Driven by chocolate

When Chef Ely Salar named his first brick-and-mortar outlet the Pâtisserie Le Choux-Colat, it was a smart play on words and a marrying of two of his culinary loves—the choux dough pastries he’s known for, and for the chocolate flavors that often form the base of, or adorn, his pastry creations. Choux is literally French for cabbage, describing the irregular shape of the light pastry dough used when making cream puffs, éclairs, profiteroles, beignets, and so on. 

Originally an online and pop-up sensation, Chef Ely and his partner/wife, Jiannina, have taken that plunge into a free-standing store, after the enthusiastic response that Ely and his creations would garner over the years. It is, literally, a dream come true for the couple, and it’s on the second floor of the Podium, that you’ll find the first Pâtisserie Le Choux-Colat. Be assured there’ll be other Choux-Colat’s in due time, as the pâtisserie’s products are too good not to be further developed by the various upscale malls of Metro Manila. 

There are the entremet cakes that the pâtisserie first turned heads with, and the store at the Podium will carry mini-versions of these cakes. Then, there are the Gâteaux de Voyage, a pound cake that’s festooned with delicious versions of chocolate and additional flavors. They deceptively look like eclairs, but are more filling, densed desserts. 

And in what may be a first for here in Metro Manila, Le Choux-Colat offers chocolate bark that you can buy by the pound. I’ve seen these in top flight European chocolate brands, as represented in Hong Kong and Singapore. It’s now available at Ely Salar’s, and as the batches of bark are made fresh by Ely, utilizing both cacao beans sourced locally, and from abroad, the freshness and quality of this bark is to be envied.
At the tasting event I was invited to, a sampler was prepared so we could appreciate the stories behind each of Ely’s creation. Accompanying these desserts, we had the choice of his finest blended coffee, or his Batirol chocolate drink—iced or served hot.

As for the sampling platter: Almond Praline is soft, luscious chocolate with almond bits to give it a nutty flavor and texture. I loved how Chef Ely adorned this with an edible flower. Chocolate Rocher is their perennial bestseller, it’s hazelnut mixed with dark chocolate and hints of sponge cake. Banana Chocolate is Ely’s fondness for banana bread spawned this creation, and it’s also one of the more popular gateauxs. I really enjoyed the carrot cream cheese as it’s a happy departure from what we’d expect from Choux-Colat. The cream cheese ingredient is super! Tablea Nut Brittle is another one that Chef Ely wants to stamp as very Pinoy, and it works beautifully. Calamansi bavarian has calamansi grown in Ely’s own Leyte farm. This one doesn’t rely on flavoring, but real calamansi. Chocolate gateaux is the very first of the entremet cakes that the Pâtisserie grew its reputation on, and there’s true magic here, with the layers of chocolate, cake, and crunch. Mango Magnifique was developed just a year ago. This one truly carries its name, as the taste of our Filipino mango is expertly carved into the sponge cake and cream that combine masterfully.

Chef Ely hails from Leyte, and his own farm, El Fortunella, is where he now sources a wide range of his ingredients, including cacao beans. It’s part of his drive to inject elements of sustainability in his food business. He’s also supporting local cacao farming communities in Mindanao. 

The guiding principle behind Choux-Colat is to offer affordable premium quality desserts and make their desserts accessible to the general public; and their hashtag is #EverydayMadeSpecial. As Chef Ely likes to say, “his creations don’t require a special occasion to be enjoyed. The moment is the occasion.”