Thomass Hass....orgasmic!

Thomas Haas Patisserie and Cappuccino Bar
Unit 128, 998 Harbourside Drive, North Vancouver, BC, V7P 3T2

Opening Hours:Tuesday - Saturday: 8am-5:30pm Sunday & Monday: Closed


I use to be a chocolate fiend. I am a woman! But in the past few years, I have really started to lose my interest. It all started when I was in Ireland and I decided to give up alcohol and chocolate for lent. I’m not even religious but I thought it’d be fun because every Irish person does it! Well I finished lent that year without cracking (and I was even in Belgium during Lent and I didn’t touch any chocolate!!!) and I was just really proud of myself. Anyways, ever since then, I was never hugely into chocolate.
But the tide might be turning. Tucked into a secluded corner in the middle of a non-descript industrial park in North Vancouver is Thomas Hass’s Patisserie and Cappuccino Bar! Oh thank heavens!!! If you haven’t heard about Thomas Hass, well you are missing out. This guy is a legend in the pastry world! In 2001, Thomas Hass won FIRST Prize in ALL categories (Best in Chocolate, Best in Sugar, Best in Table Design and Best Overall) at the Valrhona National (North American) Pastry Team Championships. In 2002, The Vancouver Sun Restaurant Awards awarded Thomas/Senses (RIP) with BEST Chocolates, BEST Desserts, BEST Croissant and BEST French Pastries. The Vancouver Magazine awarded Thomas/Diva at the Met with BEST LAST COURSE for the years 2001, 02, 03, 04, 05 & 06. Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie was awarded BEST LAST COURSE for 2007. AND Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates was named one of the TOP 20 Artisan Chocolatiers in Chocolatier Magazine’s 20th anniversary issue (Feb/March 2004). Woah is right! So he knows a little something-something about desserts!
Well with all the accolades, I just had to try this place out and luckily, with work, I was in North Vancouver on Wednesday and made the trip to his little café. It really is in the most unassuming place. Right across from Bodwell High School (lucky kids!) and in some sort of business/industrial park, you can totally overlook it. Once you step inside of the place, though, it’s like heaven. I honestly felt like I was a kid in a candy store (duh! I was in a candy store!). I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. It was just pure excitement! In front of me was a glass display of all the chocolates they hand make right in the back of the store. It was pretty full on this Tuesday afternoon and right away, you get a sense that these people come here often. I walked up to the counter, bright eyed and all and the girl who helped me was super helpful. It was obvious I was too overcome by anticipation and so she made a few suggestions and I ended up with 8 pieces of chocolate (at 95cents each), a non-fat latte and an almond sablee. As I was waiting for my items, the girl informs me that the merlot infused caramel chocolate was made fresh that day! She didn’t have to say anymore. Although I had bought one in my choice of 8, I decided that I just had to have one right then and there. She directed me to the wall on the side and said that they sometimes leave samples in the drawers and told me to check it out. The wall as actually just a thin divider between the café and the production line and behind there, I saw all the chocolate being delivered on a belt to be packaged!!!! It was soooo cool! Kinda like that “I Love Lucy” episode where Lucy and Ethel were working in some candy place! But these guys are professionals. If it was me in there tho, I’d defiantly be stuffing my face and shirt with as much chocolate as I can. So I didn’t get my free sample from the wall but I was just going to buy a piece separately, but the girl could see how much I wanted it so she just gave it to me for free! Amazing chocolate and for free?!?!? Yes…pure heaven. And so here goes, right then and there, I put the chocolate in my mouth and…well it was just perfect! The chocolate melts in your mouth and you can taste a hint of merlot in the soft, gooey caramel in the center. I must have had the look of pure ecstasy because this guy at the counter just stared smiling and said “It’s so nice to see someone just enjoy their chocolate.” Hahahha! Did I ever enjoy it! I collected my coffee and cookie and, with the sun shining in my face, I just thought to myself “boy it’s good to be alive!”
All the other pieces of chocolate was just as sensational too! Everyone I gave it to (yes..I actually did share!) said it was just perfectly made. The almond sable was full of buttery goodness and it was the perfect compliment with my coffee.
It is a bit of a trek to get out to Thomas’s patisserie but I wouldn’t think of it as a trek…more like a pilgrimage to the holy place…that is if you belong to the church of sweets like me! It’s defiantly worth it! Honestly though, with the discovery of this place, I don’t know if I can ever really give up chocolate again…kinda glad it’s so far from my house! But next time it’s on to the croissants and sandwiches. Oh here’s to counting down the days until I meet with Thomas Hass again!

PS. He was actually there! I saw Thomas Hass and he said hi to me! :D oh he’s soooo dreamy…..