LyséE

Was recommended this place by my brother and friend. A bit pricey and reservations recommended. We didn’t review the menu beforehand, but if you if have time to research it would be helpful. We decided to do the A La Carte so we could select our pastries. We tried the Lysee, Petit Jardin, Kouign Amann, and the Teddy Bear Duo 2.0. Overall, the Teddy Bear and the Petit Jardin were my favorite. The place and bathroom are both small. The dining experience and customer service was a bit mediocre, but not the worse. I’d recommend the place if you’re willing to spend money on pastries.

The cakes are beautiful and meticulously done. You can see and taste how much work went into them. They are delicate and the flavors are well-balanced. We had the corn cake (which really tasted like corn), the classic Lysée cake (the one that looks like their logo), the pineapple basil tart (Petit Jardin) and the Asian pear tart (Pear-Yuja). The pineapple basil tart was pineapple-forward with subtle basil and coconut flavor. All of the cakes were good but especially the Asian pear one stood out to me — the flavors were so light and refreshing which went really well with the buttery crust. We also had the mushroom quiche, which was the only vegetarian savory pastry available. It was so good. Again, you can tell that the chef really knows her craft — harmonious flavors, the puff pastry was buttery, flaky, and crisp on the edges, and it had the right amount of sauce. The craft even continues to their hot beverages. Some of the more unique drinks we had — Sweet Potato Latte and the Sujungwa (Cinnamon- Ginger) — were delicious, well-rounded, and not too sweet. We were a group of 4 so we got to sit in the more secluded room in the back, facing the kitchen, which was cozy and private. The top floor is their “museum” where all of the delicious creations are displayed like art. Definitely higher price point with mushroom quiche at $18.50, small tarts ranging from $16.50 - $18 and signature drinks starting at $9, but well worth a visit for a treat. Our server Robin was knowledgeable on the menu, helpful, attentive, and friendly.

Visited based on the reputation — visually impressive, but that’s about where it ends. The display and presentation are genuinely stunning. Walking in, you can see the craftsmanship that goes into each piece, and it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into the aesthetics. That part lives up to the hype. However, the flavours didn’t quite match the visual experience. Nothing was bad, but nothing was particularly memorable either — fairly underwhelming for the price point. Speaking of which, the pricing is steep even by New York standards. You’re paying a significant premium that isn’t fully justified by what ends up on your palate. The bigger issue was the service. The staff carried themselves in a way that felt dismissive rather than welcoming — not what you’d expect from a hospitality-focused establishment, regardless of its prestige. This was especially noticeable in the dining section, where the attitude felt more like a favour was being done than a service being provided. In this industry, warmth and attentiveness should be baseline, not optional. Worth a visit once for the visual experience, but hard to justify a return at these prices with this level of service.

Their desserts are lovely but their teas are not good at all especially for the price. Crazy to pay $14 for a very watered down herbal tea. Lysee cake and strawberry matcha cookie were very good in both flavor and texture. Will be back to have other cakes and pastries.