I’m going to make this short and sweet.
Cibo Espresso makes, hands down, the best coffee in Brisbane.
Make that – the best coffee in South East Queensland, Melbourne, and Sydney.
(The cannoli ain’t bad either)
I would say “the world”, but I haven’t been everywhere, have I?
Cibo Espresso
4/85 Merthyr Road, New Farm
(also at West End)
http://www.ciboespresso.com.au
I keep saying I’m a mad baker. Well, here is proof:
Have a great, sugary week.
Sometimes I think I am a masochist. You would think that a month in Europe (where I scoffed pastries, beer, full-fat milky coffees, and huge wedges of cheese on a daily basis) would make me sick of rich food by the time I got home.
Err, no. I like to torture my liver and my blood glucose levels, it seems. One of my first outings since arriving back in Brisbane was to Monty’s Chocolates, a little cafe and chocolate shop in Paddington. Chocolate shops are basically the equivalent of S & M for me.
Monty’s is very small, but it’s cosy and there are a few tables inside. We ordered the chocolate sampler ($8.80), which came with a hot chocolate, one liquid salted caramel, fruit and nut candies, plain chocolate, a truffle, and chocolate covered coffee beans. We also got a mocha. Because we are nasty, nasty people.
The salted caramels seem to be a popular item at Monty’s, but I wasn’t too sold on them. I love the idea of sweet and salty, but the bitter cocoa dusting on the shell threw the taste off for me a bit. Naughty.
The chocolate-covered fruit and nut candies were delicious; like grown up M & Ms. I also liked the chocolate-covered cocoa beans, which didn’t have the overly bitter taste I was expecting. The plain chocolate was good. It had this great balance between milk and dark. Finally, the strawberry truffle was gooey and sweet, and pretty tasty. Cheeky little thing.
The hot chocolate was a bit average. It was done in an ‘Italian style’, true, but I found it to be too sickly. This could be a matter of personal taste, and it is hard to make a milkier hot chocolate that is still rich and chocolatey. Note too that it’s a very, very small cup of hot chocolate that comes with the sampler – although trust me, it’s more than enough. The mocha was fantastic – creamy, smooth, and chocolatey, with a hint of coffee flavour. Definitely no punishing your tastebuds here.
We bought some hand made chocolates to take home, because I am a bad, bad girl who likes to mess with my insulin levels. The Hazelnut Cup was my favourite, and was filled with a whipped hazelnut chocolate filling; the Cookies & Cream cup was delicious and had a filling that reminded me of icing; the Peanut Butter Fudge was a bit average, and the filling was too sugary and not buttery enough; the Black Forest Bomb had a liquor-like bite to it; and the Sticky Date Fudge was amazing. The smooth chocolate filling hid a very strong date and caramel flavour.
Monty’s Chocolates definitely satisfies a sweet tooth and is a cute spot for a coffee and truffle. If you’re into that kind of thing.
Monty’s Chocolates
Cafe & Chocolate Shop
155 Latrobe Terrace
Paddington
07 3369 3135
http://www.montyschocolates.com.au/
D and I are a brilliant team. Not only do we often accidently dress in complementary colours (sick, but true), but we also acheive very brilliant things when we work together.
Case in point: I was idly surfing on twitter the other afternoon while eating a late lunch, when I noticed a cheeky little tweet from Dello Mano: “Dello Mano New Peanut Butter Brownie”. I literally live for peanut butter. D loves brownies more than he loves me (fair). So therefore I told him about it straight away:
I’ll stick with the original flavour, and satisfy my urges with a finger in the Kraft pb jar.Dello Mano
Luxury Brownies
1300 661 682
(available at various markets and their Bowen Hills store)
Now, look – I’ve told you before I’m a bit of a bad-ass baker. I don’t mean to brag, but I know my way around the kitchen. Let’s just say the rolling pin and I have an understanding. Despite my pretty excellent efforts in churning out cakes, tarts, and pies, there is one thing that I just cannot master: the brownie. Try as I might, I always stuff up these little suckers. Why, you may ask? Well, I’m a little bit of a perfectionist. I like my underwear ironed and my brownies fudgey.
