A l’Etoile d’Or

Madame Acabo and A L’Etoile d’Or will be returning! The grand re-​opening is scheduled for November 3^rd! Very excited about such wonderful news!

Oh NO! I cannot believe Denise will not be returning! This was one of my favorite shops in Paris. Such a shame. She will be missed!

I attempted to go to this place today, June 16^th 2014 and it is closed down. Be aware!

Tried to go to this place on a trip to paris in April 2014 and it was completely closed down for good. I figured I should write a review here so people don’t go out of their way for a closed shop like I did :)

Beyond the strip clubs and cobblestones, there is chocolate, damned good Bernachon chocolate, and Henri Le Roux salted butter caramels.
I owe my new cavity to David Lebovitz and his list, «10 Insanely Delicious Things You Shouldn’t Miss in Paris,» because that’s where he talks about the god forsaken caramels and this adorable little chocolate store.
It’s not exactly cheap. You can easily drop a hundred euro, maybe two, but it’s worth it. The owner will probably be there, and she’s so warm and charming. Such a pleasure!
The only reason to go to Montmartre, in my book.

The ability to purchase Bernachon chocolate here is worth the trip alone. If you haven’t heard of Bernachon chocolate, Google it. It is as delicious as it sounds. Creamy, flavorful, and comes in a bajillion (okay just A LOT) of creative delicious flavors. Owner Denise Acabo is charming, but doesn’t speak a lot of English. No one in the store really does, so just poke around and buy your candy. They give you a little tray. Lots to choose from. Not just chocolate based– they have fruit pates, caramels, hard candy, and more! But again, Bernachon chocolate is worth the trip alone. Now go!

Although I had my fill of chocolates during my stay in Brussels, I still had time to stop by A L’Etoile d’Or to indulge in some fine sweets. The store offers numerous chocs & yes, the owner speaks very little English but she was so warm & friendly. Just point to the chocolate u want & u will be in heaven. 4 Stars!

We were charmed by Denise Acabo when we walked in. I had been encouraged to buy caramels from her by a friend in New York and had seen the video on line. She was running around the shop, encouraging us to taste different caramels and told us how famous she was and how fast the caramels would sell if we we were foolish enough not to buy them. I bought 5 small/​medium bags of caramels, signed the sales slip, and after we left, I realized I had spent 125 euros. I felt nauseous and sick to my
stomach. I gave a few bags to a friend for her son in Los Angeles, and decided to return the rest the next morning before going back to New York. (i had trouble sleeping that night. I was really upset!!). Upon entering the shop at 10am when it opened, I put the caramels on the counter and began explaining why I wanted to return the caramels. To my astonishment, Denise told me I had not brought any caramels into the shop. Those on the counter were hers and not mine. I was flabbergasted, almost lost control, but couldn’t do anything about it. She said she felt sorry for me and gave me a small bag of caramels (less expensive than those I had brought back) and sent me on my way. I was speechless. This woman is a crook.
The caramels are good.

How this shop doesn’t have thousands of reviews lavish with praise, I’m not sure.
This shop, hands down, has the best selection of chocolate and candy from all over France. The chocolate isn’t inexpensive, but it’s lavish, luxurious and while you might buy bars as gifts for friends, you’ll find it very, very hard to part with them.
Denise doesn’t speak a ton of English (she had some staff that did when we were there) but her enthusiasm is outstanding. Those who have pointed out David Lebovitz’s blog post about her are the lucky ones — in the know.
There are plenty of places to buy chocolates and candy in Paris — but treat yourself with a stop at this wee shop. Don’t expect cheap stuff, but do expect your tastebuds to thrill. And as an extra treat, if you’re there near Easter… oo la la. The Easter candies are superb.

