Ladurée

My wife is a sweet enthusiast and has been reading up on Laduree for some time. She even bought a laduree recipe book and was very eager and excited to visit the store in Westfield during a recent trip to Sydney. Being from Melbourne, this was our only chance to visit so my wife made sure the whole family (6 Adults and 4 children) went on an outing to the city to specifically try Laduree last Sunday 27 September 2015.
However, when we arrived, we were met with stares from some of the staff members. When we asked to be seated, although the venue was almost empty with only a few clients, we were told that there was a private function and that we would not be able to enter the seating area. When I asked when the private function might be over and that we travelled from afar just to try their desserts and drinks, one staff member said that it would be free after 1:30pm. Being 1:10pm at the time, we thought we could wait 20 minutes so we said ok then we can wait. Then another older staff member who i am guessing was the manager approached us and said that he was sorry and couldn’t seat us due to a private function. When I replied that we are waiting for the private function to end, the staff member replied «sorry the private function is an all day function. I then explained the other staff member said the private function is on until 1:30pm and that we are happily waiting, the manager said «we are offering high tea at different times and sessions, 1:30 is the end of one session and the beginning of another», then after explaining that we were looking very forward to trying their desserts he said we can only seat 6 of you, which for us meant that the 4 children would not be seated. It was obvious from conflicting statements that we were not welcome, even though there were more than enough seats for us. So this venue is certainly not family friendly.
I then lost all interest and told my wife we should leave, but felt bad and told her to just get what she wanted take away. So she purchased 13 macarons for close to about $ 50 from memory.
Once again to our disappointment, the macarons were some of the WORST we ever tried. We have had better macarons from Lindt who really specialise in other desserts.
If you are in Sydney, definitely avoid Laduree. If you want good macarons, I would recommend Adriano Zumbo which was a great experience, or accroding to internet reviews MakMak who are said to have the best macarons in Sydney.
Stay clear of Laduree! I even made my wife promise to never purchase anything from Laduree as a result of our Sydney Laduree experience.

A Laduree haiku for you:
Macaron expert
Chewy texture is pure bliss
Empty your wallet
As my haiku alludes to, these puppies are pricey: $ 3.80 AUD each! Of the Marie Antoinette (rose/​citrus/​honey), salted caramel, rose lychee, and praline sesame, we enjoyed the caramel flavor the most.

I had never had the time to stop and get tea at Laduree. It was not disappointing at all. Great service and excellent flavors. A good spot to sit and relax. And did I mention the macarons?

The macaroons are totally 5 stars, but this review encompasses the Afternoon Tea.
Located in a high end mall it really is a kiosk with seating roped off.
The server had an attitude, and managed to bring the tea and selected macaroons with out saying too much to me.
The tea selection itself is not the greatest, but the presentation in silver is nice.
The city has other places that you can get Afternoon Tea (although I don’t recommend the Sofitel either); among them several places in the QVB. It is best to pick up some macaroons and go!

Changed review as the staff and service is much better since my original review, merci a vous.

I love Laduree and I think their rose macaron is the best. We just got a small box of 6 (or 8?) macarons (it was already an eye-​gouging $ 26). We finished them before we could leave the building, they’re just so good! There’s a small seating area that looks perfect for having an afternoon tea and macaron, but the ambiance is a bit weird because this Laduree is basically a kiosk in the middle of a mall.
I recommend Laduree even if you’re not a huge fan of macarons (they sell them by the individual piece, so you don’t have to commit to buying a box!). A small box of Laduree macarons is also a great gift idea for your favorite foodie friends.

Just laudree! List like Paris and NyC. Love the Rose Macaroon with an Australian Flat White!

Beautiful place for afternoon tea. The macarons are delicious although not my absolute favourite.

BEST MACARONS EVER!
I’ve never been a huge fan of macarons. I never understood why people liked them so much. However, I finally understand now!
I stumbled across Laduree while shopping at Westfield Sydney. I heard so many good things about it so I decided to give it to try.
THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! The macarons were so soft and flavourful! I got salted caramel, pistachio, rose petal, vanilla, lemon, coffee and raspberry. My favourite flavours were pistachio and raspberry. The one I liked the least was rose petal. It was way too fragrant for my liking.
Individual macarons were $ 3.60AUD each. For a box of 6 it was $ 24AUD and for a box of 8 it was $ 28AUD.

