Viktoria Jean

Tarts and tea at the Bourke Street Bakery on a weekday afternoon. Surry Hills is home to a flourish of yuppie bars and cafes where misfits are the new chic. People no longer go to cafes seeking lattes. Instead, we pay more physical attention to the space we spend time in. Naturally, we want to surround ourselves in a creative, culturally-inspiring, aesthetically pleasing and innovative environment.

And I found my little indie heaven on Bourke Street where Cass brought me for afternoon tea.

Small as it is, the cafe is nothing more than a corner-shop with tables and benches on the outside for patrons. In my opinion, dining alfresco has its definite perks! Great air, good view of the streets and biking hippies.This does not however include the fact that it started drizzling and we had to prop open our umbrellas to continue eating in the rain. Great fun it was.

Nonetheless I loved how dilapidated the outdoor benches were. Not deliberately so, I suppose. Its concept just seemed so casual like an everyday neighbourhood bakery.

Ah… This, my dear friends, is the insanely good GINGER BRULEE TART. It is to-die-for. You may find a rather complex recipe at A Table For Two as adapted from Bourke Street Bakery’s cookbook but don’t expect to replicate the famed goodness! The caramel layer is perfectly burnt to crisp chewiness whilst the inside retains its custard-y moist. Infused (but not overwhelmed) by ginger, the spice added an extra zing toward an unconventional sweetness. No wonder it’s a hit at the cafe!

Aside from a fixed menu, the bakery comes up with daily specials. Apparently, I have to try their strawberry meringue tart! Yup, definitely on my to-do list, next trip to Sydney.

Bourke Street Bakery Surry Hills
633 Bourke St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Australia

xoxo,
Viktoria Jean