Dominique Ansel's Las Vegas Bakery Is ... Underwhelming TikTok
Outside of Vine and the Harlem Shake, one of the most popular trends to come from 2013 was the cronut. The croissant-donut hybrid, crafted and invented by award-winning French pastry chef Dominique Ansel, made a statement when it was released to the high-fashion area of Soho, New York, in May of 2013.
Essentially, the cronut is a donut made from the same layered pastry dough as a croissant. It is then filled with various creams and decorated with a sugar glaze and icing. The crossover pastry quickly became an Instagrammable icon, forming hour-long lines around Ansel's bakery. Ansel invented the cronut after wanting to craft a special dessert for Mother's Day. However, because he didn't have a donut recipe, he decided to layer some dough and shape it like a donut. Three months later, Ansel finalized the cronut recipe and began selling cronuts regularly.
Dominique Ansel Las Vegas, located in Caesars Palace, opened to the public in October 2022. It was Ansel's fourth location and featured exclusive items only available on the Strip. These pastries quickly garnered mass attention both in-person and online. But not everyone was a fan of the designer pastries — TikTok food reviewer Keith Lee was especially unimpressed.
The pastries ranked low on Lee's list
Keith Lee, known on TikTok for reviewing local food in Las Vegas, stopped by to try a few pastries from Dominique Ansel's bakery. He began with a signature item: Frozen S'mores. The menu describes this as a torched marshmallow with vanilla ice cream inside, priced at around $10. Lee rated the dessert a 6/10 due to the toasted marshmallow's chilly temperature and "bland" taste. "I mean, it was cool, but it wasn't crazy," he commented.
Other pastries that ranked mildly on his list were the Goldfish (4/10) and the Four Leaf Clover (5.5/10), which was essentially mousse and chocolate designed to look like the lucky plant. Lee stated that the tiny decorative chocolate on the top ranked the highest out of anything. "If that chocolate was a chocolate bar, it would get a 9/10." He similarly ranked the fuzzy clovers highly; the jelly did not fair the same fate. "This one brought the score down to a 5.5/10 overall 'cause this is like a 1."
At the bottom of Lee's list was another signature Valentine's Day item, the "You're My Pick Cherry Basket." Here, a basket of flavored mousse and gelée is crafted to look like a handful of vibrant cherries. After taking a bite, he immediately shook his head, wrapped up the box, and pushed it away. He then ranked it a 0/10 due to its bitterness and texture. "That's the first zero I've given out in a long time."
TikTok has mixed reactions about Ansel's food
Nothing better summarizes TikTok's reaction to Dominique Ansel's pastries than Jack M's comment: "It all looks so fancy. But if I've learned anything, the fancier it looks, the worse it tastes."
We've all been told at one time or another that it's "what's on the inside that matters most." The same goes for our food. While Ansel's treats may look visually appealing, many viewers agreed that the chef's food could have been better. "Places like those care more about presentation than the actual taste," TikTok user @anamercedes274 commented. Another account even admitted to working at Ansel's bakery and agreed that "everything is so mid and overhyped."
Others noted the similarities between Ansel's Las Vegas and New York shops. The underlying factors? They were both overly flaunted and ultimately a let-down. "I waited 4 hours in New York to try his cronut after already ordering online..." TikTok user Tyson Hake said. "I was so disappointed."
However, Ansel had a few fans who stood by his side. They argued that his treats were delicious and unique, offering something different to the palate. One of those supporters was Lindsay Stewart, known online as @thelasvegasfoodie. In a video posted on Instagram, Stewart commented, "That [pink Himalayan sea salt] eclair is amazing. I've never had anything like that before." "Just don't get the croissants, they were mediocre," a viewer replied.