by MARK SLUTSKY

I think I first realized how much I was addicted to Reema Singh’s baking when I found myself surreptitiously slipping into Pharmacie Esperanza to buy one of her peanut butter cookies every time I passed by. Singh honed her skills at Soupe Soup for three years before breaking off on her own and becoming what she called a “freelance baker,” providing desserts for restos like Esperanza, Masala and Rumi, “building a small cookie monopoly in Mile-End,” as she puts it.

I was particularly delighted to discover that Singh’s had her own shop in the works since the summer. Cocoa Locale, which recently opened up on Parc just a block and a bit north of the mountain, is a colourful little bakery with an open kitchen. It’s a one-woman operation—the charming Singh bakes it all and sells it all herself. The emphasis is on desserts, and by desserts I mean cakes. It’s definitely not a classic patisserie. “You have so much fancy-fancy French pastry in Montreal,” Singh explains. “But there’s no cake in this city! Classic ‘grandmother cooking’ is hard to come by, and that kind of baked comfort food is missing. I’m not a pastry chef. I’m a baker. I’m basically a glorified grandma.”

Now, I’ve always been a big fan of cupcakes, and to tell you the truth, it’s rare that I can satisfy my infrequent cravings for the little wonders in this city. So I’m thrilled to let you know that cupcakes are one of Singh’s specialties. They’re real beauties, available in three flavours: chocolate/chai, lemon and vanilla ($3 for one, $15 for six and $5 for the slightly larger cupcake à la deux). The chocolate/chai is a particular favourite of mine. Singh uses exquisite Valrhona chocolate in all of her cocoa concoctions, and the flavour is as rich and deep as the cake is moist.

Also on the single-serve tip are spiced Valrhona brownies ($2), cookies ($1.75)—as I mentioned before, the peanut butter cookies, with a taste strangely redolent of mint, are my favourites—and these crazy peanut butter and strawberry tartelettes ($2). The latter are, according to Singh, “basically peanut-butter-and-jam sandwiches in tart form,” and go particularly well with a glass of milk.

And then, of course, there are the cakes, available usually in three sizes, small ($8–$10), medium ($15–$17) and bundt ($24). Singh’s stock varies from day to day, and she has a wide palette, incorporating some Indian spices like ginger and cardamom in her cakes, which gives the traditional chocolates and vanillas a nice twist. I’m a huge fan of the banana-maple-cinnamon cake, in which the three flavours swirl and twist around each other, meshing perfectly. The bananas make the cake particularly moist—two or three days after bringing one home I still found it fresh and tasty. Also registering high on the moist-meter is the somewhat unconventional chocolate/zucchini bundt. You might not really figure those two would make a natural pair, but miraculously they somehow do—the aforementioned Valrhona pushes aside the vegetable taste and the zucchinis provide the texture, like carrots in a carrot cake. Another unusual-but-delicious combo is the olive oil and lemon cake. You can definitely taste the olive oil, but it acts as an extension to the lemon, deepening and strengthening the flavour. This is definitely a very unusual-tasting dessert. I found it fascinating.

And the list could really go on and on—creamsicle cakes, vanilla and lavender, lemon-ginger tarts... They might not all be there when you go by, but chances are you’ll find something delicious. If you’re a cake-lover, Cocoa Locale is definitely a vital addition to the Mile-End neighbourhood, and even the city itself. It’s unpretentious, delicious and one of the friendliest little shops you’re ever likely to walk into.

TIPS? QUESTIONS? COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF? E-mail eattothebeat@gmail.com

Cocoa Locale
ADDRESS: 4807 du Parc PHONE: 271-7162
HOURS: Wed–Fri 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sat–Sun 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
BEST FEATURES: Either the cupcakes or the
maple cinnamon banana cake
ALCOHOL: No
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Of course (though not
particularly vegan-friendly)
CREDIT CARDS: No
NO-SMOKING SECTION: No “sections” to speak of
PRICE: Individual servings are in the $2-$3 range, cakes run between $8-$24
RATING: *** and a 1/2 out of ****