These French cookies are quite popular anywhere. And no, it does not pronounce "Ma-ka-roon", it is pronounced "Ma-ka-hon". Macaroon is a something completely different, and taste like sweetened paper glue.
Macaron is quite a delicate item, and it is definitely not easy to make. I came across three places that sells these wonderful little cookies.
First one that I tried is Paulette Macarons, or known as 'lette Macarons. It has a store in Little Tokyo in Downtown L.A.
Paulette Macaron are small in size, very delicate, with lots of flavors. Some of my favorites are salted caramel, coffee, passionfruit, and earl grey. Paulette's macarons are also one of the few that has delicate designs on the cookies, which many others don't have. Next time, when you are in Little Tokyo, definitely stop by the place and try it out!!!
Bon Epi was discovered by me by accident. I was in the plaza dining, and just glanced at one of their posters. It is an Asian style bakery, with mainly pastries and cakes. They have a decent selection on macarons. The macarons are also slightly cheaper than Paulette's, and bigger. But somehow, the "bigness" makes the maracons look cheap...strange. Bon Epi's macarons are OK flavor-wise, but not comparable to Paulette's. But I will let you be the judge.
Last, but not least, XT patisserie macarons. XT is by far my favorite of them all. It is about the same size as Paulette's, price is about the same. However, the flavors are incredible. I've ordered the box of 12, and each one is a different flavor, and each is so unique on its own. The outside of the cookies has a nice crust, with the soft and chewy inside. The fillings in the middle are rich, yet not too sweet. Macarons are made with a lot of sugar, but XT's are not overpoweringly sweet at all. They are the perfect companion with a cup of tea or coffee.