Brisbane-based brownie makers Dello Mano have seriously perfected their craft. These babies are perfect. Those of you out there who like a cakey brownie – well, you suck. A cakey brownie is not a brownie. It is ass. One bite of a Dello Mano brownie and you will agree, and will be throwing those other stupid, fluffy bits of offending brown matter away.
The little squares have three layers: the top has a thin, sort of crumbly, cracked top-of-cake-like shell. This thin layer gives way to the heart of the brownie: this centre is smooth, dense, and delicately fudgy. It sticks to your teeth. It barely requires any chewing. The base of all of this is essentially a thin layer of pure, dark chocolate fudge: it’s the perfect foundation to this little tower of sweetness.
Now, do I have anything negative to say about these nuggets of gold? Well, they are slightly expensive. I think a lot of this is in your mindset: people will happily pay $$ for a luxury truffle or piece of fudge, yet a brownie? What? Something ol’ Mrs Crocker can whip up? The price could probably put people off, but please don’t let it. These brownies are as rich and luxurious as any truffle.
Deb from Dello Mano (hoping to make her my future wife, just quietly) tells me that a trip to Italy spurred her family to start a food business. ‘Dello Mano’ is twisted Italian for “Of (Made) by Hand”, and the cooking style reflects this – there are no preservatives or additives, and each brownie uses good ol’ ingredients like Free Range eggs, real butter, brown sugar, flour, real vanilla bean, and of course Belgian Chocolate.
I can honestly say, hands-down, no bias whatsoever, that Dello Mano produce the best brownies I’ve ever tasted. A box of them stood no chance in a household of three girls.
And for the record, I don’t iron my underwear. That is wack. But I am still a perfectionist about my brownies.
Dello Mano
Luxury Brownies
1300 661 682
http://www.dellomano.com.au/
Thank you to Dello Mano for supplying me with these delights.
One morning, after a bit of a hectic night, I stood in front of my open fridge and chugged a huge glass of milk. I have no idea why milk seemed like an ideal beverage at the time, but I do remember how damn refreshing it was. People, if you can get over the chance it will make you sick, I can definitely recommend an icy glass of moo juice for the morning after.
We had the ultimate in refreshing milk the other weekend at Milk. We passed Milk on the way to an errand in Newmarket, and it was a sign – I’d heard about them and had been wanting to visit. I believe there’s one at Ashgrove (is this a chain or a coincidence?)
Milk has tried to model itself on those old-school milk bars, offering the comforts of milkshakes, spiders, and old-fashioned lollies. I really love this concept, but I think Milk has fallen flat just a little bit. The little baggies of strawberries and cream are there, the extensive ice cream spider menu is there too, and there’s even kitschy seats and decorating. But let me ask you this: did your corner store have Asian Brown Rice Salad? No. No, you had a shriveled up pork roll and you liked it. Did it have fancy little gingerbread cupcakes? No, you chowed down on stale doughnut men, dammit. While the cupcakes and salads looked pretty tasty, I’d love to see more old-school food. Pies! Doughnuts! Sandwiches on blindingly white bread! We’ve heard of gastro-pub, what about gastro-milk bar? They do do an all-day breakfast though, which is very commendable.
So, like I said, we were craving some calcium. I got a Coconut Walnut Milkshake, and D ordered the Caramel Thickshake ($10.45 all up). There’s a huge range of milkshake and thickshake flavours, and you can order a ‘skinnier’ version made with skim milk. My milkshake was tasty and has pleasant hints of coconut, but not much of the walnut. D’s thickshake trumped mine – it was super thick, creamy, and really sweet. In a word, awesome. Plus, they were both served in those massive silver tin cups – oh yeah. I felt like I was six years old again, except I don’t know many six year olds who…never mind.
