Saturday, February 4, 2012

Atlanta macarons: Alon's

Continuing from my macaron quest from 2011, I'll be adding more "gay food" to the blog agenda. Part of this stems from my genuine love of macarons, the other part is to feed the glutton in me. Just for the record, yes, I do consume all the macarons in one day. (And at 200-250 per macaron, it can get quite disgusting.)

Alon's Bakery has become an establishment in recent years. It's got an extensive gourmet condiment section, though you should definitely check out prices before doing a supermarket sweep. (The last time I was there, they were selling Illy Coffee for $21.99/can when Fresh Market had them for $13.99. I haven't seen price gouging like this since Katrina.) In addition to their olive oils and specialty mustards, they serve as one of the most popular lunch counters in the city - both locations in the Virginia Highlands and Dunwoody are packed during the weekdays and weekends. 

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To be honest, I've only recently spotted their macarons. I suppose I've been skeptical that people in Atlanta could make them correctly. And although this has been my first foray into Atlanta's offerings, I'm pleasantly surprised.

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Flavors: vanilla, pistachio, chocolate, raspberry, lemon, and mocha/toffee?

Verdict: My favorite was vanilla, with its slightly floral taste. It had a perfectly creamy center that mixed the right amount of sweet and tart. The biggest disappointment was pistachio, which wasn't nutty enough. The filling reminded me of creme fraiche. So forgettable. The chocolate was too sweet and tasted like cocoa powder, and I wasn't a fan of the mocha/toffee either. The lemon and raspberry were good, but nothing mindblowing. I think those are the two safest flavors to get if you're new to macarons. They tend to taste the most generic anywhere.

Price: $1.99 per macaron

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14 comments:

  1. These look yummy! I had the best macarons at a bakery in ATL the last time I visited. The place was similar to Alon's in that it also had a lunch section with sandwiches and whatnot, but I know it wasn't this place. I really wish I could remember the name...

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  2. Now you're making me crave macarons... and the nearest place that sells 'em is a 40 min bus ride... sigh.

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  3. Yummm. We have a place in Zurich called Sprungli that does macaroons but mini ones. They're so good and so addictive. Can just pop them in your mouth one after the other.... now you've got me craving them. They're almost as sweet to look at as they are to eat. xx

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  4. Aaaah you are making me hungry by looking at those delicious macarons!!

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  5. in Vegas you can't find a macaron for less than $3.50 ea., and there are only two places that make them (so far). only one place makes them decent. SAD CAT. very jealous. all your posts make me want to visit ATL. you should do a "Tourist's Guide to the greater Atlanta Area" post some day, kind of like your posts inspired from your stay in S. Korea (which i absolutely loved).

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    1. That sucks! Why is it so crazy expensive?? I would think that Vegas would have some more macaron places, seeing as every single celebrity chef opens an outpost there.

      You should definitely visit ATL, if you ever get a chance! There are definitely some charms to be found here.

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  6. i want amcarons now :)

    www.pinklemonincrystal.blogspot.com

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  7. They always look so wonderfully pretty, I rather wish I wasn't allergic to egg.

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    1. Whattt!!! So you can't eat bread, either! Ahhhhhhhh!

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  8. I find it so hard to eat just one macaron, they are so delicious. So I made a promise to myself never to be them when I'm at home in the UK. Whenever I go to Paris, however, I head straight to Laduree and buy at least an 8 pack. Sometimes 16....

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  9. Have you attempted making your own macaroons? My cousin bought me boxes to put macaroons in and told me "NO PRESSURE but you better start learning how to make these soon so you can box them up and gift them to us!"

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    1. I've thought about it, but I'm scared that I'm going to muck it up. I suppose it makes more fiscal sense, but it just seems like a shit ton of work. I should put that on my resolution list so I'll make an attempt to try it this year. Your pastries always look delicious, though. I want to go to Hong Kong just to try them!!!

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  10. hmm not sure i agree with you, i've tried lemon both here in athens and in paris and it tasted as intense as a true lemon would

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  11. Any other good macarons in Atlanta?

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