Macarons at Baroque Bistro, The Rocks, Sydney
It’s nice to have coffee with a friend but I also enjoy being on my own. How about you? Do you like drinking coffee and/or dining alone?
Three macarons and a cup of coffee: a gorgeous afternoon tea
We didn’t manage to get to Baroque Bistro on our holiday in Sydney last November. So when I found myself back in Sydney in March, Baroque Bistro was high on my To Eat list. My accommodation was at The Rocks, so I really had no excuse this time.
After checking in and devouring a club sandwich in my room, I decided to go for a walk in search of macarons and coffee.
It was after half past three when I got to Baroque Bistro. In the lull between lunch and dinner, there were only a handful of customers there for coffee.
Baroque Bistro’s interior features contrasting elements – a doorway fringed with craggy exposed brick; shiny copper pots and spherical light fittings hanging from the ceiling; and polished tables on which glassware, plates and cutlery have been elegantly arranged. Looking ultra-modern are the transparent pale pink acrylic chairs, which to be honest, don’t appear particularly bum-friendly! I was glad when a staff member pointed me towards the comfy leather couches.
Trendy chairs and the comfy couch you’ll sink right into
I chose the Cafe Gourmand: three macarons and coffee or tea (I chose coffee) for AU$12. Macarons are usually AU$3.00/$2.70 each (dine in/take away). Deciding which macarons to have was difficult; they all looked beautiful and most of the flavours appealed to me.
Macarons
Macarons
After much deliberation, I chose lime, mango and coconut, blackcurrant and salted caramel. The macarons were exquisite, probably the most well-made macarons I’ve eaten. Not a bump in sight, they were flawless with crisp shells and chewy centres. It seemed a shame to bite into them and crack those perfect shells.
Lime, mango and coconut, blackcurrant and salt caramel macarons – not airbrushed and not a blemish in sight
The salted caramel macaron was outstanding, easily the star of the show. The caramel was rich and chewy, made made using fleur de sel, pure sea salt from Britanny, France. The blackcurrant macaron filling featured cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) flavoured white chocolate ganache and cassis fruit paste – sweet yet subtle. The lime, mango and coconut was one of Baroque’s summer flavours – fresh and fruity.
Watch Baroque Bistro’s video about their approach to creating macarons.
Macarons in Sydney
Macaron fans will know all about Adriano Zumbo (I’ve been to his patisseries at The Star and Manly), but definitely check out Baroque Bistro and macarons with a Japanese twist at Cafe Cre Asion.
When I say I enjoy dining on my own, I’m usually not truly alone. With my iPhone or iPad always with me, I have Internet access and therefore am never alone. And back in my pre-blog, pre-Internet-enabled mobile device days, I always had a notebook to write in, a book to read or people to watch. Conversation isn’t always necessary.
Who needs conversation when there are delectable French cakes to eat?
I would’ve loved to try more of the cakes on offer at the patisserie, but I had to save room for my dinner date in a few hours with my sister and her hubby. Another time on another trip, there’ll be a classic French bistro lunch on that To Eat list. And possibly more macarons.
There’s outside seating, there’s great Sydney atmosphere outside but more Baroque Bistro character inside
Baroque Bistro, The Rocks
Baroque Bistro
88 George Street, The Rocks
The Rocks, NSW 2000
Telephone: (02) 9241 4811
Monday to Friday
Lunch 12pm to 3pm
Dinner 6pm to 10pm
Patisserie menu 12pm to late
Saturday
Lunch 12pm to 3pm
Dinner 6pm to 10pm
Patisserie menu 1pm2 to late
Sunday:
French Masterclasses only
I’m back in Perth again after my short trip to Western Australia’s South West. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, I hope you enjoyed the updates and photos I posted while on the move. Those were just a teaser of what’s to come – I’ll be writing a series of posts about the trip very soon.