(Image: Renée Suen)
Name: The Tempered Room
Contact Info: 1374 Queen St. W., 416-546-4374, thetemperedroom.com, @thetemperedroom
Neighbourhood: Parkdale
Previously: Brown Sugar Bakery
Owner/Chef: Bertrand Alépée, owner of The Tempered Chef catering company and former co-owner and chef at the now-shuttered Amuse-Bouche bistro
Pastry Chef: Tyler Lang, also from Amuse-Bouche
The Food: Gorgeous mousse cakes, bombes, tarts, croissants, custard-filled pastries and flaky éclairs piped with fruity creams and custards, all temptingly displayed in glass cases. (Alépée worked in Paris with Michelin starred chefs Guy Savoy and Alain Ducasse before settling in Toronto, so his French pastries are the real thing.) There are lots of savoury items, too, like cheesy croque monsieur sandwiches and puff pastry tarts topped with caramelized onions and tomato compote. Crusty loaves by Thuet, Blackbird and The Drake Hotel are available for purchase.
The Drinks: Sam James coffee, tea and bottled kombucha. Alépée plans to apply for a liquor license so that he can serve booze at events and one-off dinners. “In France you can have a croissant with a glass of wine,” he says, “so why not?”
The Place: Alépée redesigned the two-story space, installing long glass display cases along one wall and filling the room with antique furniture that he’d collected over the years. The patisserie houses three separate kitchens, one of which supplies The Tempered Chef, the catering arm of Alépée’s food business.
292927 <b>The Tempered Room’</b>s Queen Street entrance faces Cowan Avenue. Signage to come. Introducing: The Tempered Room https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-01-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-01-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-01/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
292929 Owner and chef <b>Bertrand Alépée</b> plans to host monthly wine, pastry and dinner events in the turnkey space, which can accommodate up to 50 guests (26 seated). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-03-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-03-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-03/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
292930 For sale: merchandise stamped with The Tempered Chef and The Tempered Room logos. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-04-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-04-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-04/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
292935 Espresso-based drinks are made with Sam James Cut Coffee. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-09-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-09-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-09/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
292931 The patisserie’s temperature-controlled display cases house a rotating selection of miniature sweet and savoury pastries. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-05-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-05-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-05/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
292932 Custom orders, including larger cakes like this pear tart, can be filled with 48 hours advance notice. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-06-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-06-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-06/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
292934 Buttery viennoiseries include pain aux raisins ($3.25), chocolate and pastry cream filled brioches ($3.25), and regular or chocolate croissants ($2.50). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-08-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-08-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-08/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
292941 From left: the Black Pearl ($2.50), a spherical meringue shell filled with chocolate buttercream and rolled in chocolate nibs; the Choco Citron ($4.50), a milk chocolate ganache tart with lemon–orange blossom curd and a bruléed meringue top; and the Choco Truffle ($6.75), a chocolate mousse truffle with cocoa nib and pink peppercorn nougatine. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-14-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-14-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-14/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-14 0 0
292937 Éclairs come in several flavour combinations, including chocolate–passion fruit, Nutella-banana and pistachio-cherry ($3.75 or 3 for $10) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-11-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-11-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-11/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
292939 The Pomme Caramel Salé is a salted caramel mousse cake with homemade crabapple jelly, sesame macaron and sesame-caramel ganache ($5.75). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-12-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-12-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-12/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-12 0 0
292940 The Matcha Framboise is a layered cake filled raspberry mousse and matcha tea panna cotta ($6.50) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-13-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-13-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-13/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-13 0 0
292946 The savoury case includes quiches, sandwiches and crusty loaves by Thuet, Blackbird and The Drake Hotel. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-19-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-19-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-19.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-19/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-19 0 0
292942 A trio of savoury snacks: <i>croque monsieur</i> (grilled ham and cheese sandwich topped with creamy béchamel sauce, $7.50), quiche ($6.50) and Provençal tartlet topped with caramelized onions, tomato compote and goat cheese ($6.50). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-15-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-15-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-15/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-15 0 0
292943 Owner and chef Bertrand Alépée with pastry chef <b>Tyler Lang,</b> who also designed and constructed some of the woodwork in the space. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-16-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-16-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-tempered-room/slide/the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-16/ the-tempered-room-toronto-restaurant-16 0 0
SO excited for this place. Already sampled two of the pastries, and I urge everyone to try it out if you’re in the neighbourhood. Some of the yummiest treats I have ever had. Highly recommended!
Caution: Do not eat the Ham & Cheese Croissants sitting in the display! It was obviously not freshly made, must have been sitting there from the previous day. They did ask if we wanted it heated up (which would have likely helped with the fact that it was dry and stale); I opted out because of the walk we had ahead of us… needless to say it was a total disappointment. I ordered mine with no cheese and it took 10 mins to put together but at least it was a fresh croissant… much better but the $9 price tag is certainly not justified.