It was an impromptu decision after work that we decided to visit Passion by Gerard Dubois which endeavours to provide a traditional French cafe ambiance. Focusing on patisseries, boulangeries and confiseries, the star products at 'Passion' included crusty sour-dough bread and baguette, which are made exclusively with imported French flour, involving 24-hour fermentation. This reminded us of similar confectionery tried at Maison Kayser both in Singapore and Hong Kong and also the famous Paul Bakery.

Apart from an array of freshly baked bread greeting visitors upon entering the patisserie, Passion left us spoilt for choice with its line of exquisite desserts, pastries which included tartes, macarons and nougat by the slab. It was a wavering decision on my part for all the pastries looked too good to resist! Eventually with some recommendation, we settled for a few signature pastries.

Mango Mont Blanc ($39/-)



Many would be familiar with the usual 'Mont Blanc', which is a typical dessert of puréed, sweetened chestnuts topped with whipped cream. The name originated from the 'White Mountain', the highest mountain in the Alps, with its resemblance to a snow-capped mountain.

Passion's version was a touch above the norm with the inclusion of mango fruit and purée tucked perfectly in the middle of a soft sponge cake. The slight acidity of the mango provided a tantalizing balance to the mildly sweet chestnut purée. At the end of each serving, the lingering after-taste of the chestnut was the dominating taste which made the dessert true to its Mont Blanc name.