn't a ton of seating, but there are regular tables and some high counters.  Most people, like me, were taking their items to go.

The front counter housed all the pastries and the register to order at.

Condiment Station.

On the side was a little station with milk (skim, whole, half & half), sweeteners, cinnamon and chocolate powder, and lids for coffee, plus salt and pepper, and hot sauce.

I didn't take a photo, but I also ordered a decaf americano (no decaf drip available, but a full lineup of espresso beverages, plus matcha, was).  My americano was fine, not particularly noteworthy.

Food

Tatte has a full menu of main to order savory items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in addition to the abundant baked goods.

For breakfast, you can pick from a range including basic breakfast sandwiches, tartines (yes, you can get your avocado toast here), muesli, and even shakshuka.

The lunch/dinner menu is very extensive, with salads, soups, sandwiches, and plates, all seasonal offerings.  The salads sounded really creative, composed of greens topped with everything from seeds (black sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, etc), to grains, to nuts, to vegetables (pea shoots, asparagus, roasted eggplant and potatoes), to fruits (fresh apples, dried apricots, raisins), with matching dressings (lemon-olive oil, tahini, orange vinaigrette).  I really still want to try the "Crunchy Halloumi",  with seared halloumi cheese, toasted carrots, radishes, apples, toasted almonds, sesame, and tahini.  Sandwiches too, not just plain Jane, even the BLT includes sriracha mayo and tomato onion relish, and the grilled cheese has short rib, beet-horseradish relish, high end clothbound cheddar, and is served on challah.  The fig, brie, and prosciutto panini also called out.  As did the roasted cauliflower with spiced labneh, capers, chilies, golden raisins on pita.  The list goes on and on, so much creativity.  Plates included assorted quiche, savory tart tatin, and a quinoa bowl.  If you visit on the weekend for brunch, there are even more options, including pancakes.

Tatte To Go.

Near the register is also a refrigerated section with quick grab and go items, dubbed Tatte To Go, with  premade sandwiches, salads, and parfaits.

Desserts.

Next to that was the not yet entirely filled dessert case, filled with individual and large treats, any of which I would have gladly opted for if I was in the market for a dessert.

Baked Goods: Part 1.

But I passed up all the "real" food, and went straight for baked goods.  Tatte makes a lot of baked goods.  They do not have a listing online anywhere, and I'm sure the lineup changes often.  I honestly wanted at least 10 different items.  Every time I thought I had picked what I was going to order, I saw something else I wanted.  Everything looked, and sounded, incredible.

The first section began with a streusel topped coffee cake, assorted brownies, and plain brioche.  These were all easy enough to walk past.  Then came some savory items, prosciutto cheese brioche with pesto and seasonal red pepper and asparagus croissants, with spears of asparagus sticking out, that seemed like perfectly valid "responsible", aka, not just sweet, choices.  And then there was the sweets, perfectly caramelized kouign amann, jagged monkey bread, and sugar coated morning buns.  I wanted all of these.

Baked Goods: Part 2.

Already filled with indecision and too many things I wanted, I looked into the next case.  Things got even better.

Chocolate and hazelnut twists had bits of hazelnut all over, and folds layered with chocolate.  The "Roses", either chocolate or cinnamon pecan, looked magical.  I decided on a cinnamon pecan rose, until I looked below, and saw croissins, their version of croissant-muffins.

Even the danishes, muffins, and other filled croissants looked far better than average.

Filled Croissants.

I nearly decided on one of the filled croissants, either pistachio or almond, as they looked absolutely stuffed with tasty fillings, and the pastry looked flaky as could be.

I couldn't identify the ring item pictured here, and it was one of few items not labelled.

Muffins, Danishes.

The strawberry cheese and cream cheese croissants looked better than average.  Ham and cheese filled, plain, and pain au chocolate were also options,

I very nearly went for a muffin actually, as I loved the look of the crispy, pearl sugar topped choices, bursting with berries and fun varieties, like strawberry rhubarb, blueberry hazelnut, and poached pear and almond.

The Stars.

In the end, I went back to that section with the monkey bread, the cinnamon pecan rose, the morning bun, and the crème brûlée croissin.

Even as I stepped up to order, I didn't know which I'd pick.  I think I intended to pick the monkey bread, but at last minute, I asked the person taking my order about the fascinating crème brûlée croissin, and she assured me it was amazing.

Crème Brûlée Croissin. $4.75.

I barely enough knew what I was getting when I ordered this, but I expected something made from croissant dough, shaped like a muffin, and perhaps filled with a little pudding, or at least bruleed on top as I could see from the case.  Given that I obviously adore baked goods, and have entire labels on my blog devoted to pudding and crème brûlée in particular, this, uh, sounded like something I'd love.

I pulled it out, and still didn't quite know what to make of it.  How was I supposed to even eat this thing?

I ripped off a piece of the croissant dough from the bottom.  It was a fantastic croissant, buttery, flaky, delicious.  I got excited.

Then I tried a bit from the top.  It had been coated in sugar and torched, not something I ever knew I wanted in a baked good, but turned out to be amazing.  It had a phenomenal caramelized flavor, and was perfectly crisp and sweet.  Crème brûlée perfection, intense flavor with no burning, although there was a lot of sugar on top of this thing.  There was even a hard caramel ring where sugar had oozed out, and I plucked it off and eagerly consumed it.

Just the croissant itself was good, and just the croissant, er, croissin, form on its own with the brulee top would have been amazing, and left me quite satisfied.  But this had more to give.

Crème Brûlée Croissin: Inside.

This thing was filled with crème brûlée pastry cream.

OMG.

It was absolutely loaded up with filling.  The pudding was delicious.  It was super creamy, had a nice vanilla flavor, and a hint of citrus.  It really was remarkable on its own, like the best vanilla pudding crossed with Boston cream.

Just like the base croissin, I would have been happy with just a bowl of this pudding, but, combine it all together, and it was magic.

It was one of the best pastries I've had in recent memory, even though it was complicated, and even though it didn't really make sense, and even though it was a bit hard to eat.  I loved every single bite of it, and I assure you, this was not just a fad item, it was really, really, really good.

Oh, and entirely not breakfast appropriate.  There was way too much pudding in here, and way too much sugar on top, to remotely qualify as breakfast.  But I didn't really care.

I can't wait to get another. ****+.