Ladurée in Manila!

I love macarons. But I hate the snootiness that goes with it for those who fancy it. I still remember the time I had to listen to this person raving about the French macarons and that it would never be at par with the local ones. There are also those who say that the pricy branded macarons are the bes- thing-evaaah. To be honest, yes, the macarons are crazy expensive but most actually taste the same. (Well, it is for me.) Then came Ladurée in the local scene.

Hello, Ladurée.

Just when I thought that the macaron craze was dying, this well-known and well-loved brand entered the market. I hear people going crazy over it. I did too… when I saw the price per macaron. PHP150 per piece?! Are you kidding me?!

But the foodie in me could not stop being curious. It must be really good then if it was priced that high.

Then again, when I found out that the macarons are not made here and are flown in from Paris (every single time), its price started to make sense. Sort of. True, they may use premium ingredients but it’s the air freight and taxes that made the macarons expensive.

I have to admit though, the Ladurée store here is really fancy.

Oh, they also have some non-food items like perfume and accessories.

Going back to edible stuff, I was tempted to buy a box of 6 but that would cost me PHP1,200. (They charge for the “iconic” box too.) Since I could not stomach spending that much, I decided to just buy two which are Marie Antoinette and Salted Caramel.

Sadly, Marie Antoinette was crushed before I got home but it had a nice and rich tea flavor with a hint of citrus.

The Salted Caramel was also lovely. I loved the play of the silky salted caramel ganache. I also enjoyed the slight crisp and chewiness of the meringue.

Okay, maybe those snooty foodies were right. I can’t wait to try the other flavors.

Ladurée is located at Ground Floor, 8 Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati City.