Tartelette elevates Ottawa’s patisserie reputation

The talented Cordon Bleu graduate Sanaz Homa opened Tartelette eight months ago and I’m happy to share the news. 

Located in a slowly blossoming new development along Main Street, Tartelette has already made a name for itself by setting a new and very high bar for patisserie and viennoiserie (a French term for “things from Vienna” such as brioche and croissants).

According to The Mainstreeter, Homa comes by her talents honestly. Her grandfather was a well known pastry chef and her father a restaurant owner.

Aesthetically her work appears flawless and thoughtfully arranged. One look at any of her tarts and the thought of eating them might fill you with an anticipated guilt. 

Don’t let that stop you however from sampling well — just everything. Her saffron pistachio tarts are masterful in flavor profile as she brings the flavours of her Iranian roots to her art. I just loved the deft touch and the pastry crusts are delicious on their own. Butter, you know. 

Her lemon tart is another fine work that will delight most but for the most hardcore lemonheads like me. It was a marvelous creation that just had too little lemon kick for this palate.

Take a bite of her palmier or her croissants and even if you’re uninitiated, you’ll know that you’re experiencing something that is as perfect and true to tradition as you’ll find anywhere in Ottawa.

In fact I’ve seldom seen such a beautifully constructed croissant and it signals precisely the excellence in texture and flavour that you can expect. Buttery and flaky and my PSA for readers: don’t eat this in your car.

Tartlette also offers 17 different cakes in a variety of sizes for pre-ordering and for this upcoming Valentine’s Day this destination is a temple of love.