Taste Test: Bangkok's best macarons
Emquartier is opening, bringing with it Pierre Herme’s legendary macarons. To honor their arrival, we put them to a blind taste test against eight other top brands.
9 years ago
This list is in no particular order. Numbers refer to the image.
1. Pierre Herme (BK Pick)
(Infiniment Chocolate Paineiras, TBA)
The look: Chubby, with a hearty size and comforting homemade look.
The shell: Not perfectly smooth but coated in appealing traces of cocoa powder. Beautifully fluffy.
The filling: Silky, with the rich, bittersweet taste of expensive chocolate. You even get some sour, fruity notes.
Verdict: Perfect imperfection.
Emquartier, Sukhumvit Rd. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Phrom Phong
2. Fauchon (Runner-up)
(Chocolate, B95)
The look: Average size, little skirt and chocolate-y brown coloring. Every bit the typical macaron.
The shell: A bit too hard, crunchy and notably layered.
The filling: Dense in texture, with a rich, dark chocolate taste.
Verdict: A simple macaron with what it takes to be a macaron––from the look to the taste.
G/F, Siam Paragon, 991/1 Rama 1 Rd., 02-610-7802. Open daily 10am-9:30pm
3. Paris Mikki (New!)
(Chocolate, B65)
The look: Reminds us of Thai tea: bright, orange-y brown.
The shell: Underneath the smooth surface, it’s a bit moist.
The filling: Like chocolate ganache—creamy but not buttery. You don’t get the intense chocolate flavor but can still feel that it’s made from good chocolate.
Verdict: Tastes much better than it looks.
Metha Wattana Building, 27 Sukhumvit Soi 19, 088-870-0020. Open Tue-Sun 11am-8pm
4. Paul
(Chocolate, B450/12 assorted macarons)
The look: Small with rather a sad, dull color.
The shell: Almost no bite. Chewy, somewhat sticky and not well layered.
The filling: Very moist and chocolate-y.
Verdict: Stick to the pain au chocolat.
1/F, Central Embassy, 1031 Phloen Chit Rd., 02-001-5160. Open daily 8:30am-10pm. BTS Phloen Chit
5. Laduree
(Venezuela Chocolate, B120)
The look: Like Pierre Herme’s twin only flatter and with shorter feet (the ruffle on the macaron’s edge).
The shell: Dry and crumbly with no fragrance of cocoa at all.
The filling: Sticky and with a chemical-like aftertaste.
Verdict: Reminds us of cheap brownies. Pretty poor show.
M/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., 02-129-4771. Open daily 9am-9:30pm. BTS Siam
6. Erawan Bakery
(Chocolate, B30)
The look: Petite compared to the other macarons, and the only one with a small sheet of chocolate on one side.
The shell: Scented with almonds but a bit too dry and crunchy.
The filling: More like caramel than chocolate.
Verdict: We like the almond aroma, but wish the chocolate came through more strongly.
LL/F, Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, 494, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-254-1234. Open daily 7am-10pm. BTS Ratchadamri
7. Dhara Dhevi (Budget Pick!)
(Uganda Chocolate, B45)
The look: Average sized and with a reddish brown color, sprinkled with gold.
The shell: Fluffy and a bit too crumbly, but all the layers are distinct from one another.
The filling: Very sweet yet with a nice bitterness.
Verdict: Great for the price.
G/F, Siam Paragon, 991/1 Rama 1 Rd., 087-448-8449, Open daily 11am-10pm. BTS Siam
8. Mandarin Oriental
(Chocolate Truffle, B49)
The look: So smooth and flawless it looks like resin. Also oversized with a mild color.
The shell: Satisfying—not too hard or soft.
The filling: Very creamy, with a mild chocolate truffle aroma.
Verdict: The taste and size match up with the price. It feels like eating a slice of chocolate cake.
G/F, Siam Paragon, 991/1 Rama 1 Rd., 02-610-9845. Open daily 10am-9pm. BTS Siam
9. Masatomi
(Valrhona Chocolate, B50)
The look: Flat, round and pale.
The shell: Dry both on the surface and inside.
The filling: Tastes like cocoa powder, which had us baffled when it was revealed they use such premium chocolate.
Verdict: Not very fun. Go for their Japanese flavors.
4/F, Siam Paragon, 991/1 Rama 1 Rd., 02-235-6643. Open daily 11am-10pm. BTS Siam
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