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Sunday, January 04, 2009

Adriano Zumbo, Balmain



Oh Zumbo, you are a funny one.

We stopped in at Adriano Zumbo the other day, an always smiling Charles waiting behind the counter like an old friend. As I'd snapped a few photos, the guy beside me looked at me sideways and said "are you one of those foodbloggers?". Oh, the word is spreading. I remember when I had to explain what a blog was, let alone the concept of a foodblog.



So if you weren't already laughing out loud at Adriano's message of interest rate optimism at the entrance to his store, you're sure to be beaming with happiness within a few paces inside. No matter how often I enter this little temple of heaven, my heart still skips a beat each time.


Craigie bam! $7.50
Chocolate dacquoise, chocolate sabayon with salted caramel debris,
chocolate caramel creameaux an caramel mousse (gluten-free)

I immediately notice the new adornment to the Craigie bam!, a extra nest of dark chocolate swirls now crowning the rich square of chocolate dacquoise.


Forest berry macarons $1.80 each

There are no blue cheese macarons available, alas, nor the wonderful pineapple and ginger, but the forest berry macarons are a brilliant purple hue and highly recommended by Charles. Divemummy has no choice but to take two of every macaron (forest berry, pink grapefruit, sticky date pudding, mango and jasmine, and the finger bun).


Rice pudding eclair $5.20
Pate a choux, rice pudding creme patisserie
with cinnamon dusted fondant


Sunny cloud $7.00
Pate sable, lime jelly, yoghurt creme fraiche,
lime curd and Italian meringue


Yuzu no a nothing! $8.95
Biscuit macaron, lime & pineapple compote
with mint and yuzu creme legere (gluten-free)

I choo-choo-choose the yuzu no a nothing! The macaron is almost glowing in a vivid neon green, stamped with the Japanese hiragana characters for "yu zu". The branded characters seem to taste of black sesame. The macaron is soft, chewy and yielding, a lime green sandwich with a lime and pineapple filling. The mint and yuzu creme legere languishes near the base, penned in by a thin wall of meringue, torched to a caramelised brown.

I know a nothing, but yuzu know you want to.


C arlotte Full $7.50
h
Olive oil mousse with rhubarb ripple, passionfruit creme,
biscuit macaron and fresh berries (gluten-free)


View Larger Map


Adriano Zumbo Patissier
296 Darling Street, Balmain, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9810 7318

This has been included as an Intrepid Eat on Grab Your Fork's Top 10 Sydney Eats for Tourists. Read the entire list here.

Monday to Saturday 8am-6pm
Sunday 8am-4pm

The summer collection, "Please sir can I have some more!",
is available until Friday 22 May 2009.

Related GrabYourFork posts:
Adriano Zumbo Macaron Day photos (Oct09)
Adriano Zumbo Macaron Day flavour list (Oct09)
Adriano Zumbo Patissier, Balmain ( May09) , (Jan09) and (Nov08)
Adriano Zumbo Cafe Chocolat, Balmain (Nov08)
17 comments - Add some comment love

posted by Helen (Grab Your Fork) on 1/04/2009 01:51:00 am


17 Comments:

  • At 1/04/2009 9:44 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I made sure to pop into Adriano Zumbo on our recent Australian visit after reading about it on your blog. You should get a commission.

    I'm a massive macaron fan so I tried all the flavours they had available on our visit. I loved the Jaffa but didn't rate the Finger Bun.

     
  • At 1/04/2009 10:10 am, Blogger spicyicecream said…

    Counting the days until I can go back to Zumbo! I'm hanging out for a finger bun macaron since they didn't have them last time I was there :)

     
  • At 1/04/2009 10:34 am, Blogger K said…

    I've always been drawn by the good looking desserts they have, but the few times I've tried them I can't say I've always liked the taste of them... I think I'm just biased; I prefer the ones from Japan where they look and taste good. :P Or maybe I should try them one more time to be sure. :)

     
  • At 1/04/2009 12:48 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Whhheeeee I am going to Zumbos in half an hour! Excitement! Hee hee funny guy he is.

     
  • At 1/04/2009 12:51 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Ah, Zumbo makes my heart sing! and my belly grow! Trying to stay away from the delights of Mr Zumbo!

     
  • At 1/04/2009 4:52 pm, Blogger R said…

    How funny! I was laughing at that very poster this morning.

    But, I wanted to ask have you tried his cafe around the corner?

     
  • At 1/04/2009 8:24 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I finally went to try Zumbo, but I was really disappointed. I think the main problem was the salt in my chocolate cake, ergh! Maybe I just tried the wrong thing for my taste.

     
  • At 1/04/2009 9:15 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Ooh look at those luscious drips on the Craigie Bam, they look like ink pots! And I've yet to try the Yuzu but being a huge fan of the fruit, it's on my list!

     
  • At 1/05/2009 12:44 am, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Jess - Glad to hear you made it to Zumbo's. You should get an extra macaron for making the trip! :)

    I haven't tried the finger bun - it looks a little too sweet for me. Besides the finger bun for me was always about the butter slathered inside!

    Hi Lisa - lol. I think it's a good thing I don't live in Balmain. I already eat too many sweets as it is!

    Hi K - Perhaps your palate is more akin to the Japanese one though, which seems to have an emphasis on lightness in texture? Maybe you should try them again, just to make sure :)

    Hi FFichiban - Lucky you! I'm sure you'll have a tasty time!

    Hi tummyrumble.net - It's a battle indeed, but who can Zumbo's humour and charm?

    Hi R - lol. A whole horde of foodbloggers descended on the cafe not so long ago. I combined the cafe and the patisserie visit in the one post here.

    Hi Arwen - Some of his chocolate cakes do pack a salty punch. I'd definitely suggest you try another dessert, maybe one that isn't chocolate! The Charles du Jour is all sweetness and vanilla and I really did enjoy the citrusy tang of the Yuzu No A Nothing too.

    Hi Lorraine - The Yuzu was great - big chunks of pineapple hiding at the bottom. The Craigie Bam! has even more Bam! with the extra chocolate now :)

     
  • At 1/05/2009 2:27 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Gorgeous creations. Still have not been there yet. You must help me rectify this problem.

     
  • At 1/05/2009 9:55 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    thanks for the reminder - better tackle those macaroons before divedude finds them.

     
  • At 1/05/2009 11:28 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Veruca Salt - I am always ready to help out a friend! This weekend? :)

    Hi Divemummy - I'd get into them asap, otherwise Curlilocks might find them too!

     
  • At 1/06/2009 12:28 am, Blogger Fi said…

    I can't believe I stayed just around the corner from there for three and a half days and all I had the chance to try was some sourdough! It was GOOD though, very good. Must go back without the kids soon...

     
  • At 1/07/2009 2:15 pm, Blogger Y said…

    Gorgeous photos, Helen!

     
  • At 1/07/2009 8:00 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Fi - Oh yes you must reschedule a childless visit soon - for research purposes of course. I, on the other hand, still haven't tried any of the sourdoughs. They look great though.

    Hi Y - Thank you, although I think it's quite hard to take a bad photo of any cake by Zumbo. They're just made for modelling :)

     
  • At 10/16/2009 1:25 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Living in Balmain has become a dangerous place since Adriano Zumbo opened. Mind you this place has become so popular, picking up a macaron on the fly is rarely possible anymore.

     
  • At 10/17/2009 9:30 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Tristansender - Yes I have heard the Zumbo-mania has meant the need to get there before midday to have any chance of getting a piece of the action. lol. The power of Masterchef eh? Here's hoping he'll be opening a store in the CBD soon...

     

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