Palmier — Restaurant in Chelsea

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I'm always on the hunt for places with a great brunch, and decided to stop by Palmier recently, on my way to snowboarding at Camp Fortune!

I never knew they were the sister shop of Redoorprovisions until I checked out their Instagram page - how cool! Redoorprovisions is one of my favourite cafés in Ottawa - with unique drinks such as a honey lavender latté, grilled cheeses, and baked goods!

Upon entering Palmier, you'll notice that their ceilings are super high and lofty, and that seating is on the second floor overlooking the main floor. It is SUPER cozy above, as you can people watch below!

All their freshly baked goods are on display near the cash, and I love that they are unique! I couldn't resist trying a Frangipane, which had almond, apricot, cheese, and ginger flavours - SO good with a cup of coffee!

Also, the latté I ordered made my day - seriously! This is the FIRST time I've ever received a latté with SWAN latté art on it! I was pleasantly surprised, and amazed at how well the swan was done; just look at the photos! I couldn't stop smiling the entire time as I was drinking it.

Now onto the brunch dishes!

I ADORE smoked salmon, so I couldn't resist trying the Beet & Salmon Gravlax ($17 - add the egg for $1.50)! It was on challah bread, with herby cream cheese, smashed beet, micro-greens, salmon gravlax, pickled cucumber, pickled onion, and dill. This was SO satisfying, with THICK challah bread, and a good amount of salmon.

The other dish I tried was the Shakshuka, which is vegetarian ($17 - of course, I had to add bacon for $1.50. You can also get it vegan, or gluten free)! This came with a spicy tomato and red pepper sauce, poached eggs, parmesan cheese, green onion, ricotta, greens, and challah toast. I would say it was lightly spicy - not too noticeable if you're not one for spice. It is really fun to eat Shakshuka as you can take pieces of the bread and load them up with the rich sauce and bacon!

And for something cozy, I recommend you try their soup of the day (side $4, meal $7). The one I had was Sweet potato with curry and coconut - it was so savoury, it was hard to believe it was vegetarian! It was also gluten-free.

What's unique is that not only is there seating inside, I noticed there was also outdoor seating, as well as a few spots surrounding a fire pit - so cozy! When it's warmer, I'll definitely be back to relax and grab a treat and drink again. I'm curious about their Power Bowl and Poké Bowl as well - let me know if...

They've totally packed it in and sold out. I've been a fan and supporter of Palmier since the beginning. Renee's smiling face was a pleasant welcoming and super intense coffee guy (sorry I don't know your name but you make the best fricken coffee) you will be missed. I've slowly noted the decline in the past few months, service lapses, new employees that were utterly indifferent and food became a sharp departure from the quality, heart stopping and memorable experiences of the past. While the venue remains today, the cutest patio in Chelsea, the shaded canopy and ample parking, now a monument of greatness where at it's core the soul and heart of Palmier is gone. What has become consistently "our produce order hasn't arrived" "were phasing out pastries" "Renee is not here today" Palmier has gone the way of so many perfect businesses, where hard work, quality and determination has given was to price gouging, apathy and soulessness. They says denial gives way to grief and finally acceptance, this morning over my utterly mediocre meal and lack lustre coffee I may have as well been eating a stale funeral sandwich mourning the loss of what was the gem, the embodiment of Chelsea. Bye bye dear friend, Palmier, thank you for the...

This café is absolutely a must stop while you’re in Chelsea. Whether you are staying or taking away this café will serve you well. There’s tons of space upstairs with plenty of electrical plugs and the outdoor space is so beautiful especially in the fall. The aesthetic is on point giving you ready to go take away options from the fridge. Fresh made goods, local beers, wine and coffee. The menu changes seasonally giving you the fresh ingredients in their dishes. My favourite part is getting to choose something new almost every time I stop. The drink menu always has me wanting another, be a latte or a martini they know their stuff behind the bar. The pastries are always mouth watering and it’s hard to only pick one. There’s honestly nothing I could say bad about this place as the staff are so friendly and always make me feel welcomed!

The parking lot is small but there’s lots of parking across the street, just a short walk away. If you’ve never been here before and you’re reading this review take this as your sign you need to go experience it first hand!

• The new French Toast is...