The milkshakes are really good, but it’s a shame that Milkbar don’t, erm, ‘milk’ their concept a bit more. After all, milk is never a bad choice.
Milk Cafe
Windsor Homezone
142 Newmarket Rd, Windsor
(07) 3357 3009
To view all pictures in this post, simply click on the ‘Movenpick’ title above
When I was in high school, my BFF and I used to eat a crapload of chocolate. We’d sort of go a few days with no sweets, and then – boom – good bye Mr Cadbury. We’d very calmly demolish a block, and then go on our merry ways to school the next day, feeling fine. There was no such thing as a Food Coma, or the dreaded Food Hangover. We just sort of sucked it up and kept on going.
Now, I fear those days are behind me. Something has been happening to me lately. It started at Max Brenner’s, when I couldn’t finish my hot chocolate. It got worse when I managed to keep some Bittersweet truffles in my fridge for five whole days without touching them. And then there was the other day at Movenpick ice cream.
Damn you, Movenpick. Why are you so creamy? Why are you so sweet? Why did you make me feel ill after I demolished you?
It wasn’t Movenpick’s fault. Well, maybe it was. I had all intentions to get one scoop, but once I saw all the flavours I couldn’t stop at one. I got a scoop of Maple Walnut, and a scoop of White Chocolate. The Maple Walnut flavour was off the hook – these two are just a perfect flavour pairing. However, if my maple sense doesn’t fail me – and I’m pretty damn sure it doesn’t – I daresay it was artifical maple syrup. This funny after taste didn’t kick in until I was halfway through the scoop though, so it wasn’t too bad.
The white chocolate was amazingly creamy – if you’re a lover of really milky tasting, rich ice cream, you’ll love this flavour. Halfway through this scoop, I had another slightly negative experience, although it wasn’t with the flavour. It was just all too much. Something is happening to me. My tolerance threasehold for sugar is slowly building up, and I’m not sure I like it. I fought my way through most of the final scoop, then sat there clutching my belly, looking at my sad little pool of leftover ice cream.
So is Movenpick good? Yes, it is damn good. There’s also some seating, plus it’s open until 10.30pm, plus they make waffles. But bare in mind the ice cream is very, very sweet and creamy – even for sugar fanatics like I. It’s also a little on the exxy side – from memory, two scoops cost about $7? Go easy and you’ll reap the rewards.
Movenpick Ice Cream
Palace Barracks – Top of Caxton Street
Petrie Terrace
Open seven days until late
(07) 3367 3988
http://www.moevenpick-icecream.com
I love chocklit
The other Saturday I was at a loss with what to do with myself. Friends were busy or working; D was away; even my own mother didn’t have time for her favourite child (it’s true, I am the favourite. When my brothers aren’t around she tells me. Ha ha ha).
So, what does one do when they are bored, and don’t have to worry about pleasing someone else with what they want to do?
One goes to a chocolate store.
I’ve been wanting to go to Bittersweet at the Petrie Terrace Barracks for ages. There’s not too many specialty chocolate stores in Brisbane, and I wasn’t overly impressed with the last one I visited.
Hello Lover
Bittersweet is a small shop (note: take-away treats only, no coffee or seating), but it’s crammed with goodies. I couldn’t believe it when I saw they also had BROWNIES. BROWNIES and CUPCAKES. The brownies looked really rich and fudgy, and the cupcakes were quite pretty and also looked like they had a little somethin’ somethin’ hiding under all that icing.
So, I stood in the shop in agony: did I get the brownie? Did I get the truffles? Did I get both? Eventually I decided on just the truffles (brownies, I will be back), and then moved on to the next daunting task: deciding which truffles to get.
Wait, I better correct myself: Bittersweet offers truffles, creams, liquers, nuts & fruits, and caramels. There are unique truffle flavours like Prune & Port and Chesnut & Cognac, as well as old favourites in the form of Lime and Raspberry Liquers.
