"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate." Charles Dickens
Passion Chocolat was like an old friend. And I missed it when it was gone.
The pâtisserie and cafe on Italska was on my way to work.
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I used to stop by at the stroke of 8:00 a.m. a couple of times a week and pick up a warm pain au chocolate, fresh from the oven. Or a croissant filled with vanilla cream. Or a chocolate cookie. Or all of them.
It was in a bright and modern store-front space in a beautifully constructed building.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YiDTmOC7QMaT6iUYRpde3DZczDfxm3Xg14YdfXs_fI1t0KMDo91lLrBNakHcMO3ge3wDQ2QBocQrv35FxCtbspARaVCWepDro-OY3V30Y0y-_diV7zuyn2VXJKIu7szUmbO7uU2XbMfR/s400/Passion+Int.jpg)
But as the sweet proprietor, Nadine Musso, told me, things weren't working out there.
Five months later, Nadine and her husband Jean-Francois have opened a new place,
Pâtisserie St. Tropez.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbitP8Ujpb6DoxF9XKac0aiGCJjeVglERkyU7TnNHona5hPbebMNyv3NiB5XJ24BUlZF36XrCSfGTarHdVmWndsQDUkkHnnY7QeckbAAkN3-sGZdvRHPg0QGXf_A8d8IGoVHYoZTyUgW4A/s400/Tropez+Int1.jpg)
It is just off Wenceslas Square, in Lucerna's Dům U Nováků.
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The easiest way to find it is from the entrance on Vodičkova. From that side, you can see the cafe's Art Deco exterior.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_BKyk4y4w3FYGSrtz-Z53ZByvx6dEl68XrrmT2D7BJR-ELsVz294EiH1JGEI29FYGQiZfaGXHjtE2V8gZCzAPG-bV2We7VeQIZCfTM3svNqSBDKMRALsJqn22wyBolqACfbz0IoOJqV0/s400/Tropez+Ext.jpg)
The good news is that all the French-style cakes and pastries are just the same as they were before.
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Personally, I'm partial for anything with chocolate. Or creams. Or custards.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmzmQZzZJ6jlBACY-kBt6wy4Oj1d72QQdFZyeicZA0LEzGZrfbcnJgvOY8m0mdB9D4MXbfJcJPWrQnegAw7JlSpKnF78bFvrrZWpQosz7KLLvhwEkc78VVBVdXo6gepT9v9GMSUVgb1UN/s400/Tropez+Cakes2.jpg)
They have whole cakes, as well. They really are edible works of art.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdP0h8Dz-JGBoew4Gg0mYLX1OzaqAfV9oSI30S5jlMxRQkF2I9xHC1pmqJ3mAobfqG_7tV5HCK7vZzKUMlLJ9v7R9Is5EanVBC2VmjoVG6g-wYMUxgavoKmIlR_QkQT7t8UPHhmOAcQqmQ/s400/Tropez+Cakes.jpg)
Things can get a little nutty - I've heard a few people raving about these sweets.
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Getting back to chocolate, they still make their own special bon bons.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ic6piRoD2flxL0DrAiG4CwhEwzxCy5o6Q7fGiZBHtoPIApVgB_hicTCd89JqVgLauXTLnoWWzLSrz9-D2rwc3_jE-BBSdyfLwNlasKedUrioDA1wdQ5b1hVhHxzvJhxH3gMBEirzYnfO/s400/Tropez+Chocolates.jpg)
They also do special holiday chocolates -- I saw specially designed eggs for Easter. Some of the creations have plenty of kid appeal -- as if the chocolate alone is not enough.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7V0JkQpDTvc0bmw07B4j4agVbLPvlDpgafujD0SuM6WLgDgt9M9dabijKgacYxrboJKfYpuDXrva8s8KEWwuIH-oWFtwCwM5OGwZhnV9Wc2HU5ELoXYcAfk0KdL9jpZFf-cKyMy1FXG4/s400/Tropez+Kid+Choc.jpg)
Speaking of kid appeal, M. Musso makes the chocolates on the premises and you can see him at work through the glass walls.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKzwe1tWmrs-WinGyXbgEUzuwvLaTsWjK4C7MRvt7t_gxHsaUmSZiql0dTsvsPlmrp_np0ppS-xCpMk-np0bDvEK77oyKtMZR4df5XB52rHJ28JGm81UQaemHjEnvzJbwUfrQScQ-bqQf/s400/Tropez+Machines.jpg)
He wasn't producing any while I was there, but I'm sure it's fun to watch.
I like these people, I like their desserts, and I like the look of their new shop.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXqWc00G9GtrqBv25svRJ95OX5gnTIG6pDcwJC0_-c99jCDjoPHh-q4o6-9Eme_gxgBLpVEuBEosj4HG31ugUxv214ZMyMORQoQYbILY44gHQcA1I2MDN0UhRytZzh4L9i14KBopEIMo-/s400/Tropez+Int2.jpg)
I think the new, central location, with a lot of foot traffic, will work out much better for them.
What I don't like is that it is not on my way to work anymore. But it's often worthwhile to go out of your way to see a friend. Especially a friend with chocolate.
Pâtisserie St. Tropez
Palac Lucerna - Dům U Nováků
Vodičkova 30
Tel. (+420) 222 524 333
Mobile (+420) 724 547 565
5 comments:
Read more about la Patisserie Saint Tropez on Lokola (Hledej kolem dokola): http://www.lokola.cz/detail/51530/Patisserie-Saint-Tropez
So glad to hear that they have reopened! I was wondering when that might happen.
I used to go a lot to the Cukrarna Odkolek that was there before. The coffee wasn't very good but the pastries were really fine
It was a nice place to go in the morning they opened at 7.30) to sit down and read the paper quietly while having a small breakfast. I was sorry when they closed and was afraid of what might open next. Nice to see such a fine looking shop has.
I'm so happy to hear that they're back in business. When I heard the shop on Italska closed I was mortified - in my opinion this was one of Prague's finest cafes (albeit, empty...).
Hopefully, the new location will turn out to be a good move for them (I can't see how it'll have the same ambiance though)
They did our wedding cake... I said to my wife back then, the wedding you can handle, but I don't want a dry Czech wedding cake, I want one everyone will remember. I got in touch with Nadine and they made a fantastic chocolate cake, using cocoa instead of flour. It was unbelievable. Everyone still talks about it.
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