During my daily doom scroll, I came across a video of a food reviewer eating an array of beautiful desserts. My first impression was skeptical; there was no way such colorful and unique desserts could taste just as good as they looked. So when I saw that Desserts by Clement in downtown San Diego sold them, I had to go. 

The owner, Clement Le Deore, grew up in France and started baking at 15. He founded Desserts by Clement after participating in “The Great American Baking Show.” 

When I first walked in, I noticed the unique interior design: two hammocks hung from the ceiling, clear tiles covered the walls and wooden chairs with linen padding decorated the floor space. The glass cases contained a wide selection of realistic fruit-shaped desserts, different types of croissants, and dubai chocolate flavored items. 

After narrowing down my choices, I ordered the Mango Cheesecake, the Blackberry Dessert, and The Mushroom. 

The Mango Cheesecake was a realistic mango layered with cheesecake crust, cheesecake mousse, and mango puree. I’m normally not the biggest fan of cheesecake, but this pastry changed my mind. The first bite surprised me with its  light and fluffy texture from the cheesecake mousse. When combined with chewy bits of mango, the texture hit just right. In a matter of seconds the beautiful dessert had been reduced to nothing but crumbs. 

The Blackberry Dessert was everything I expected it to be and more. The outward appearance was stunning with its deep blue glaze and glittering puree. The inside consisted of a light lavender mousse and blackberry jam. The dessert melted in my mouth. The lavender mousse was not too overpowering, allowing room for the blackberry flavor to still be distinguishable. As a lavender lover, I can say this dessert was by far the best thing I have ever tasted. 

The Mushroom was the most unique piece the bakery had to offer and  looked straight out of a fairytale garden. A three-inch white chocolate cylinder held up the hazelnut mushroom top and inside the stem, dark chocolate mousse and a thin brownie filled its layers. I loved how each bite of smooth mousse had a hazelnut aftertaste while the brittle chocolate exterior gave the perfect combination of textures. 

I would rate Desserts by Clement a 5/5. Each pastry is a unique work of art with drastically different personalities. I can’t wait to go again and try all the other desserts the shop has to offer.