Breakfast roundup #3 – Babka bakery cafe
As you might have noticed this is one of several occasions where I have ventured out on breakfast excursions solo. It is strange to say, quite relaxing and facilitating for my food-photography practices.
Today (*ahem, I mean in November) I head down to this little café-bakery on Brunswick St, long since etched in the heart of Melbourne diners.
The crowded space with brunch’ers and waiters, doesn’t leave much room to sprawl out on a lazy morning. But who says one comes here for the space? People flock here for the bakery items and café brunch. I for one came to try the infamous lemon tart.
Soy latte – more often than not most cafes make terrible soy coffees, either using poor quality soy or in the process of brewing they create a clumpy, unpleasant one. Babka fits into a separate category, one among my personal favourites for soy renditions in Melbourne. The brew is smooth, with a mellow aroma of soy milk with a good balance of coffee astringency.
What is this you may ask? Definitely not a lemon tart! It is a plate of artery clogging but ever so satisfying French Toast. A little bit crispy, a light dust of sugar, soft pillowy insides and a whole of a lot of butter, and oh my gluttony…
Now I present to you the Lemon tart. From the bottom up: moreish short pastry base, velvety lemon custard with a distinct citrus acidity, brittle crackle of brulee, sprinkle of white fairy dust aka sugar. The first few bites leave a wonderfully lasting impression on the palate, but it is no doubt sugar-coma inducing and not for the faint hearted.
Pear and custard tart – this would arguably have to be my preferred tart of the two, despite its comparably mellow aromas. The juicy wedges of poached pear – with its slight crunch – together with a cloud of heavenly custard are absolutely plate-licking-worthy.
Rating: Yummy+1. Great soy coffee, and unforgettable tarts!
[Babka]
Where: 358 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Contact: 03 9416 0091
Warning: come early and in small groups. Please do not attempt the above 3 course degustation, you might die of a very high-sugar death.
You might also like other breakfast roundups >>> DeClieu, Replete Providore.
[This post if featured in Gram Magazine]
LOVE LOVE LOVE babka. Go there every time I’m down in Melbourne. I would have chosen the custard tart also over the others mmm
Man, I’m banned from this stuff. Thanks to the resumption of my TCM therapy. :(
surely you can have an “exception” day
I love that you have lemon tart in your breakfast round up. Surely a breakfast item with all that fruit?
yes indeed…. a very sweet one =P
Mmmmmm, we are definitely going to have to start heading into the inner ‘burbs for weekend brunches …
Lol @ (*ahem, I mean in November). I find it difficult to brunch by myself still, have tried it a couple of times, but it’s really difficult to fish out my cam when I’m alone. Strange… :)
Did you have THREE desserts in one sitting? :O
do it a few more times, and you’ll get used to it.
over a staggered sitting throughout the day =P.
Every time I go to this place, it’s always PACKED >_<
That French toast looks BOSS though.
Put me down for a lemon tart, and when just out of the oven an apple danish!
what about the fab bread! Also the danishes there are pretty damn good