What: Three-berry tart
Where: La Provence Patisserie and Café, 72785 Highway 111, Palm Desert
How much: $7.95
Contact: laprovencecafe.com; 760-797-7557
Why: Pastry cream.
Lost Property is not the only Los Angeles-area joint to open a sister restaurant in the Coachella Valley. About a year ago, La Provence Patisserie and Café—with locations in Beverly Hills and the Los Angeles International Airport—opened in the former Bouchee space in Palm Desert.
While La Provence’s Palm Desert location offers a full menu of breakfast and lunch fare (plus dinner during the non-summer months), as well as a lovely café vibe, I was there for the pastries, and I was getting them to go. My selections: an individual caramel apple pie ($9.50), an apricot tart ($7.50), a three-berry tart ($7.95) and a “crack stick,” a creation with croissant dough wrapped around pastry cream (although I could not detect any) and dark chocolate ($4.95), according to the menu.
It was unanimous: All of the pastries were endorsement-worthy—but it was the three-berry tart that won my heart (and stomach). Why?
Two words: Pastry. Cream.
The thin layer of custard-like filling gave the dessert texture and the perfect amount of sweetness, enhancing the pastry and the fruit. I used a fork to taste a bit of the pastry cream on its own, and it’s a good thing La Provence doesn’t sell containers of it, because I am afraid I’d grab a spoon and go crazy.
There’s one more thing I love about this “three-berry tart.” When I ordered it, the server noted that it’s actually a four-berry tart. Sure enough, the top featured two colorful strawberries, three blackberries, three raspberries and 11 blueberries. You could make the case for calling it a 19-berry tart, but not three.
As far as I’m concerned, you can call this berry tart whatever you want. Personally, I’m calling it one of my new favorite desserts.