First macarons I have ever eaten, and I was pretty impressed! You gotta try the best from the get go right?
I had no knowledge that this was a macaron vendor known around the world, only learning this fact when my gf and sister went «OOOMMGGGGGGG LADUREEEEEEEEEE WE GOTTA TRYYYYY». They were pricey as hell too! We got 8 minis for 26 AUD I think. I was skeptical, but they were delicious.
I wouldn’t buy from here again because of the price and I am not big on macarons, but it is definitely worth a try. Grab one or two when you are having a bad day! They may help :)

I can’t visit Sydney without coming here. I’ve been to different Laduree locations around the world. This one is located on the third floor of Westfield right by the escalators in the high-​end shops wing.
They have a small café area. They have have candles, perfumes, books, bags and of course, the perfect macarons.
I picked up a box of macarons in my favorite flavors + the new flavors: lime basil, chocolate coconut marshmallow and chocolate Peru (which replaced chocolate Madagascar). They’re about 4AUD a piece. For Laduree macarons, it doesn’t even matter. Perfect shell, great fillings and flavors.

Delicious macarons.
Almost $ 4 per macaron, but worth trying. I really liked the rose, pistachio, and coffee flavors.

It is wonderful to see Parisian fame in Sydney and my next Gluten Free Tea Adventure.
For those who don’t know Laudree’s history it’s important to understand the past to see it’s future. This very famous tea room of the Champs-​Élysées and has been on planet earth since 1862! The Macaron is originally Italian brought to France in the 16^th Century by Queen Catherine de’ Medici and the recipe itself has never been changed.
Laduree tea rooms were built specifically for women as women were not allowed in café’s around Paris or the world for that matter in the 16,17 and 18^th century as these were exclusively for men only. The success of this tea room would change the face of how ladies all around the world would socialise in society in the public eye!
Whilst Laduree’s fame is for the macaron as a coeliac this is all that’s on offer for you to eat here. But it will be very different from any macaron you have ever had!
The tea selection is exceptional one of the best menu’s you will see in your life and the food menu is to DINE FOR!
But it wasn’t tea that I indulged in here. It was their hot chocolate, which I’m fairly certain it was a melted block of chocolate! Yeeehaaa… wow…(note if you love dairy milk this isn’t for you however order it with a side of cream to get it to the dairy milk you would like) and it was served in a beautiful tea pot with beautiful china.
Laduree is not for the penny less, as this is an expensive place to indulge. But well worth the taste bud treat!

This is located inside the Westfield Mall! You need to make time for tea and macarons. Very classy! Ladurée is the King and Queen of the macarons. This place didn’t disappoint. We were promptly seated and given white glove service. Loved the sugar cubes and tea cups! Macarons were pricy (!) but delicious as always. Beautifully decorated place. Doesn’t feel like you’re in a shopping mall.

I came here during a trip to Sydney, drawn by an intense love for macarons and the novelty of eating macarons imported from Paris (via switzerland storage apparently). A tad hard to find as this Westfield is so huge! Its in the middle of the other stores, and once found the take away counter is large and full of gorgeous macarons.
Asking where the dining area was the girl gestured towards the back. I walked past the counter and towards the Laduree sign near a jewellery store, and accidentally walked into a small kitchen! The shock I felt was reflected momentarily on the faces of the wait staff. I was then directed to the sit down area (which is actually directly behind the takeaway counter, woops!)
It was gorgeous décor, with beautiful tea cups, cutlery and Laduree brand name menus and printed sugar packets. Lovely little details abounded. When it came to the food, we were told that a shipment was late from France with the cakes (not the macarons), so high tea was out of the question. Settled for a liquorice macaron and a yuzu ginger macaron. Ginger was nice and gingery, the liquorice one was exceptionally melt-​in-​the-​mouth but a VERY subtle flavour.
The tea range is extensive and came in a proper silver teapot, which while heavy and hot was beautiful and comes with an ‘L’ printed holder napkin thing on the handle to protect from heat. Wait staff were polite but not engaging, looked bored most of the time (maybe its a «french vibe» thing) and seemed a little flustered by any questions. All in all somewhere I enjoyed, but not clamoring to go back to!

This is in the centre of the fancy part of the Westfield Shopping complex — there is a live classical pianist in the vicinity and everything is very Marie-​Antoinette, elegant, delicate, pretty. I love everything French. You’re surrounded by Mulberry, Louboutin, Gucci & Prada a stone’s throw away. I had a pretty dress on, high heels and red lipstick, so I thought, why not? I’m having fancy tea and macarons! It felt so fitting.
I got a bit of sticker shock a the price of the macarons — $ 4 a pop. Then I got another shock when my $ 4 salted caramel macaron was a really, really small macaron…
But, but, BUT!!! It was truly exquisite. Possibly the best macaron I have ever had, even including the ones I had in Paris. Really exceptional. Therefore its probably a good thing that they’re $ 4 a pop, because otherwise I might be tempted to buy and shovel 20 of them into my mouth one after the other. Honestly, just mind blowingly good.
The tea I had, Roi Soliel, was also amazing.
Its a lovely, elegant little spot to take a break in when shopping in Pitt Street.

