Lisa Dorche Photography

 

Itsi Bitsi Cupcakes

 

It's been quite a long time now that the Cupcakes are « the thing to eat ». Although almost everyone appreciates it, it’s difficult to find a good place to eat some in Montreal. In fact, you can count on the fingers of your hand the shops specialized of this little sweet treat. And one of them is Pascale Handlebar’s shop, a woman from Quebec, who, walking down the street in Toronto, realized there was no such place in Montreal to eat Cupcakes, and then decided to open one with her friend Veronica. In 2006 the shop was born, and since then it seems to have been a success. I must admit that the location (Lionel-Groulx station) of the first cupcake boutique in Quebec (as it calls itself on the website) does not make it easy to access, yet it often seems to be full of people.

From the outside it's a pretty small store that attracts the eyes with its colorful and friendly storefront. As Halloween time is not so far, we can see a pretty decoration made with pumpkins and orange and black colors. It almost looks like a fairy tale store with cupcakes everywhere, pretty tea-pots and coffee maker in all colors, the place is very nice. However the first thing I noticed upon entering the store is that there is no table to eat, only a small counter with three chairs. Luckily the place is empty and we are three, so we have a chance to sit and enjoy these famous cupcakes. The place is very simple, a large glass counter with the little cakes exposed, a large shelf in the background with many gifts and souvenirs to buy, such as blankets, stuffed animals, mugs and even colored knifes and forks.

There is no menu, it's a bit disappointing because a small drink would have been a pleasure with the cupcake. As it is sunday evening, almost at closing time the store is empty, just like the cupcake’s stand, there only remain a few of them, it seems that many people came before us today. There are the classic cupcakes (Vanilla, Chocolate, Chocolate Coconut, Vanilla coconut) and the « cupcakes of the day » menu that you can find on the website. I opt for the mojito with lime and mint frosting one. It will cost you $ 3.75 for a regular size cupcake. So I sit at the counter to eat my cupcake, and there are magazines available to customers, including the Montreal Times. The cupcake is good, but it seems to be a bit old and that it has been waiting to be bought for a little while because the frosting is hard and the cake very dry. When I got home and had a look at the menu I realized that it was actually the friday cupcake, so that is probably the reason why it seemed old. The chocolate coconut cupcake is also good, but nothing more, this one is also a little too dry. Maybe coming during the evening is not playing in our favor but the famous cupcakes do not satisfy us. So it is with some regret that we leave the store, however, very welcoming.

As you can see, we were not thrilled with the experience of these cupcakes, however it appears that other small pastries are generally sold during the week, so we will have to come back to try it one more time . If you're in the area, I suggest you go check it out, have a look at the souvenirs, and perhaps authorize yourself a small cupcake. On the contrary , if you are quite far away, I have to admit that the path is a bit too long for something a little disappointing.

The store is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 am to 18:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am to 17:00 pm. You can find all information and menus on the website: http://www.itsi-bitsi.com.