Bakemono bakers, CBD MELB

I love waking up early in the morning and walking around aimlessly before the city wakes up. Less congestion and lower chances of unpleasant interactions with other individuals. 

Having been to Little Rogue on quite a few occasions, it was only natural for me to visit their sister shop a short distance down the road. We got there 10 minutes before the bakery opens and patiently waited for the doors to fully open.

Hojicha latte - has a good aroma of freshly brewed roasted tea and albeit being slightly sweet, I found it quite refreshing and a good start to the day.

Blueberry crumbled croissant, plain croissant, chocolate croissant and yuzu and almond croissant - Blueberry croissant had a thin layer of jam sandwiched between it's flaky buttery layers and was generously topped with fresh blueberries. 

Plain croissant and chocolate croissant were almost textbook perfect, only downside was the layers were slightly thicker. Yuzu and almond croissant had a good amount of citrus infused into the almond mixture. Overall, very satisfied and am looking forward to being able to dine-in in the future. 

ZIMT, Surrey Hills MELB

I have been meaning to drop by this cafe for some time but never did had a good enough reason to do so until last Sunday. Seeing as there's no afternoon classes at the gym, I dragged the sister out with me to satisfy my sweet tooth.

With a glistening array of cakes and tarts coated in, be it, chocolate ganache, buttercream or even a thin layer of syrup, choosing just one item to share between the two of us was no easy feat. And so, I left the decision with the sister.

Vanilla milkshake - missing the refreshing, creamy, indulgent taste of a milkshake and we can't work out what could be missing. May possibly be due to an incorrect ratio of milk and cream?

Pistachio, cherry and chocolate cake - this piece was indeed very decadent and I found it a little too sweet for my liking. Whilst I liked the pistachio cake layer, I thought the chocolate mousse layer was not necessary as it overpowered the subtle aroma of the pistachios. The cherry(?) layer was strangely enough lacking and a little different in comparison to what others have photographed and posted on Zomato?

A second visit may be necessary to suss out the other goods for sure!

Muddings Bakery, Glen Waverley MELB

I have a habit of buying cakes from a different bakery each time I am in charge of getting a cake. Call it curiousity if you may, but it can be a rewarding experience if one is lucky to find a hidden gem.

Not saying that Muddings is a hidden gem as it has been in the suburb for some time and having stumbled upon it after a quick Google search, I wasted no time in booking in 2 cakes.

Strawberry cream cake - freshly prepared as the strawberry aroma was quite prominent here. Sponge was light, airy and certainly layered with a good serve of cream in between it's layers. The danger of this is having one too many slices considering how light it is.

Brandy snaps sponge cake layered with cream and lightly brushed with apricot jam - the lady who took my order convinced me to try this and yes, it lived up to my expectations. I love how both cakes were not sickeningly sweet and used fresh cream in the process, something uncommon these days.

Highly recommended cake shop! And price was reasonable too:)

 

Komugi, Ringwood MELB

Birthday week commenced with me being able to boss the fiance around on what I want to eat as someone is fearful that a terrible meal would turn the house upside down. Probably one of the few moments I can eat a cake and not feel guilty about it!

Komugi is fairly new in Melbourne's cake shop game and that week was perfect for trying it out.

Green tea tiramisu and oreo cake - hmmm... whilst I love the idea of a non-caffeinated version of tiramisu, it fell short on flavour. The cream cheese (?) filling between the sponge layers did not have much taste to it and could not rely on the dry sponge for salvation.

In comparison, the oreo cake tasted better although only marginally. It was fresher in terms of taste but not memorable enough for me to make a second trip to Eastland mall for it.

Brioche By Philip, CBD MELB

Prior to working in the city, I have always wanted to explore all the little eateries that are only operating on weekdays but the opportunity never did appear. Having worked in the city for a good 6 months now, I still have yet to visit all these eateries and often times, put the idea off due to distance.

I stumbled upon Brioche by Philip, a bakery/cafe on my list, as I was racing to my first aid course seminar. Made a mental note to pop back after the course finishes and despite running late to work, I still managed to squeeze a quick visit here.

No coffee takeaways but I did get bronut takeaways, a term loosely coined from the marriage between a brioche and donut.

Matcha bronut - unlike the donut's light, fluffy texture, this one was a denser from the incorporation of more (?) butter into the dough. Yes, it did pack a good punch of matcha and would have liked just a little bit more filling evenly spread across the bronut.

Lamington bronut - a take on an Aussie favourite, incorporating the usual jam, coconut and chocolate mix. A generous amount of jam pipped into this fella and it was rather pleasing to see it slowly ooze out with each bite.

My verdict? Have to try the coffee in my next visit and perhaps, bring along reading material. I have this newfound hobby of immersing myself in a coffee shop with my work which is slowly turning into a regular habit on my days off.

Bread Kingdom, CBD MELB

My previous workplaces have denied me the luxury of being surrounded by food temptations and having recently relocated to a more central spot, the current options are endless. Some days I will get my sweet fix and other days, perhaps a pick me up coffee from down the road.

Not a big fan of waiting for the trains to arrive but when most shops/cafes close a bit later, I can easily pop by for a takeaway and off I go in the nick of time to the train station.

