I am not one to be bought by a free meal, or a cooking demo or other such marketing temptations; most times I politely refuse, and at rare occasions, I decide to go poke my curious nose around whatever comes across as interesting. I don't like being coaxed into writing a positive review of something I may not like, and not because I'm a food snob, but its because I like to consider that my reviews are honest and things I may like or don't like may very well differentiate from what you or a professional critic may like or dislike; so I dare not venture out in saying so. But then there are those things that make your heart sing, and I am not talking about the pomp and flare involved behind celeb chefs or over-the-top cuisine encased by decadent hotels; I'm talking about certain foods in which you can genuinely taste the passion and heart with every bite. I was skeptical initially, but it was one of the few times I decided to take my camera to a demo. I was greeted by the operations manager Mr Gildas, and his very first question to me, "What do you know about eclairs", his voice laced with an obvious french accent. Me: "Not much really except that it is one of the hardest pastries to make". His  smile assured me of my precision. Over the next 15 minutes, Gildas ran me through the three main cogs essential in the creation of an eclair, each of them equally demanding of skill and precision; The Pâte à Choux (the pastry), Crème Pâtissière (the filling) and the Glaçage (the topping). It was interesting how he talked about the eclairs you'd find in Paris and even some places in Dubai; that it had been popularised so much that it is a staple in most restaurants and has now lost its flare and its true identity. The difference in all of them- Everything! Having being raised in the middle-east, its equatable to a good Hummus. Every Arabic restaurant/Mediterranean restaurant has a goop of what is supposedly 'Hummus'; some with an extremely watery consistency, some so thick and dense to even lift with your finger, some with extra ladles of Garlic or Tahina, some with too many chunky bits, there are probably just about a handful of restaurants that get it right. From a business perspective, it is so easy to compromise on quality when price is a factor, whether it be on eggs, flour, chocolate or even milk. It's cost effective to substitute the milk with water, to mask the imperfections with an extremely sugary grit as the topping and to stuff the choux with store brought crème or custard; but Chef Bertrand and Gildas are not one to compromise. Having tried, tested and perfected every detail of their recipes for over 6 months, creating every stuffing, topping and batter from scratch; they are now inviting the public to taste a 'real' Eclair. Chef Bertrand, the master behind the magic; his remarkable personality shone with every passing minute of the 5 hours I spent hovering over his workspace, like a curious 5 year old girl. His wisdom glimmered in his eyes from behind this glasses as he entertained us with stories, from his earliest childhood memory of cooking which was painted by his mother as they collected fresh berries and mushrooms from their 2 hour long forest walks and returned to cook jams and pies and so on; to his Discovery Channel like escapes through rain-forests and parts of Africa only few people dare tread, the expansive markets of Cairo, Sudan and Ethopia infused with sights, sounds and scents incomparable to today, and the incredibly moving stories of his time spent in the farm lands of Palestine. His passion and dedication was whisked into every single batter, as he calculated the last centigram of sugar and flour while measuring his quantities; his methods not stained by businessmen's shortcuts, but only a smile. I could go on about Chef Bertrand, who has inspirationally started his career as a Chef at the age of 40 (giving me a lot of hope and 9 more years to buckle up), who prefers being called Bertrand rather than the flatulent "Chef", who is extremely meticulous with every detail and takes pride in the thought, recipes and dedication in his work; but I can guarantee that you will see and experience the reality of my words on trying just one of these tender finger long delights, stuffed with a perfect creamy custard, topped with some glistening magic and discover the real Eclair . If you get a chance, try and grab a quick chat with Bertrand, it will make your 'real' Eclair experience all the more remarkable. The Eclair shop is located on the basement level of Lake Shore Tower, Cluster Y, JLT, Shop# B08, Dubai, U.A.E. Eaternally Yours, Drina C. Here are some pictures of my time there.     Disclaimer: I visited the #Eclair shop by invitation and with no obligation to write anything, except to come and experience what they had on offer. I was a guest at Eclairs, but all views and opinions are of my own.