The price of most Parisian things mirror the cost of doing business in such an expensive city. This place is no exception. I do not mind paying more when the output is a truly outstanding product, more if I cannot get it in the states. I do however, mind when the quality is lacking.
Sorry to be the lone dissenter here but I feel like I’ve been ripped off. Just because something is handmade, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. I bought 55 Euros worth of candy home for me. I bought 2 Bernachons, one that’s still in my fridge. The Amande was okay with caramel and almonds but it’s a bit too sweet for my blood. It’s very dense but I could not tell the difference between other inexpensive brands and this one. I’m not looking forward to the Kalouga anymore.
Also bought some salt caramels and while they were buttery, some of the offbeat flavors like the raspberry was just tart and awful. I did like the seasonal apple one. But again, not 5 Euros good or however much it cost. I didn’t ask for the price and I wouldn’t care if the quality matched the price.
I also got a hard tin of caramels w/​coffee filling. Yes, they’re good but they’re not THAT good. Some coffee nips would have sufficed and I still would have my BFs money in my pocket. While I did not meet Denise, I did meet her worker who was a pleasant Japanese girl. Except she spoke 5 more languages than I do. So I will give my rating an additional star for quality help.
You don’t get much for 55 Euros. I’m beginning to think that French things are expensive because they employ inefficient methods or they are secret capitalists. The only people who pay for that type of inefficiency are stupid tourists who read blogs of some random stranger on the internet and then go and buy whatever this person said was good. Like me. I don’t even follow him, nor am I planning to. Next time I will buy 1 thing a stranger recommends not 5 and see for myself. I did buy & enjoy the Paris bakery app from David though. Of course, his preferences do not mirror mine and shouldn’t since I have my tastes and he has his. That’s not to say I don’t like anything he likes, just not everything but I don’t have time, nor do I care to wade through what is and isn’t. I’m saying that you don’t have to sacrifice a limb for quality things sometimes. The streets of Paris are filled with eateries that are traps and places where you don’t want to Unilocal about until you’ve left Paris so you can keep it all to yourself and not have to deal with the groupies of the Davids of the world. I’m beginning to think David’s blog is an advertisement for this place.
I’ve made caramel at home with pure butter and sugar and I know it didn’t cost me a lot in terms of time and supplies. I wonder how much gold is going into these that I can’t see. Never again.

Like a lot of people, I read D. Lebovitz’s blog and learned about Madame Acabo and her confiserie. Added it to my list of to-​do. Glad I did.
Let me preface that I hate prunes. Loathe them. But the ones cooked in armagnac that were so highly lauded, oh boy! They’re worth their weight in gold! Converted a few friends via the 2 tins I brought home. Worked out my wallet by purchasing many packages of candy omiyage. Madame has a trilingual Japanese employee, in order to work with the high amount of Japanese tourist clientele she receives consistently. (She told me this, after she had asked me in English if I was Japanese. I replied in French that I was American w/​Chinese origins. She smiled and rapid fire gave me a tour of her shop with all her faves and why they’re her faves)
The kid cousin found Madame creepy, I found her eccentrically cute and passionate about her wares. :)
Le p’t trouvé Madame 1 peu effrayant a cause de la tenue d’écolière (moi, je l’ai trouvée excentrique et passionné de ses marchandises).

I’m not one to blindly follow some random internet blog. (Or even a famous person’s blog) but my friend sent me a link of places to visit while in paris which led me to the little shop right near Moulin Rouge.
This is the article that drew me to the place:

And given I was stay a mear 5 min walk from this place, I HAD to visit, and boy am I glad i did. (granted my wallet feels otherwise, stuff is pricey folks!)
I walk in and am instantly greeted by the owner, Denise Acabo. Now, she doesn’t speak much (read: VERY LITTLE) english, but boy is she super excited to have people in her shop. Her passion comes out when showing you around her tiny store.
I ended up buying a box of the nougat. 5 bags of caramels, and 4 slabs of the Bernachon chocolates — 2 hazelnut and 2 half and half (dark/​milk mixed).
I might have to go back and see if she has any of the salted caramel filled ones before I leave.

My suggestion is to read about A L’Etoile d’Or on David Lebovitz’s blog. He gives a great and accurate review of the place, and especially of the woman who owns it!
Caramels melt in your mouth. Chocolate is top-​notch and pure. DEFINITELY a good place for souveniers, or just personal treats (I got both!)

Everything about the store is highly charming, the layout, atmosphere and certainly Denise. The variety of chocolate is out of the world, and Denise exhibits a TON of passion for chocolate. I highly recommend the Bernachon chocolate. The only reason I gave four out of five stars is because of the somewhat high prices. As of this writing, Bernachon chocolate bars are 10 € 90, and the other pieces of chocolate are a little high. Take that as a heads-​up, but not a deterrent from experiencing this truly remarkable chocolate shop.

A one of a kind store that is a must see while in Paris. We spent hours there on our last visit, and were lucky enough to be guided through the store by Denise Acabo. Wonderful lady with so much joy. If you like high end confections you won’t be disappointed.

Madame Acabo is such a sweetheart. To this day my son recalls her calling him chouchou and how she excitedly showed him all the chocolates he could ever dream off. I was mesmerized by the table full of Bernachon chocolate bars and did not noticed how my child had practically filled the platter Madame was holding for him with Bernachon chocolate bon bons. Oh mon dieu! Imagine that — my child speaks very limited French and Madame speaks limited English yet they sure shared the language of chocolates!
Do not forget to grab a few of those Bernachon bars — your family/​friends would be very lucky to receive those from you. However, if they don’t want it, let me know and I’ll take them off your hands. :) Try the Kalouga, Mendiant, Mocha… oh heck try them all! They also carry fabulous Caramel Buerre Sale! Service is great and the place is jam packed with treasures. Worth the visit!

