Opening a pastry shop was the dream of two friends Yasmine Naili and Meriem Aknak, and it’s done with Mont Éclair. They offer éclairs – their favorite pastry – and other sweet confections: desserts, tarts, chocolate candies, spreads and marmalades.
The lightning bolts, elegant and colorful, catch the eye as soon as you walk through the door of this address on Avenue du Mont-Royal. Promoting this pastry was an obvious choice for the two owners. “I have always been passionate about choux pastry,” explains Yasmine Naili. It’s very complicated and very finicky, I’ve always wanted to make a perfect éclair. »
We can say that it’s mission accomplished. The éclairs, which border on perfection, come in several flavors. Among the classics that are still on the menu, we find Madagascar vanilla, praline, Mont Éclair (with two chocolates), salted butter caramel, lemon meringue, passion fruit and the brand new: tiramisu. As a bonus, a few seasonal flashes are added depending on the inspiration of the moment. The pastry chefs even experiment with savory dishes (available to order), they offer some with smoked salmon and fig and goat cheese. Their éclairs have even won over the Au Pain Doré bakery, which distributes their creations in Montreal and Laval.
It’s a second career for the owners, who met at the École hôtelière de Montréal Calixa-Lavallée, where they received professional training in pastry. The two women were reorienting themselves after working in accounting and hydraulics. “With Yasmine, we had the same tastes and we agreed all the time,” says Meriem Aknak. It was therefore natural for them to work together.
They gained experience in several establishments and chocolate factories, before finding themselves working at the same address. That’s when the idea of opening their own pastry shop came to fruition.
Since opening, the pastry chefs have gradually expanded their offerings, including chocolate candies. Yasmine Naili won the prize for best candy in the province during a competition for the best apprentice pastry-chocolatiers in Quebec. The chocolate selection here comes in several flavors: herbaceous, fruity, floral and nutty. A few truffles are added to the chocolate gems.
For the holiday season, Yasmine and Meriem have created three logs – which must be ordered in advance. We have the choice between chocolate-pear, hazelnut and lemon, and red fruits and Earl Gray. All year round, you can also place an order for mini-eclair sizes and even a personalized cake.
“We use vanilla pods from Madagascar, our praline is homemade and our jams are made with organic fruits,” says Yasmine Naili. They are also betting on reducing sugar in their recipes. We therefore have a tasty and intense result when we bite into their creations.
We stop by Mont Éclair to treat ourselves to one of their sweet confections – which you can taste on site if you want to extend the experience. You can also leave with one of the sweets that fill the shelves. And the choice is vast, between passion fruit caramel – customers’ favorite, according to the owners –, chocolate bars, Gianduja spread or small boxes made to give as gifts.