Getting in touch with my French-​obsessed self. How did I not know about these until I came all the way to Australia?
I’ve been to Paris before, but for some reason I’ve never heard of this brand before until my French friend said it was just the most luxurious and most amazing patisserie for macaroons. When someone says something like that, you have to just try this highly acclaimed place.
This location is conveniently located inside the Westfield Mall as when you go down the escalator you bump right into their booth. They have everything perfectly displayed with the amazing stacked pyramid and beautifully-​arranged boxes. This place definitely screams ‘high end’!
They have a wide variety of flavors, and I tried the chocolate one, and once I bit into it I was mesmerized and just experienced a macaroon orgasm. It was exactly what it was hyped up to be and not overrated! Why I give this place ⁴⁄₅ stars is because the pricing could be a little better as $ 3.80 for such a small macaroon is plus cher!

A beautiful place. The sweetest macarons in the city.
Stunning décor with that Parisian feel.
The candles ate stunning, although $ 79 can also be on the pricey end. Otherwise the candle cup makes an awesome keepsake for some fresh flowers, or a handy cup in the bathroom to place your toothbrushes and toothpaste into. A keeper. That makes the value quite good.
Stunning.

Heard about this place before it even opened, my friend who had lived in Paris said this place was amazing and they were brining it to Sydney.
For the first few weeks that it was opened, the lines were ridiculous so I didn’t bother.
My coworkers and I were eating at food on five and popped down to check it out. The line was manageable, only a few people. So you pick you macaroon and they give you a sheet of paper and you pay at the register. There were a few interesting sounding items like almond marshmallow, but I asked the girl who worked there which one was the best. She said without hesitation, salted caramel. This is my normal choice for macaroons so I ordered one of those. I saw that my friends had ordered two, so I tried to go back in line to add the almond marshmallow. The girl was a bit rude and was like, well I’ll ring her up first.
Got my second one in — $ 3.20 for each, which is a bit pricey but its from «gay paris» so I guess it was fine.
Tried the almond marshmallow — was a bit different but still tasted nice. The salted caramel was delicious.
Overall a good place, but nothing that stood out — have had just as good ones from lindt and a few other places. Don’t appreciate the snootiness.

I thought the macaron faze was reaching its end. I was wrong. This French macaron icon has left the city a buzz and crowds queuing.
I was first introduced to Macarons on a trip to Paris with a visit to the original Laduree. I fell in love with them and bought a box from the London store on my way home. I was therefore thrilled to hear they were coming to Sydney.
To avoid the queues I convinced a friend to dine in with me and we were the first ones in at 10am and avoided the dine in queues that started by 10.30.
FOOD
The only thing available on the menu were the Macarons (still limited flavours from what is advertised on the sign board), coffee and tea.
I ordered a blackcurrent violet and my friend 3 salted caramels. They also let you take away so I ordered 6 thinking I’d get a long box but that needed 8. dope! Took 3 goes to pick my flavours as not all of them are in stock. Finally ended up with Almond marshmallow, Salted caramel, Pistachio, Strawberry poppy, Lemon and Orange Blossom. $ 4 for dine in, $ 3.20 for take away.
The non fruit based macarons were definitely my favourite. Shells were delightful and had the perfect thin layer of shell with soft and chewy cookie layer. The macarons were not too sweet either.
Being a macaron baker I’m a bit of a macaron nazi. Taste is one thing but appearance for me is equally important. I was surprised at how inconsistent the macarons were. Some had bumps. Some not perfectly round. Some not evenly filled. Some parts of the shell were even touching each other. I guess it has taught me to not be so hard on my Macarons that don’t turn out so pretty. They do have some quality control over their macarons though with cracked macarons being quarantined!
SERVICE
Much improvement to be had in this department. Their computer system was down. Everyone just seemed to be rushing and confused with what was going on. The Macarons and coffees were served in reasonable time but we had to wait almost 10mins just to get our bill. There were empty cups on our table when we were seated so i thought these would have been cleared when we got our coffees to allow more room on the table but they weren’t One of the ladies in line to dine in described the service as ‘typical French’. I’m sure they will improve as they settle in.
ATMOSPHERE
What I loved about the Paris store was the vibe in the room. Oh so French and posh. Whilst the Sydney store has nice chairs with cushions that prop you up and make you sit upright like your worthy of these delicacies the open area setting misses the carpet and painted walls. You just feel like your sitting in the middle of Westfield with queues of people surrounding you watching you eat.
INTERESTING FACT
I asked the waiter where the Macarons were made and he said they were flown in from Switzerland everyday. Not Paris.
OVERALL
Macarons are a 4. Service a 2. I think I’d wait a bit for the crowds to die down and the Laduree team to get off their feet a bit better before revisiting.
Oh, and I’m also disappointed they don’t have rose ice-​cream like in Paris. Boo! :(