Laurent Boulangerie Patisserie - Albert Park

Laurent Boulangerie Patisserie
109 Dundas Place, Albert Park

Baked good: Iced Brioche Bun
Should you stay or should you go?: Stay at home.

1. Presentation - 4
2. First bite - 2
3 Texture - 2
4. Flavour - 2
5. How'd it make me feel after - 2
(1 - Not so much. 5 - This is fricking awesome)

Sometimes I preplan where I will visit to review. Other times I just rock up to an area and walk around, nose held high hoping to stumble on what could be the best bakery I could ever find. The downside of putting my faith into my random search is every now and then I stumble upon a bakery that's not quite as exciting as I'd have hoped.

And in this case I reviewed a bakery before I did any research on it. In particular before I found out I was at a chain of bakeries across Melbourne. And as with any chain you get a duplicated bunch of pre-selected pastries, cakes, sandwiches, quiche and loaves of bread. 

Sadly this is exactly what I found this time at Laurent.

Brioche originated from France first being mentioned in written text as far back as 1404 as per the Bakerpedia website. What makes a Brioche that little bit more exciting than bread, it has a high egg and butter content, giving it a more smooth and finer crumb.

Originally it would be full of fruit and eaten at breakfast, but time has evolved the Brioche to its many styles today.

Laurent in Albert Park has a clean and shiny new look to it. Gold rimmed cabinets and gold writing on the window. The glass of the display cabinets buffed as soon as you look away from it. 

There was a constant trickle of people coming and going for a coffee, some picking up an already made cake from the couple of options in the window. 

There was enough seating inside to host a sports team with a hand full of tables and chairs to enjoy the sun when it shines.

I visited mid afternoon and there wasn't a lot  of food to pick from, but enough if you're just after a quick snack.

The Iced Brioche Bun was dry and while it had taste, it wasn't overpowering. If it weren't for the icing, I most likely wouldn't have eaten it all. The icing was sweet, just like any other icing you would find on a bun, similar to that of the doughnut.

Overall the cafe was fine, wasn't inviting and lacked any sort of

atmosphere. But convenient if you want to quickly grab a coffee and something to eat. The food I'm sure is wonderful, I mean they win awards and get written up in local newspapers, but there are a whole lot of other options in the area worth giving a go.

Overall 2 out of 5.

Brioche by Philip - Prahran

Brioche by Philip
280 Commercial Road, Prahran.

Baked Good: Apricot Brioche
Should you stay or should you go?: You should totes go, it was yum yum in my tum. (yeah I just said that).

I love apricot jam. I love a lot of things in life to be honest, but that sweet apricot jam just gives me such joy. I remember being given a jar of apricot jam when I was younger by some friends who had stayed with us. That's how much I love it and people know. So when I got to pick something at Brioche in Prahran, I knew exactly what would satisfy me.

Brioche by Philip is a chain of bakeries around Melbourne. When you're onto something good, just work it. Philip brought his skills as a French Baker to Melbourne many years back and added a Japanese style when he opened up Brioche.

The bakery its self is simple with glass cabinets filled with danishes and pastries. A selection of filled rolls and along the back wall and in the shop window all the different breads of the world for you to pick.

There's no where to sit, so it's a perfect chance for you to quickly grab something naughty and escape to the comforts of you home to indulge.

I had the Apricot Brioche for reasons I've already stated. And even though I knew that's what I wanted, it was a hard choice as it all looked so darn tasty.

Brioche originated from France first being mentioned in written text as far back as 1404 as per the Bakerpedia website. What makes a Brioche that little bit more exciting than bread, it has a high egg and butter content, giving it a more smooth and finer crumb.

Originally it would be full of fruit and eaten at breakfast, but time has evolved the Brioche to its many styles today.

There is confusion over the Apricot's history. The Nursery at Ty Ty says it is to either originate from 3000 BC in India, or Armenia. But the good old English settlers brought the Apricot with them to the United States in the 17th Century.

The Apricot Brioche was delicious. I couldn't wait for the next bite. If only it were that little bit bigger. Thankfully it wasn't because I already eat more baked goods than I should.

The pastry was dry, but that didn't matter as the topping worked in harmony to give each bite a perfect blend.

The apricot jam or sauce, what ever you would like to call it, was sweet. Both in it's taste and in it's awesomeness. And in between the awesomeness was a thick and creamy custard swirling around.

Overall the cafe itself is nothing special. To the point of being bland, boring and in need of a makeover. But what it lacks in appearance it makes up for in delicious baked goods. Most worthy of a sneaky cheat snack.