Sweet Tooth: Olivier Potier

Olivier Potier’s Tarte au Citron à Ma Façon. Photo by Erika David

Upon entering Olivier Potier, the mere sight of gorgeous desserts might be enough to send you over the edge — breads and baked goods to your right and picture-perfect pastries for $5.95 apiece to your left. Zoom in on the glass display bearing whimsical pastries and take note of the chocolate mille-feuille and carré doré (like a Snickers bar on crack). While I do find it hard to resist anything chocolate, the Tarte au Citron à Ma Façon is wicked good. It looks like a shiny new breed of mini-McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches, but tastes nothing like them. Thankfully.

The whole thing starts with a round French shortbread cookie — buttery, sandy and crunchy — that’s quick to melt in your mouth. Above it sits cool lemon custard, followed by a thin square slice of white chocolate colored yellow. A scoop of almond mousse, polished with lemon glaze and silver pearls that snap, crackle and pop, completes this vision in yellow. Sink your fork through all those lush layers down to that crisp bottom with every bite to understand it for what it is — a lemony wonder that puts any lemon tart you’ve ever had to shame. Take that to the bank. ■

Olivier Potier, 1490 Sherbrooke W., Montreal, 438-381-6111

Erika David blogs about her food adventures in Montreal at This Is Why We’re Fat. Follow her on Twitter @erikadavidMTL.