Picky Piggies: Take Away

From the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a couple carrying something that looked really cute. Was that a cake? I asked myself and thought I'd better turn around and double check or risk regretting never seeing it again.

This cake from Chado is undoubtedly the cutest cake I've seen. It is elegant, somehow enchanting, and definitely insta-worthy. The pictures say it all!

Chado offers an array of cute cakes with custom flavours to choose from, we went for the "king of fruits" durian. For this particular cake the options were mango, durian, passion fruit, banana, peach, strawberry, matcha, yoghurt, cheese, and chocolate.

The outer shell is made with white chocolate, and the inside is filled with white chocolate mousse and pulps of durian. The cake itself was light and airy and not too sweet. The two bunnies are made with lychee mousse and lychee. The lychee bunnies were fragrant and sweet.

Not so pretty was the price, at $140 (including an extra $15 for durian flavour). But it's ok to splurge every now and then! This cake is perfect for any occasion and will surely melt the ladies' hearts.

Food: 9/10
Service: N/A
Atmosphere: N/A

Highlight:

Insta-worthy cakes that are actually delicious

Lowlight:

Pricey
Must preorder, typically at least 3-7 days in advance
Take away only, no seating

Website: https://www.chado.com.au/

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Don't Lose Your Temper is a homey and cosy patisserie located in the quite Melbourne suburbia. Their cakes look amazing in pictures and real life. Just looking at them now almost made us fall for them again... if only they taste as good as they look. The proverb that "looks can be deceiving" is very fitting here😂

Banoffee Tart $8.5

Neither of us are banana fans, but we had to get this heavenly looking cake, so we made an exception. We've had great banoffee desserts in the past, sadly this was not one of them. With an overload of sugar: salted peanut caramel, banana, white chocolate, marshmallow, and milk chocolate (all sweet ingredients), we soon realised getting this cake was a mistake. Given these ingredients, we think it probably takes a genius to balance the flavours without the dessert ending up like a sugar explosion.

Brownie $7.5

After the initial taste test we crossed our fingers hoping this one wouldn't be another sugar bomb... but again this was another cake buried in sweetness 😰

At this point our mood hit a low point of the day, and then we remembered the name - Don't Lose Your Temper - you can't say you haven't been warned! Overall, our impression was that the two cakes we got were both sugar heavy, and lacked depth and refinement. For those looking for a sugar high this is the place.

Food: 3/10
Service: 8/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Highlight:

Friendly crew
Good presentation

Lowlight:

Cakes don't taste as good as they look

Website: https://dontloseyourtemper.com.au/

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Even though we came early in the morning on a Sunday, Lune was already packed with hungry people. Luckily there was more than enough pastries for everyone.

While Mr Piggy was in the line, I took a little peak of what's going on behind the scene. It was fascinating to watch how the puff pastries were handled with so much care and love.

The pastry chefs seemed to greatly enjoy making the pastries. It was strangely satisfying to watch them skillfully create the pastries.

Pecan Pie $10.50

A pocket packed with sweet delights - an upscale version of your typical pecan pie. As you bite into it, the crispy shell flakes away exposing the soft, fluffy pastry inside, filled with maple-infused chunky crushed pecans. A generous dollop of airy maple bourbon cream smothered atop - the perfect accompaniment to the pastry.

Lemon Curd $7 (L); Spanakopita $9.50 (R)

We were stuffed at this stage but as Mr Piggy is a big fan of lemon curd, he wasn't gonna leave without piggybacking one for the journey till our next food destination 😂 Lemon curd filled the cruffin all the way to the top. Even for the more sweet-toothed (vs sour) of us, this pastry was very enjoyable as the tartness of the lemon curd was well balanced by the sugar dusted pastry. The citrusy fragrance also helped to cut through the otherwise rich dessert.

Our only savoury pick of the day, the Spanakopita was a simple and delicious swirl, with layers of spinach and ricotta cheese inside. A nice intermission before we move on to the next dessert!