Coconut Liquer Truffle; White Chocolate Truffle
I went with a White Chocolate Truffle and a Coconut Liquer Truffle. I’m a white choc fiend, but there’s a huge variety of milk and dark chocs too. The value of these chocolates is really good – two truffles were under $4. A bit better than paying $2.90 for one.
Somehow, I managed to save them for the NEXT FOUR DAYS. Wtf? This is unheard of. Wait, it gets better: I even split them with D. What is wrong with me?
I immediately regretted splitting them when I bit into the Coconut Liquer. The filling had stayed incredibly creamy, even though it had been in my fridge. The coconut on the outside added a nice crunch, and there was a definite alcoholic bite to the filling. It wasn’t ‘gooey’ like you’d expect a liquer to be, but rather the filling was very whippy and enclosed in a hard white chocolate shell.
The White Chocolate Truffle was my favourite. It was similar to the Coconut Liquer, but it was smoooooth baby. It had the same soft, whippy centre with a hard shell. They’re both very rich, but very satisfying too-just half of each satiated my sweet tooth.
Bittersweet, I will be back. I might even take someone else along this time too.
Bittersweet
Chocolate Boutique
Shop 8, The Barracks
61 Petrie Tce, Paddington
(07) 3367 3323
www.bittersweetchocolate.com.au
Open seven days, Thursday until 8pm.
Fancy Cakes
There is something about cupcakes that really bothers me. Or rather, there is something about how other people view cupcakes that really bothers me. A cupcake does not have to just be a pretty little cake made with plain vanilla batter, topped with some tasty yet plain icing, and a sugared rose bud on top. A cupcake can be, and I quote from some random cookbook in my momma’s kitchen, “absolutely any sort of cake in a smaller, individual form”. I am dying for Brisbaneites to use their imagination more with cupcakes. You’ve heard me rant before, so I won’t go into too much detail.
Recently I was very impressed with the imagination that had gone into the flavours in the cupcakes at My Sweetopia in South Bank. Was that a Turkish Delight cupcake that didn’t claim its name just because it was a plain chocolate cake with some Turkish Delight chucked on top? Were those cupcakes with a base flavour other than chocolate or vanilla?
I was excited. The cakes were also very, very pretty, and piled high with icing and decorative touches. We got the aforementioned Turkish Delight cupcake, as well as an Espresso Mudcake (forgive me if I’ve gotten the names wrong). We got them to go and tore into them the next day, when they still tasted very fresh.
The Espresso cake was hollowed out a little bit and had a scoop of a creamy icing in the middle. The cake part itself was fantastic; definitely a chocolate mud, with a very chocolatey flavour and a dense and moist consistency. The rest of it was a little disapointing; I couldn’t taste a single ounce of coffee or mocha flavour anywhere in the whole thing. D insisted he could in the icing, but to me it just tasted like cream.
The Turkish Delight was also very dense and well-made, and the cake initially had a very strong white chocolate mud taste. Then – boom – the rosewater flavour hit me and I was in Istanbul noshing on fresh, powdery Turkish Delight. Very impressive. But, again, I was let down by the icing. It reminded me of that old-school frosting that makes up the letters and edging on generic birthday cakes. I really didn’t like the texture; it went okay with the cake, but by itself it was a bit nasty.
So, My Sweetopia gets major points for showing some imagination with their cakes, but the toppings fell a bit flat. I fear that they are too focussed on making very pretty cakes. But you know, that’s the reason most people really love cupcakes, so who am I to awkwardly climb on my high horse and judge?
My Sweetopia deserves massive, massive bonus points because they are open late on the weekend. It is sad when it’s a huge thing for a little dessert place/cafe to be open late on the weekend, but that’s Brisbane for you.
The cafe itself is small but bright, cheerful, and sweet. There’s lots of outdoor seating too. Even though I wasn’t totally blown away by their cakes, I’ll definitely be back; it’s rare to find a ‘sweet’ late-night spot.
My Sweetopia
Bakery, Cafe, & Catering
Shop 8
180 Grey St, South Bank
(07) 3844 3732
www.mysweetopia.com.au
Open seven days
