Blèsque is Hands Down the Best Éclair Spot in Vladimir - Don't Miss Their 'Vladimir's Éclairs'!

Hello there!

Blèsque, or Bliss as they call themselves, is a popular Vladimir pastry and chocolate atelier located at 2A, Devicheskaya Street. If you're strolling through Vladimir's center and decide to visit one of the top-rated spots, you can't miss Blèsque - it's right in the heart of the city's famous restaurants and cafes.

I noticed the adorable light pink building and enticing sign during my previous visit, but I didn't feel like trying out another coffee and dessert spot at the time. This need was more than fulfilled elsewhere. This time, we wanted to zip past again, but the freezing cold outside and our car's warmth in the parking lot made us want to escape. So, we ducked into Blèsque for a warm coffee and dessert, and found out it has a pretty impressive menu!

The atmosphere is cozy, and the dim lighting outside wasn't overwhelming. The style is nice and consistent. As you step in, you'll be greeted by a stunning display case filled with sweet treats, making it impossible to walk by without stopping and grabbing a few pastries or candies. Plus, once you start looking at them, you'll know you need to try them.

I haven't seen desserts like these in a long time - they're visually stunning (truly with a shine) and perfectly presented.

As for prices, it's tough to say, since you won't find anything cheap in a decent confectionery (and this place is like a work of art). To me, the pricing is fair.

We picked a table in the central area, right next to the display case. A friendly waitress brought us the menu, suggested a lunch option (we still had time for it), and left us to make up our minds.

Again, I have to mention the atmosphere. Inside, it's really pleasant and comfortable, like stepping into a nice family restaurant (no arcade games here, and it's not geared towards kids for entertainment or activities). With the city's internet issues, we were finally able to connect to civilization via Wi-Fi while waiting for our order.

One thing that did let me down was the seasonal chill inside, which was exacerbated by the constant draft from new visitors and delivery staff. The pastry case was for delivery, and every 7-10 minutes, someone would come and go, making us feel quite uncomfortable and prompting us to look for an exit. But to my surprise, the restaurant wasn't just one room - it had another spacious area!

The new area was completely empty, so we were thrilled to move there. Unfortunately, our happiness was short-lived, and we realized why guests weren't flocking here. The Wi-Fi didn't reach this area, so we had to keep going back and forth to respond to messages or check something. Plus, there was a door to the outside for staff and delivery personnel, which they kept using, and we got caught in the cold air from it too. We didn't escape the draft here either, and it was just as chilly as the previous area.

One thing that caught my eye in this space was the big table – we ended up sitting behind it. It's probably designed for a big group, but it's super comfy for lounging on those super-long, super-soft couches.

Now, let's talk about the food and ordering process. I'm a sucker for a good story, and this is where I usually go off on a tangent!

The Blesk has these great lunches that aren't super common, and you can get a decent meal for under a thousand rubles until 5 pm. There are a few options: a salad with a hot dish, soup with a hot dish, soup with a salad, or all three for the hungrier crowd. I tried the borscht, kidney bean soup, and – let's be real – classic beef soup. The Caesar salad was a given, and my partner went for that. For hot dishes, I had pasta with a meatball, beef stroganoff with mashed potatoes, and carbonara pasta.

From what I can tell, a salad and a hot dish would've cost around 700 rubles (my partner settled on that), but I took a risk and went for a single pasta dish at the regular price – not because I was trying to save money, but because I didn't want to overeat and leave room for dinner at that fancy restaurant we'd been looking forward to... Although, for the same price, my partner could've had a bowl of soup instead!) I guess that was a weird decision...

My partner ordered the Caesar salad and beef stroganoff, and for dessert, we got some sweet bread that the staff recommended.

For lunch, everything looked decent, and according to my partner, it tasted okay too. But it didn't exactly blow us away – although he's usually pretty picky about food, and it's rare for him to be impressed!)

I ordered a carbonara and a strawberry éclair mojito. According to the waitress, one of the best-selling éclairs, and I can see why. It looked stunning, and the taste was really interesting and refreshing. Unfortunately, the carbonara didn't impress me, but I didn't have high hopes for it anyway. Plus, the circumstances weren't ideal. I had to rush home to order food online for my kid while I was catching a Wi-Fi signal, and everything had gone cold by the time I got back... Cold pasta's a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it thing, to be honest. By the way, a little tip: when registering and ordering delivery on a certain food aggregator with a bird's name, you can get a free dish from Blesk. They're offering the carbonara, a sweet-topped porridge, and a few types of candy. It's a small thing, but it's nice, especially if it's relevant to you.

The tiny, transparent jelly cubes on the éclair reminded me of ice cubes, and the strawberry in the jelly was a whole different level of pleasure! I was also really impressed with the filling. It was sweet, but not too sweet, with a nice tanginess and a subtle strawberry flavor. It was like sitting on a café veranda on a hot summer day, eating fresh strawberries with cream, and following it up with a light, airy biscuit. I highly recommend it!

The coffee was a four out of five with two minus points or a three with a big plus. I wouldn't say it was a complete failure, but our tastes are a bit too subjective. As coffee snobs who even drink freshly roasted coffee at home, we're often biased. The temperature was also a letdown. It was too cold for a chilly day and a cool room, but not warm enough to warm you up. Still, I finished it all with pleasure.

We'd definitely come back to Blèsque on our next visit to Vladimir. The desserts here are among the best we've tried in the city, and there's still so much we want to taste. I wish you the same!