Coconut Rough $10.50 (L); Miso Caramel $7.50 (R)

This coconut rough was almost too cute to eat as it resembled a cute, spiky porcupine... but we weren't gonna let it go. The super crunchy toasted coconut chips juxtaposed the soft, airy bun, and the creamy filling inside. The chocolate and desiccated coconut filling added to the coconut theme. However, it was a little bit too sweet and rich for us, perhaps less (chocolate) would have been more.

We had to get the miso caramel, a dark cuisine fusion that has come into fashion. We've never tried this flavour and the combination proved unexpectedly outstanding. The caramel was gooey, and alternating levels of smoky saltiness added contrast to every bite. The sugar dusted cruffin had us licking our fingers guiltily at the end of the treat. Oh, and the black sesame crisp on top was a distinctive tribute to the Japanese inspiration, a nice salty-sweet touch.

Looks like Lune has refreshed the menu since our visit, with more interesting flavours. We'll be back!

Food: 10/10
Service: 7/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:

Some of the finest pastries in Australia (watch out Paris!)

Lowlight:

Wish they have a shop in Sydney...
Not ideal for those on a diet

Website: https://www.lunecroissanterie.com/

Phone: +61 3 9419 2320

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Continental brings the full European style deli dining experience to Newtown, offering a mesmerising array of fine wine, cheeses, cold cuts, and exotic canned seafood, packed in a classy two-storey Victorian terrace. While sipping a glass of cocktail you have the choice of front row seats to an artisan preparation of European delicacies at the bar, or if you prefer somewhere quiet sit upstairs in the tall-ceiling bistro area. Fancy any of the cold cuts or cheeses, they are also available for take-away from the deli.

Sourdough $3pp

The crusty sourdough was served fresh from the oven, with olive oil on the side and balsamic vinegar on request.

Cheese & Charcuterie Plate $45

Perfect for sharing and for sampling a variety, the cheese and charcuterie plate also comes with a generous serving of cornichons, pickled chillis and olives. We liked the hot sopressa, which had a nice kick of chilli, the mortadella was soft, and the lonza had a rich and earthy taste. We also liked the brie with a soft and gooey centre, which was not as greasy as some of the ones we've had in the past. The comte was mild and creamy while the midnight moon was firm and had a goaty taste.

Quince Jelly & Crackers (came w the Cheese & Charcuterie Plate)

Steak Tartare $24

If you are a fan of steak tartare we definitely recommend this one, without a doubt it was the best we've had. The soft thinly diced beef was fresh and creamy from the shaved parmasan, and almost taste like minced tuna. The marinate was not overpowering and the capers popped in the mouth releasing a citrusy fragrance.

Meatball & Parmigiano-Reggiano $18

We found the meatballs a bit starchy and needing more sauce.

Fish & Chips Sandwich $18

This certainly wasn't the fish and chips we were expecting but we have no complaints at all. On first trying the chips we were pleasantly surprised by the distinguishable beer flavour. As we munched on, we discovered that the chips in the tin tasted even better as they soaked up the essence of the fish oil while still retaining their crunch. The Spanish sardines were firm and had no fishiness at all. All the elements were individually enjoyable and when eaten together matched surprisingly well. An innovative dish perfectly executed.

Chocolate Mousse $16

Chocolate mousse does not give this dessert justice as it does not even begin to describe the ingenuity of everything on top. We loved the quince caramel, which wasn't overly sweet, and the dehydrated olives, which added a contrasting savoury crunchiness. The pickled kumquat hidden inside also added a distinctive citrusy element.

Upstairs Dining Area

Downstairs Bar & Deli Area

Food: 7.5/10
Service: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:

Fish & Chips sandwich
Best steak tartare we've had
Chocolate mousse

Lowlight:

Meatballs
Lunch menu is relatively restricted, visit for dinner for the full menu

Website: https://www.continentaldelicatessen.com.au/
Address: 210 Australia St, Newtown, NSW 2042, Australia
Hours: Mon-Thu 6pm-late
Fri 5pm-late
Sat 12-2:30pm, 5pm-late
Sun 12-4:30pm, 5pm-late
(Deli open Mon-Sun 12pm-late)

Phone: (02) 8624 3131

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