Denise is a character. She dresses in a schoolgirl outfit and pigtails but she’s old enough to be my grandmother. She knows almost no English and my grasp of French is horrendous. But that doesn’t matter, because she knows the way to my heart is really good candy, and therefore I am madly in love with her.
A L’Etoile d’Or is small and packed to the gills with artisinal candy that you can’t get anywhere else, all carefully chosen by Denise and all delicious. Caramels from Henri La Roux (salted butter, of course, although there are different varieties) are perhaps the best anywhere, and she carries Bernachon chocolates and is the only one outside of Lyon to do so. Bernachon makes their chocolate from scratch — this means they roast and grind their own cocoa beans.
There is also chocolate for «Anti Stress» which are labelled so, and other kinds of candy and confections. It’s a little overwhelming and a lot wonderful.
Denise will take you around the shop and show you what’s what and help you pick out exactly what to bring back in careful, halting English or rapid French, but always with a smile. She will carefully wrap your purchases up in paper that has a «joke» (it’s more like a cleverly drawn comic. You have to see it to know what I’m talking about). If you have any sort of sweet tooth, or you have friends back home who have one, you must go see her.

Un sublime endroit hors du temps qui nous renvoie dans notre enfance. Que des produits de qualité et surtout goûter le mandarion de chez Bochard… Fabuleux ! sans oublier les caramels Le Roux (et notamment le CBS), les chocolats Bernachon, les sublimes Praslines de Mazet et ce qui doit être la plus ancienne confiserie: le Cotignac d’Orléans (gelée de coing)… Certains «râleront» pour les prix mais faut savoir se faire plaisir et la qualité à un prix et puis franchement vous croyez que ça vaut moins cher que d’aller dans une chaîné de chocolatier belge !!!

Ah la mère Denise ! Ça c’est sur, elle s’y connait en matière de chocolats et autres sucreries de qualité !
Il faut dire qu’avec une maman dans le métier, ça aide à faire une vocation !
Car à 75 ans et toujours bon pied, bon œil, cette très sympathique jeune dame continue à conseiller depuis 39 ans, toujours avec la même passion, les clients un peu perdus qui entrent dans cette boutique d’un autre temps.
Mais au-​delà de ce sympathique personnage, il y a surtout derrière, des produits d’une qualité exceptionnelle. Tous les meilleurs artisans français ou presque, ont leur produits bien alignés sur les étagères de cette boutique qui n’a pas changé depuis 39 ans.
Une véritable caverne d’Ali Baba remplie de sucreries, de chocolats (Bernachon, Gillote, Leroux, Bonnat…), de sublimes guimauves (j’ai malheureusement oublié le nom de fabriquant) lesquelles sont probablement les meilleures que j’ai jamais dégustées… Une texture parfaite, ni trop humide, ni trop farineuse, d’aspect parfaitement lisse (et pas fripé comme on voit parfois) et surtout des arômes présents mais pas trop. Un vrai délice.
Idem côté chocolats, on se fait vraiment plaisir avec Bernachon et sa couronne de noisette du Piémont, son amande princesse, son praliné chocolat…
Leroux nous régale de son caramel beurre salé.
Ce sont des chocolats parfaitement maitrisés aussi bien en terme d’équilibre des goûts qu’en matière de texture.
On né trouve vraiment que du très bon à l’étoile d’or… Mais la contrepartie, c’est évidement qu’il se vend à prix d’or…
Compter 120 EUR du kilo pour les chocolats, 2,20 EUR les 2 petites barrettes de guimauve, 4 à 5 EUR la plaque de 100g de chocolat Bonnat, 10 EUR pour celle de Bernachon.
Bref, le plaisir sucré a un prix plutôt salé. Mais c’est tellement bon
…

Denis is a personality.
She isi the only retailer of BERNACHON chocolate — Bernachon de Lyon/​France and the maison Bocuse/​Lyon/​France are very well connected by marriage, — on the whole planet, she does have GUIMAUVES de exellent quality and will show you the most forgotten and hard to find sweet tresures in france.
You don’t need to travel.
Just go there.

«I guess that’s one less person I’m bringing home chocolate to.»
Although I came to buy chocolate as gifts, I couldn’t help to rip into a little baggy nicely wrapped chocolate after leaving the store. The little shop is a wonderful place packed with chocolate and candy from wall to wall, inch to inch. After much contemplation, I randomly picked chocolate pieces from the case at the middle of the shop.
They have a great variety and I would really suggest trying the rose flavored one.
The experience itself of being around so many treats is enough to warrant a visit. It seems the pigtailed Denise Acabo does not known English well, but her employee did and was incredibly kind and helpful. (No offense to other French store owners and their attitudes.)
My only qualm is that the price is a bit steep, each little piece cost about 1 Euro and the bars of Bernachon chocolate go for 7 – 8 Euro.

