Adriano Zumbo Cafe, Rozelle

Highlight – Spoilt for choice

Lowlight – Waiting in the queue

Berry brioche

The Kitchen (check out the block of butter)

From top: Pandan, Black Sesame, Licorice & Lime, Satay, Kaffir Lime & Ginger, Strawberries & Cream, Salted Butter Caramel

FOOD?

Upon first entering the cafe at about 10ish on a Friday morning there were only a handful of customers already there. A wide assortment of pastries, savouries, cakes and macarons were available and I took my time to make a careful decision for my breakfast snack.

I finally decided on the berry brioche; a combination of berries, custard and almond flakes topped with icing sugar, it was the perfect choice. The brioche was puffy and light and the taste was not too sweet. I could eat another one right now!

By the time I finished my brioche the queue was curling around towards the door. Silly me, I should have bought the macarons at the same time as my brioche. To the end of the queue for me! My favourites macarons would be the subtle flavoured pandan and the kaffir lime and ginger. No one was keen to try the satay macaron so I gave it a go, it was reminiscent of peanut satay sauce and surprisingly tasty.

SERVICE?

Staff are friendly and patient with customers whilst they wait for them to make their well thought-out selections.

AMBIENCE?

The cafe is situated on the corner of a quiet street just shy of a couple of main roads. There are only a few bar stools available, some along the wall and the rest facing the kitchen area. Due to the popularity of Adriano Zumbo from MasterChef, customers are willing to wait in long queues and are mainly there for takeaway of goodies to indulge in later.

VALUE?

Reasonably priced for delicious treats for your tummy. Macarons are overpriced everywhere, I think it’s time to attempt to bake them myself…

BOOKINGS?

First in best dressed policy applies here. So get in early to avoid long queues, especially on weekends!

out of 10!

Adriano Zumbo Cafe, The Lab
114 Terry Street, Rozelle NSW 2039
02 9810 7318 

 

Sitka, Macedon

Highlight – Award winning pies and tomato relish

Lowlight – Only open during the day

Chicken & leek pie with salad and fries with Sitka tomato sauce

Crispy pork belly with beans and puree

Raspberry and coconut muffin soaked in lemon syrup

FOOD?

Homely food made with organic produce results in tasty meals. All items on the menu looked appetizing but I thought it would be a good choice to try the ‘Award winning pie’ which was definitely a winner. I could not get enough of the tomato relish and was contemplating purchasing some to take home with me. We found the pork belly on the ‘Specials’ board and it was cooked well but probably not that substantial it would have been more filling if it came with something more than beans.

We were spoilt for choice with the variety in the cake display, it took me several minutes to decide what to choose. Loved the muffin soaked in lemon syrup, we devoured it!

SERVICE?

Even though the restaurant was busy, the service was quick and attentive.

AMBIENCE?

A small cafe which appeared very popular with the locals as well as passersby. Customers are busy chit-chatting, reading the paper and sipping on their coffees.

VALUE?

Good value for quality food. There are also products for sale in-store such as the Mount Macedon Kitchen relishes, chutneys and preserves (prices from $10). These can also be purchased online as per below.

BOOKINGS?

You probably don’t need to book if you’re just going with one other friend but if you’re planning to go with a group then it’s best to call beforehand as the restaurant is quite small. We were on our way to visit Hanging Rock and when we walked into the restaurant it was at capacity but we were lucky as a table vacated just in time.

out of 10!

Sitka Foodstore & Cafe or buy products online at Mt Macedon Kitchen
23 Victoria Street, Macedon VIC 3440

Passionflower, Melbourne

Highlight – Durian flavoured ice cream

Lowlight – Pricey

As good as it gets - taro, jackfruit, pandan & durian ice cream

FOOD?

With such a large variety on the menu it took us quite a while to decide what to order. Asian ice cream flavours ranging from black sesame to green tea to lychee rose with sides of glutinous balls and grass jelly. Traditional flavours are also available like mango and strawberry.

After much convincing we ordered “As good as it gets” which included the controversial durian ice cream which left my breath smelling ever so lovely. I thought it best to try something different as if I wanted the usual chocolate and waffles I would have gone to QV and paid a visit to Max Brenner or San Churro.

I recommend choosing something you can’t buy in a regular supermarket as it helps to justify why you’re paying so much for a few scoops of ice cream and a tablespoon of ”fruit salad” on the side.

SERVICE?

Service was pretty average although a tad impatient and once again as expected. When we asked the waitress what she recommended for our table she swayed us away from the share plates as they are apparently quite small. Instead she advised us to order the cocktail glass dishes instead.

AMBIENCE?

Always a struggle to find a free table. Although last Saturday night we happened to have the perfect timing where a table of four just happened to walk out the door when we arrived.

VALUE?

Well overpriced but it seems like customers are willing to pay. Probably because there aren’t many Asian dessert places in the city. Not sure $15 for three to four scoops of ice cream in comparison to buying a tub of ice cream for 5 bucks is worth it.

Also note that any item on the menu containing strawberries and/or bananas will incur an extra $2 fee. We discovered this also applies to our order of ‘Lasting love’ even though it contained no more than half a strawberry chopped into small pieces. Interesting…

BOOKINGS?

Bookings aren’t available here so be willing to wait patiently for a free table, especially in the evening.

out of 10!

Passionflower
Shop 2, 168 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
03 9663 0033