Atmosphere
My first impressions of this cute little gem in the downtown core was that it was the perfect antidote to a rainy Vancouver afternoon (i.e. grey and dull) and the surrounding sea of office towers (i.e. grey and dull). Rather, with its modern French-inspired vibe it is fresh, clean, uplifting and in a word: "pretty". The colour palette is comprised of whites (leather banquette seating, glossy cabinetry, marble counters and glossy framed mirrors), blues (soft blue walls and damask printed glass counterfront), silver (tea tins, and table bases), and transparent (lucite chairs, raindrop-like chandeliers, undercounter rope lighting and glass counterfront) and with these colours and the abundant use of sheen, the room feels almost ethereal, perhaps even above the rainclouds high in the sky... (ok, it made me feel this way). Indeed, a perfect getaway from the grey of every day! |
Tea and Food Selection
This tea house offers tea and an assortment of macarons which are freshly made on site by the proprietor, Shodna. Oh, and can you tell they are fresh! I will admit that I did not even like macarons up to this point in life (even in Paris - I must have gone to the wrong places for macarons), but these were absolutely spectacular! Perfectly crispy on the outside and just the right chewiness on the inside. I chose the Fleur de Sel, the Cappuccino and the Pistachio. I have to say that the lavendar I sampled when I first came in and the pistachio were my hands-down favourites, but I look forward to trying them all in future! 
The tea was absolutely lovely as well and there are many options to choose from, whether you fancy white, green, black or oolong (I can't remember whether they had any herbal or rooibos options as these are not usually on my radar). I had the White Champagne for a change (I'm usually a black tea girl) and was very pleased with my selection.
Presentation
As with the atmosphere, everything was beautifully presented with white and modern tableware, and no tablecloths (wouldn't want to cover up the beautiful marble tables!). I ordered a small pot of tea which was just the right size.
Service
Upon entering Soirette, I was offered to sample their tea of the day (a black tea called "Empress") and a small macaron sample (lavender). They were both excellent. I liked having the opportunity to sample before making a decision and even though I chose a different tea and macarons, I would certainly order both of these in the future. 
Value
I found this establishment to be very reasonably priced. Each macaron is $2.00 and a small pot of tea is $3.25. They also have different sizes and pricing for "to go" tea.
Overall Experience
Overall, I would highly recommend Soirette to anyone at anytime. It was pretty enough that going with a girlfriend or two or female relative would be lovely, but not too pretty that I would not take a man with me. I was a little concerned about the location when I arrived as the room was empty. I thought that perhaps its proximity to office towers may not be appropriate, but very quickly the room was full, so clearly this is something that office workers are looking for as a foil to their grey world (or maybe they just like tea and macarons and there is no drama to it). I sincerely hope that Soirette is successful and that people all over Vancouver and from afar come to enjoy its pleasures. I know I will return time and time again!
Just the Facts
Soirette Macarons & Tea1433 West Pender Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6G 2S3
604.558.3308
hello@soirette.com
www.soirette.com
Visited: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
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