25 August 2010

Adriano Zumbo Patisserie, Balmain and Belle Fleur Fine Chocolates, Rozelle

Continuing on from our very satisfying brunch at Kazbah on Darling, we drove further up Darling Street to Adriano Zumbo's patisserie. It had been a few weeks since his appearance on Masterchef Season 2 with the fear-inspiring macaron tower, but obviously the Zumbo craze was yet to die down since we could spot the patisserie a mile away from the seemingly permanent queue of customers outside.


We joined the queue and I saw a lot of people who were walking past slow down as they got to Zumbo's patisserie and wonder what all the fuss was about. I also spotted these t-shirts as we approached the store-front - I heart zumbo oh yes I do (but not enough to buy the t-shirt, I'd rather buy more cakes haha)


When we finally got into the store itself it was madness, I could barely even see what cakes were left. It was already 2pm so a lot of the more popular cakes had been snapped up and given the current macaron hype I wasn't surprised to find out that there was only one macaron flavour left: Vegemite.

(left) Tarte aux fruits de la passion and "I'll Get Back To You Barry" cake; (right) "I'll Get Back To You Barry": Chocolate yogo creme brulee, soft chocolate gel, chocolate cereal crunchy, chocolate sable breton, chocolate caramel mousse, chocolate plaquette - $8.00


I'm not too keen on Vegemite so I submitted to the fact that I was not going to get any macarons today. But I wasn't going to leave empty handed, I quickly snapped up the last I'll Get Back To You Barry cake from the Winter 2010 collection and one of the beautiful passionfruit tarts. As soon as I tasted I'll Get Back To You Barry I was so glad I got the very last one for the day! It was hard to distinguish between all the different components but together it became an exquisite and decadent chocolate cake. The cake was mousse-like in texture and it very much reminded me of those little Yogo compartmentalised snacks I used to have as a kid where you mix the chocolate covered rice crispies into the chocolate Yogo (anyone remember those?)

Tarte aux fruits de la passion: pâte sablée, passionfruit crème - $7.00

The passionfruit tart is a permanent fixture at the patisserie and I couldn't help myself from getting it. I mean, look at how pretty it is? Not only is it pretty to look at but it's delicious as well, with a short, crumbly pastry and a silky smooth creme that is packed with passionfruit flavour!


Our last stop on Darling Street was Belle Fleur at Queen Chu's request (coincidentally it was also featured on Masterchef). It's a small chocolate shop and as soon as you open the door you're overwhelmed with the aroma of chocolate from the displays they have around the shop. They had a wide selection of chocolates and it was difficult to choose because there were so many that looked and sounded good.


Belle Fleur chocolates are sold by weight and if you spend a certain amount (and ask nicely) they will package them up all pretty in a gift box. We were pressed for time so I just chose some chocolates which I thought sounded/looked interesting but after looking at the pamphlet that comes with the chocolates more carefully at home there were other ones which I think I would have preferred. But I guess that just gives me an excuse to go back and gorge on more chocolates hehehe

(clockwise from top left): Duet, Ravioli, Chilli, Delice Cafe

I really enjoyed the duet with the whole macadamias enrobed in chocolate and a bit of crunchy praline at the bottom. The ravioli was interesting as the filling was crushed sesame that sort of tasted like those sesame snaps but not as sweet. The delice cafe was probably my least favourite, with the coffee liqueur flavour being a bit too strong and bitter for my liking. I also liked the chilli and at first I couldn't taste the chilli at all but then it just comes at you and it was quite hot! (but that could be my chilli-sensitive tastebuds talking)

(clockwise from top left): Shell, Peruvian truffle, Sesame, Venezuelan truffle

The Shell had a hazelnut ganache filling and the whole thing was beautifully smooth, it was one of my favourites. Both of the truffles were also divine with chocolate flakes on the outside and a chocolate cream on the inside. The difference between the two was that the Peruvian truffle used 64% dark Peruvian chocolate whereas the Venezuelan truffle used 43% milk Venezuelan chocolate. The Sesame I found a bit strange mainly due to the tahini ganache which I didn't think went that well with the chocolate. Oh, but there are so many other flavours I want to try that I'll definitely be returning to pick up more chocolates, or even just go into the shop to smell that intoxicating chocolate aroma again!

