I finally did it; I feel confident in saying that after months of searching, I’ve found the best almond croissant in the South Miami area with Chocolate Fashion. Heck, these croissants may be the best I’ve had in Miami Dade (on par with Delices de France). Throughout the past few months, I made it my personal mission to find the most stellar croissant I could get my hands on within South Miami. I searched high and low, at chains and mom and pop places, and even at Publix. Although I can’t say that any of the croissants I sampled were bad per se, some were clearly better than others. What La Provence was offering on Sunset and Red Road was heavy and akin to a roll, with a less than satisfying almond cream that barely added flavor to the final package. I want my almond croissant to taste like almond (bizarre, I know), and this was not possible here. Le Royal a couple of blocks down on Red Road had an opposite problem, with a croissant that was way too buttery and cream that was so sweet it distracted from the nutty flavor of the almond. Still, I preferred Le Royale to La Provence, but somehow felt that I could find something better in the area. Why should I have to settle for subpar almond croissants in South Miami when a bakery in Pinecrest a few minutes away was making pastries that would make Paris jealous? Surely, there had to be a bakery in South Miami that tried to upkeep this quality as well.
That is when I found Chocolate Fashion. By offering an almond croissant that is flakey and buttery without overwhelming the tongue with fat, Chocolate Fashion manages to give you a pastry that actually makes you think that what you are eating is not as fat-laden as is actually is. The flavor coming from the butter is pleasant and shows restraint, unlike other french bakeries that seem to feel like more butter equals a better product. A textured and gritty paste reminiscent of amaretto is used to stuff the croissant, with a sweetness only meant to accentuate the earthy flavors of the nut. It is generously applied without letting it overtake the star of the show: the croissant.
The bakers at Chocolate fashion are nothing short of top-notch. Dessert Professional Magazine recently named Georges Berger, owner of the bakery, one of the top ten pastry chefs in America for 2014. This is a title that I feel he truly deserves. Not only is his bakery offering superior pastry, but also his sandwiches and brunches are some of the most underrated in the city. Even if Chocolate Fashion only served croissants, I am sure I would the business would be booming.
5868 Sunset Dr
South Miami, FL 33143
(305) 661-7200
chocolatefashiononline.com
By food blogger, Santiago Cardona
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