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Ladurée in New York City

Ladurée in the Upper East Side
Large macaron tower Roses and mini macaron toweres
Inside the boutique while on line
Ladurée

As of the past week or so, almost everyone in the Internet, food forums to respectable food websites talked about Ladurée. In case you haven’t caught up in my Parisian travels of last year (here’s my photo set of my stops to this brand’s patisserie as they have many locations in Paris), Ladurée is where one should get their macarons or if you’re a macaron virgin, this is your baseline. For some, the gold standard.

The biggest shocker to me when I walked to this boutique this morning was that it lacked their signature tea salon! If you ever had the opportunity to visit Paris, having tea and indulge in their gorgeous and delicious pastries, and linger to people watch, it is a must do.

If you Googled around the Web about yesterday’s official first day of opening of Laduree (an example at NY Eater), the line was insanely long extending down the block.


Tray of green apple macarons Shelves of boxes
Macarons, close up and Shelves behind the display

Today’s line was not as crazy, even though I arrived around 11 AM the line does form a U-shape within the boutique, most patrons are residents of the Upper East Side, while some are tourists who visiting the neighborhood.

Taking a brisk rundown through their display case, macarons were disappearing quickly with a good number of flavors were getting replenished, except for the sold out pistachio macarons. I did not see any madelines or financiers but seen a few loaves of plastic wrapped cake and many boxes of prepacked chocolates were left relatively untouched. When I inquired about the ice cream and sorbet, a good number was sold yesterday. They do still have some in stock but you need to ask what flavors are available.

The room is beautifully done. Painted in mint green walls contrasted with white, like their bag. Portrait paintings lined the area where candles were sold. If it were not so crowded, it’s quite a place to look around and take in its sophisticated beauty.

Chairman of Ladurée and vice-chairman of the Holder group, David Holder
Chairman of Ladurée, David Holder

I have interviewed to Mr. David Holder, the Chairman of Ladurée and vice-chairman of the Holder group for a couple of minutes.

To confirm what is written out there, yes, everything is flown in from Paris because it is a way to maintain quality. Until they find a commercial building to establish a kitchen (which he calls it a “lab”) and find a larger retail space for a boutique and tea salon (hopefully by Spring 2012), they will keep importing their goods.

The exclusive flavor, cinnamon raisin, for New York would make its debut on Fashion’s Night Out (Thursday, September 8th). Beyond that, all macaron flavors are the same as its boutiques in Paris.

Mr. Holder denies of any official neighborhood that he would open another Ladurée neither is he expanding this boutique to next door to open a salon, as he said, if we were to open next door it would work “if we sold jewelry.” He and his advisors are going to travel around Manhattan for the next two days to check out potential retail spaces.

Ladurée macarons, styled
Ladurée macarons with a cup of Mariage Frères Very French tea
Ladurée macarons and my tea time

After the interview, I picked up some of their signature macarons. As you might see, I had some fun styling them. Eventually, I ate them and had a cup of Mariage Frères‘ Very French tea to compliment with the sweet, fruity notes of some of the macaron flavors.

The macarons are identical in texture, sweetness and flavor to what I had in Paris. If you have to speak about the price of each macaron ($2.70, plus tax), it’s relatively the same to what I paid in Euros when I visited there.

To see the rest of my photos of my visit to this boutique, please scroll through my slideshow below:

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Address:
Ladurée

Website
864 Madison Avenue (between E 70 & 71 Street)
New York, NY
Map
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday: 9am to 6pm.
Saturday: 9:30am to 6:30pm.
Sunday: Closed

Tina

I shoot, eat, and drink. My full time job is a hospital administrator. Moonlighting as a freelance photographer and food and travel writer.

  1. Pingback:The City Sweet Tooth » Sweet Links of the Week – 9/2/11!

  2. Amy says:

    I’ve just returned from Paris where I did some very thorough macaroon testing and I’m afraid to tell you that Lauduree are no longer king! Pierre Hermes rules now- especially his asparagus and hazelnut macaroons. Hopefully one day he’ll make it to New York! If you do make it to Paris then be sure to pay him a visit (his queues are also much shorter than Lauduree’s).

    1. Tina says:

      Amy: If you’ve read my love letters to Pierre Herme when I first stated his macarons over 4 years ago, you’d know I’m devoted to him. Laduree is pretty much the next best Parisian macaron (though I prefer their other pastries than their macarons, frankly).

      I’ll get to talk to Mr. Herme in October when he comes over to NYC for a chefs’ convention, so hopefully I’ll get some answers.

  3. Chrisbo says:

    Pierre Herme was the patissier at Laduree who re-invented the Macaron, he left Laduree a few years ago to open his own business, now growing in Paris [at least 3 stores that I know].
    For me the best macarons are the one from Carette [2 stores : Trocadero and Place de Voges].
    Anyway all are good…..
    ChrisBo

    1. Tina says:

      ChrisBo: I am aware of Mr. Herme’s culinary résumé (and I visited all of his boutiques when I was in Paris last year).
      I do not know about macarons from Carette. When I do visit Paris again, I would certainly make a visit.

    1. Tina says:

      Kim: Technically, I favor Pierre Herme’s macarons. There’s more intense and the flavors sometimes get a little crazier, in a good way.

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