It’s imperative to seek this place out when visiting Paris. Sure, Laduree is famous, and very popular, for their macaroons but they don’t have Denise Acabo (owner). This woman is completely passionate about what she sells and her customers. You just can’t help but leave with a huge smile and a bag full of candy. The chocolate and candy is great, but meeting this woman makes it all the sweeter of an experience.

Bonbons, chocolats, confiseries… c’est un peu le paradis des gourmands l’Etoile d’or ! Quand je passé par la capitale, je fais ma réserve de gourmandises à cette boutique ! C’est pas très grand mais la boutique est charmante et c’est délicieusement bon. On a vraiment envie de tout manger !

Dès l’entrée dans le magasin, une délicieuse odeur de chocolat vous envahit.
On va chez Denise aussi bien pour le plaisir des yeux que pour celui des papilles. Bonbons, chocolats, caramels, emballés de paquets et rubans multicolores.
Difficile de faire un choix raisonné !

Cette boutique style Art Déco est sous l’enseigne de Denise depuis les décennies. Denise est un personnage comme dans un film. Malgré sa tenue de petite écolière, elle est l’une des expertes en chocolat le plus réputé en France. Elle connait tous les meilleurs chocolatiers dans le pays, et elle est souvent la seule à distribuer leur produits à Paris. Une boîte de chocolat chez Denise est la crème de la crème du chocolat français car Denise sélectionne que les meilleurs produits de chaque marque. Donc pour les amateurs du chocolat, A l’Etoile d’Or est une adresse incontournable.

Encore une confiserie, je suis gourmande, normal ! On vient ici pour ses spécialités de confiseries françaises. On y trouve les meilleurs caramels de Paris. On vient aussi pour voir Denise Abacco avec ses tresses blondes et son kilt. La boutique elle-​même est magnifique, des miroirs partout, du carrelage, des boiseries, enfin une vraie confiserie comme dans le temps.

Impossible de passer devant sans s’arrêter… au risqué de freiner, stopper et créer un accident avec les rollers, on a souvent un mini-​rassemblement devant la vitrine de ce magasin…
Et je né parle que de la vue… des bonbons, caramels et chocolats enrubannés, empaquetés que déjà on passé des heures à regarder…
Entrez et humez… là c’est l’odorat qui vous titille… vous fermez les yeux et né pensez qu’à une chose: sentir fondre une de ses chocolats sous votre palais…
Un délice…

Au milieu de la cohu de South Pigalle, il existe un refuge de douceurs acidulées, une échoppe authentique aux boiseries début du siècle, un paradis sucré qui adoucit la bouche et le cœur. Denise vous y accueille avec le sourire. Toujours vêtue de son kilt, elle joue les coquine. Caramels de tatin, chocolats de Lyon, aux grains de cacao torréfiés à Mada, Bahia ou ailleurs. Elle connaît par cœur jusqu’à l’histoire de la confiserie en France et remet au goût du jour des saveurs oubliées.
Une force de caractère et de tempérament aussi dans un bonbon sucrée, c’est un peu la marque de fabrique de la maison et ce qui fait son charme. On y rentre à pas de velours pour s’enivrer de délicieux parfums et en ressort tout retourné les bras chargés de nouveautés.

Entre Pigalle et le Moulin-​Rouge, la boutique de Denise Acabo est un refuge pour les amateurs de chocolats et de confiseries. Accéder à l’Étoile d’Or c’est effectuer un retour en enfance en compagnie d’une gentille dame en kilt, nattes et cravate qui depuis plus de 30 ans adore gâter les visiteurs et ouvrir le coffre aux merveilles.
Dans cette boutique à l’ancienne, entre boiseries et miroirs, carrelage et vitrines, toute la fine fleur des artisans confiseurs et chocolatiers défile sous nos yeux: les chocolats de chez Bernachon de Lyon, les Macarons des Sœurs de chez Genot à Nancy, les ganaches aux fruits de Bourgogne par Fabrice Gillotte à Dijon, les caramels au beurre salé de Le Roux à Quiberon, le Négus de Nevers, les guimauves, les berlingots et l’on repart avec ses achats enveloppés dans des feuilles de papier d’Épinal.
La patronne goûte à tout et sélectionne les meilleurs faiseurs qui doivent lui plaire avant de satisfaire nos envies de douceurs sucrées.
Denise est une star, les plus grands chefs sont ses amis et la Presse internationale lui consacre des pages en couleurs