Cuervo y Marquis on Ossington bakes up delicious pastries of impeccable quality that are hard to find anywhere else.

Alex Cuervo and Clive Marquis, the dynamic duo behind the bakery cafe, aim to build a bridge in the neighbourhood through embracing simplicity with a modern touch.

"We prefer not setting overly high expectations for customers on the quality of our products, instead encouraging them to give it a try,", they told blogTO. 

The shop, adorned in a soft pink exterior, has a spacious front window that provides a glimpse of some of the day's freshly baked bounty.

Inside, the compact open-kitchen seamlessly links their front-of-house storefront and production space.

Cuervo y Marquis' menu highlights the essence of traditional recipes with global influences, ranging from Latin cookies, to French kouign-amanns and Italian biscotti.Among the items I tried was their Cinnamon Bun ($5), already a crowd-favourite in the short amount of time they've been open.

These soft and moist squares carry hints of cinnamon notes, though not overpowering like some buns often are, and are lightly glazed in a sugary coating for just the right amount of sweetness.

The French Kouign-Amann (small $3.50)  — a Danish-like pastry made from croissant dough, coated in extra sugar to give is crunchy edges — is meticulously folded with butter for a delectable flaky texture.

A sticky treat fun to pull apart, the Kouign-Amann incorporates sugar and salt to give each one a nicely caramelized surface.

For a smaller snack-sized offering, the Kouign-Amann bites ($6.10 per box) come straight from the oven and are so tempting with their crunchiness and the addition of mixed spices. 

Not to be missed is the Blueberry Scone ($3.50) which boasts a subtle crispness on its edges and top, accentuated by blueberry chunks scattered throughout and finished with a sprinkle of icing sugar.

Beyond baked treats, Cuervo y Marquis sells some savoury and hearty lunch options including sandwiches made with their freshly made baguettes and buns. 

The Jamaican Jerk Chicken sandwich ($12), is stuffed with aromatic chicken breast, creamy Jerk mayo, refreshing red cabbage coleslaw and arugula, all on their fluffy Challah.

Make sure not to ignore this display shelf layered with handy little boxes of pastries, including biscotti ($6.50), original butter cookies ($6.90) and strawberry butter cookies ($9.90), all prepared by their skilled Chef Dora Estrada.

Packaged in a box of five, their Beer Empanada ($9.90 per box) — yes, beer! — has become my personal favourite.

Featuring a beer-infused dough, each piece is filled with their homemade strawberry jam, keeping its crumbly texture without becoming soggy.

I'd also recommend the classic Mexican pastry Buñuelos ($6.50 per bag). Similiar to a churro, these flower-shaped pastries are fried to perfection and coated with cinnamon sugar.

Toronto might be lush with food fads, but Cuervo y Marquis stands out in a time when a lot of attention gets focused on the latest viral food trend.

Reminding us of simple, charming joys — from their no fuss/no frills packed display to their wholesome recipes and creations — Cuervo y Marquis is a much-welcomed addition to the area. Cuervo y Marquis Bakery Cafe is located at 132 Ossington Ave.