I am obsessed with Bread Kingdom's baked goods and having tried a few other Asian bakeries within a few weeks period (yes, I am on a mission >:), I personally feel that their products are worth the extra calories.

Custard bun - packed with a lovely vanilla scented custard. I do like my Asian type of buns but am not a fan of buns that are too airy/ porous because it makes me feel cheated in a way. Bread Kingdom's buns were fluffy and moderately compact to my liking :)

Potato cake - not much flavour here but still a pretty good piece of sponge cake layered with freshly whipped, smooth cream.

Green tea cake - green tea flavour is missing but again, kudos to a well made piece of cake.

Coffee swiss roll - I have been on a roll lately (hahaha geddit?) and foun

Fresh cream cake - for those wanting a lighter finish to a meal or who are not big on bold flavours, this is the ideal piece to grab.

Mocha cake - deliciously infused with caffeine and one that I am a big fan of :)

Grand Taipei Bakery, Box Hill MELB

First bakery I have visited within the lunch period last weekend and one that has been, apparently, around before I was even born. Deeply rooted within the Box Hill community, this bakery serves a decent range of savoury dishes in addition to their already popular selection of baked goodies.

The dining area is suited for small crowds and reminded me of a breakfast "cha chaan teng" experience that I was accustomed to in Hong Kong. A steady stream of customers poured into the bakery, each customer purchasing at least $20 worth of baked goods and some even walked out with at least two loaves of fluffy soft baked bread along with a couple of boxes containing glistening, baked pastries.

Chinese donut with omelette - I am not the type of person who craves for oily, fried items for breakfast but this is an exception. The combination of fried chinese donut enclosed by a thin layer of omelette sprinkled with chopped chives was addictive, especially when it briefly meets a semi sweet and salty soy dipping sauce.

Meatballs with homemade noodles - the sister wanted something comforting and this was her choice on the menu. Meatballs tasted homemade although could be improved on in terms of flavour. Noodles were cooked al dante, retaining a chewy yet soft texture. Broth was mildly flavoured and more suited for those opting for lighter meals.

Pineapple and Chinese melon slice - both types of fruit were made into a sticky, sweet jam consistency before being rolled into a crunchy, crumbly pastry.

Taro bun -

Custard bun, taro swiss roll, red bean bun and peanut cake. I loved every single item that I have bought and kudos for having a soft texture. Plus points for costing less than $2 each although I do think it would fare better with more filling stuffed into each of them:)

Definitely will be back for their breakfast items and have been notified that I should have tried their pork floss roll. Argh, next time it is.

Gontran Cherrier Boulangerie, Collingwood MELB

No word can describe how excited I was when I found out that Melbourne will have its own Gontran Cherrier Boulangerie. I am a big fan of baked goods be it in the form of a cake, bread or pastry - basically inseparable from flour and butter!

We arrived one day after the shop opened its doors to the public. Waited for 10 minutes for a table and service was efficient which saw food sailing to our tables in 10-15 minutes. On the flipside, there is a takeaway counter to quickly grab anything that tickles your fancy.

Kouign amann ~ spiral and covered by a thin layer of caramelization from the sugar, this little one truly has an intense butter taste to it and can be enjoyed both warm or cool. One of my favourites!

Bread and pastry basket ~ sourdough, wholemeal and brioche come together in this basket that has a serve of butter with it. Bread is freshly baked and still fluffy to taste.

Croque monsieur with ham, gruyere bechamel and dijon mustard ~ bread was good but would have liked a little more bechamel in my croque monsieur because I like mine extra cheesy:)

Croissant with ham ~ having tried croissant from a couple of famous Melbourne based bakers, Gontran's version may not be as buttery but it is indeed consistently flaky. I am guessing that Gontran is more so a baker (hence boulangerie) than a viennoserie (pastry expect) and so, his version is a crossbred between bread and a buttery croissant? What do you think?

Delicious baked items and love the fact that there is an option to dine it so that I can have my fix there and then, thank you:)

Rustica Canteen, CBD MELB

I love a good morning walk followed by a hot, aromatic cup of coffee and not to be missed, a buttery piece of croissant. Having been to both Lune and Agathe on a few occasions, I decided it's time to break free from the cycle and venture other bakeries.

First up on my list is Rustica Canteen. I was expecting it to resemble a takeaway shop and got a surprised when I realized it is actually a pretty decently sized establishment. Unlike other coffee shops around Melbourne, I found this place to be quite peaceful - less surrounding sounds, more effective conversations.

Peanut butter croissant ~ I could not give this a miss and it did live up to my nutty expectations. Whilst the croissant may not be as light and earth shattering as Lune's the amount of flavour packed into each piece was just right. Still flaky and buttery, this has to be one of my favourite peanut butter treats;)

Rose and raspberry croissant ~ the sweet scent of a rose and raspberry concoction was more than intoxicating. Not to mention that it is a very picturesque item that will instantly brighten up any dull moments.

Almond croissant ~ slightly flatter than other types of croissants but still equally yummy.

My verdict? Will be back with a good book!