Adriano Zumbo Patisserie
296 Darling Street
Balmain NSW 2040
Ph: +61 2 9810 7318
Open Monday to Saturday, 8am - 6pm; Sunday, 8am - 4pm


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Adriano Zumbo Café Chocolat on Urbanspoon

Belle Fleur Fine Chocolates
658 Darling Street
Rozelle NSW 2039
Ph: +61 2 9810 7388
Monday to Saturday, 9am - 6pm
Saturday, 9am - 4.30pm
Sunday, 10am - 4pm


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15 comments:

  1. lol im not a fan of vegemite either

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  2. I had a horrible first experience with Vegemite. My naive young self thought it was going to be like nutella because of the colour (I don't know why I didn't smell it), so I spread a thick layer of it on my slice of bread, dug in and spat it out immediately. YUCK!

    I freaken LOVE Yogo! I get them from time to time to satisfy my childhood cravings.

    Mmmmm... chocolate! I'm so dragging my boyfriend here when we go to Balmain next :D

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  3. zomg i can't believe zumbo has his own t-shirts. lol. and i love vegemite! but it has to come with lots of butter :)

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  4. the passionfruit tart is still my favourite. heheh Belle Fleur chocolate, whoever the secret santa was during our winter dinner party, Thank you very much! I loved it :P

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  5. Hehehe!! I'm not sure I could have resisted the TShirt :) Sounds like the Zumbo still rules in that neck of the woods.

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  6. The passionfruit tart was one of the first things I tried of his. It's beautiful to look at and tastes of summer.

    I don't like Vegemite either - despite growing up here and regularly re-trying it to see if I've "grown to appreciate" it =p

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  7. vegemite tastes like fermenting chunder

    I remember those YoGo things but I preferred LCMs

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  8. I'll admit I do like vegemite on the odd occasion (more butter, less vegemite is definitely the recipe and on very fresh bread or a vitawheat for "worms") but I probably would have passed on the macaron too. That said, how often have we all eaten degustation menus and trusted that the chefs know best?

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  9. i went this week with KK and i got the caramel cheesecake. i found it too sweet for my liking tho. i should have gotten the chocolate cake =(

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  10. i must go to the chocolate place looks nice =)

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  11. Wish I lived close to Zumbo patisserie. Shame that only Vegemite was left. Gross. But the passionfruit looks amazing!

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  12. Hi chocolatesuze - Yeah.. I just don't think I ever learned to like it like some other people did...

    Hi joey - hehe good to know I'm not the only one!

    Hi Phuoc'n Delicious - OMG that happened to me as well! Although I don't think I spread it on that thickly which was good, but I was just shocked that it was so salty when I was expecting it to be sweet! I haven't had a yogo in ages, hehe I'm thinking of picking up one from the supermarket just to reminisce :)

    Hi Helen - haha perhaps he's milking his Masterchef popularity?

    Hi billy - I thought you already figured it out since it had the same wrapping paper as something else from me =P Glad you liked them!

    Hi Anna - Haha I don't know if they were for display only or they were actually selling them but it doesn't hurt to ask!

    Hi mademoiselle délicieuse - I think the passionfruit tart was one of the first Zumbo thing I tried too, couldn't resist buying it since it was so pretty and eye-catching :)

    Hi the ninja - LOL I haven't tasted fermenting chunder before so I can't compare =P LCMs... do they still have those?!

    Hi Gummi Baby - Oh yes I do remember making the worms with the vitawheat and vegemite although I only did it for the fun, not to eat it afterwards!

    Hi Fiona - Hehe good for you! I think I just never acquired a taste for it =P perhaps you'll have to convert me

    Hi Jamie - Aw yeah it did sound a bit sweet on the menu which is why I wasn't too keen on getting it. There's always next time!

    Hi Dolly - Yep, there's also another store in Petersham as well I think

    Hi Emma - LOL yeah 'gross' was what I thought as well when I saw vegemite on the label haha. I wished I lived close as well, by the time I wake up and get there half the cakes are already gone!

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  13. There is a lot of hype since masterchef... i remember going a few months ago... on a sunday afternoon, no line all macaroon flavours and plenty of cakes!!

    ... no i love zumbo t's either!!

    http://christhinksfood.blogspot.com/

    http://christhinksfood.blogspot.com/2010/05/adriano-zumbo.html

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