Another butter tart haven - Le Pain Quotidien

So maybe I lied when I said butter tarts are only for bad days.  They can be for good days too.  Maybe it's the type of butter tart I have on bad days.  On bad days, I like ooey gooey goodness - even if it's slightly too sweet.

On good days, I want small butter well...tarts?  Cue an example of a good day: my Big Brother and I went out to lunch and decided to have some dessert.  We stopped at Le Pain Quotidien for dessert.  And there, in the display window, was a somewhat Parisian version of a butter tart.

We both had one each and split a pot of green tea.

And boy, am I glad we each had our own.  The entire thing was lighter and much less sweet than other butter tarts I've had. Despite the fact that I know it was loaded with calories, it didn't taste like it was loaded with calories.

Now, the picture I posted with this entry doesn't do the tart justice.  I'm not in the habit of carrying a camera with me, so I had to rely on my Blackberry (and as much as I love this phone, the camera on it just isn't that great).  The tart shell was a golden brown, and the filling was actually not dark brown, but a sunny yellow colour - very different from a traditional butter tart.  And the taste?

Heaven on Earth.

And you know what?  It actually tasted buttery.  Silly, but I've never had a butter tart that tasted buttery.  The shell, yeah, but the filling?  Never.

Would I go back again for another butter tart?  Oh yeah.  Can I go back often?  Not if I'd like to fit in my pants.

(Le Pain Quotidien also serves an awesome sandwich and other baked goods.  It's a favourite lunch spot of mine.)

Restaurant rating: Definitely worth an extra hour or two at the gym.