Europe - Sweets in Paris

Prior to setting foot in France, I knew what I was enrolling myself into. Notoriously known for all things sweet, pretty and petite, the French does best at creating edibles that are simply too picturesque to eat. Hence, this warrants for intensive gym sessions and possibly only wearing baggy clothing for sometime.

I will not be badgering you guys with what to do whilst in France but if you would like travelling tips/ notes you are more than welcomed to visit my travelling blog. My intention is to keep this blog filled with yummy posts in the form of restaurant reviews, recipes and new food finds that you may be interested in.

Now back to this francais post. Whilst I have efficiently compiled a list of cafes and bakeries to visit, unfortunately, time was not by our side. Modifications had to be made to ensure that our holiday still is a holiday.

Let's talk about macarons first. In Paris, one cannot walk past Laduree and Pierre Herme without getting anything. Having sampled Laduree in Sydney and Pierre Herme in Hong Kong, I knew that both shops will not disappoint, especially when I am in the land that originated them.

Laduree - despite costing about 2 euros each, we were not disappointed at all. Two beautifully shaped macaron shells enclose the intensely flavoured filling and melts away with each bite. There are so many Laduree outlets around Paris and I like how there's so many options to pick. Highly recommended!

Pierre Herme - there are a few Pierre Herme outlets around Paris but do bear in mind that only two outlets are patisseries (outlet list here). I only managed to sample their Ispahan croissant and would have loved to try out other delights. There's a little Pierre Herme boutique in Galeries Lafeyette so that gave us a chance to grab a box of macarons on our first night! 


Depending on how many macarons you are after, you will be given a box to accommodate them and if you are a bit fussy on the box's design (like me), feel free to let them know. Yes, the macarons are very flavourful and again, has a crisp exterior that is balanced by the moist filling.

Cafe Angelina ~ I wanted to at least have tea time at a Parisian dessert cafe and picked this cafe due to it's prime location. Smacked in Galeries Lafeyette, be sure to visit this place if you are feeling weary after shopping. It is cheaper to takeaway the cakes or macarons, by at least 2 euros per item so this is entirely up to you. 

We tried the Mont Blanc which is a dessert of sweetened, pureed chestnut. The sister found this a little too sweet and overwhelming for her liking but I thought it tasted just right. Would have perhaps went down better with a cup of tea.

Whilst the macarons here may not be as varied in terms of flavour as compared to Laduree or Pierre Herme, they still do serve up good macarons that come in traditional flavours such as raspberry, lemon and chocolate.

L'Eclair De Genie ~ this was a wild card in my boxes as I was never a fan of eclairs. Despite knowing my preference, I still went ahead and purchased a couple. Thank goodness I did as they are delicious and bursting with flavour. Prices range from 6 euros to 8 euros depending on the design and flavour of the eclair. 

An eclair is basically a choux pastry that has cream pipped into it. Which was why I can not understand the fuss about it. L'Eclair De Genie proved me wrong and cruelly made me crave for this whenever I think of eclairs. The proportion of cream to pastry was leaning towards more cream and this gave the otherwise dull eclair a lot of character, depending on the filling. 

Oh and not forgetting to mention that each eclair looks stunning so even if you are not a fan, do waltz by to have a peek.

I have visited Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki's shop in Taiwan and decided to challenge that experience. A stand alone shop just opposite L'Eclair De Genie in Galeries Lafeyette's food gallery, I noticed that a few of his pastries were Japanese inspired such as yuzu and green tea. 

As we were moving around whilst in Paris, I was not comfortable with the idea of keeping them beyond one day. Sadly, I only purchased his green tea and caramel tart (was looking for some croissants!). The caramel sauce nicely cuts through the bitterness of the green tea cream. Tart shell was buttery and not soggy despite holding the liquid-y caramel sauce in it.

The sister and I stayed along Rue des Martyrs for a night as we await our transition to another country and this gave us an opportunity to scout the neighbourhood.

Rose Bakery - a quaint little cafe that can comfortably sit 15 patrons, we felt at ease here. Perhaps sitting with other patrons who are not in a rush or perhaps it's the waitress's charms that made us feel relaxed. Or possibly the fact that every baked product reminds us of the comfort of home, who knows really. 

We sampled their bacon quiche tart which was freshly made this morning. The scent of cheese and butter was intoxicating as well as addictive. We loved every bite of this quiche and wanted more. 

Pistachio loaf ~ the price of a piece of cake is depending on it's weight. The chef was definitely not stingy with butter here but did restrain from using excess quantities. Simplicity at it's best.

Raspberry and green tea loaf ~ yet another simple piece done well. 

Sebastien Gaudard - also located along Rue Des Martyrs, this little boutique is a viennoiserie, patisserie and confectionery. Apple turnover pastry was flaky and apples were cooked well. The highlight, for me, was their cakes. 

We had a Paris brest, raspberry tart and a cherry cake. All were spot on in terms of taste, flavour and presentation. Again, I would have loved to sample more but time did not permit. The cost of each item ranges from 4 euros to 6 euros. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog post as much as I have enjoyed sussing them out. Feel free to drop me a message if you would like other sugary sweet suggestions:)