Julien is Mumbai’s most stylish dessert drop, and it tastes as good as it looks

When multiple boxes of Julien’s patisserie arrived at our office, it felt more like unboxing a fashion editorial than a dessert tasting. Each piece seemed to carry its own personality, a careful balance of flavour and visuals. Julien, the new design-led dessert house from Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality, wanted us to pause, look, and indulge, and it is safe to say, it succeeded. 

The Macadamia Muse, one of their 'Runway pieces', arrives as a full-sized cake, and it didn't waste a moment making an impression. The macadamia brownie base was dense yet tender, carrying just the right hint of salted caramel before giving way to a silky caramel mousse. It's the sort of cake you slice slowly, appreciating how breathtaking it looks while its layers are unveiled. 

But it's the cookies that bring Julien’s playful side to life. While Matcha Blush balances the earthy bite of Japanese matcha with a gentle sweetness, Mandarin Glow is a subtle surprise with its bright citrus notes. The freshness of Mandarin gel and candied orange stands out because of the earthy pistachio praline. Layering a cookie is an art, and Mandarin Glow's combination easily makes it a showstopper. Each cookie is baked to perfection, making it equal parts crunchy and buttery, with just the right amount of sweetness.

Then there were the Crinkle Walnut brownies, which were rich, nutty, and lightly spiced, while the Crinkle Cacao brownies were more chocolatey with an almost fudgy interior. 

But what truly stole the show were Julien's tea cakes, which were just the right amount of sweet and flavourful. The Carrot Loaf is warmly spiced and naturally sweet, while Dulce Almond offers a nutty, subtly caramelised depth. One imagines a pound cake to be on the denser side, but the spoon just cut through the fluffy, moist interior on impact. The generous use of milk chocolate almond glaze on the latter struck a perfect balance between slippery smoothness and crunch.

Julien is not trying to be a conventional patisserie. Rather, it wants to position itself as a design-led collection of desserts that demand attention both visually and on the palate. From full-sized cakes to petite cookies and tea cakes, it has something for everyone. So if your idea of dessert is more than just sugar and butter, Julien is worth a taste.

All images: The brand

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