Choukette on Bruswick’s Sydney road is home to the finest selection of French pastries and savouries we’ve sampled outside of a Parisian boulangerie. Big call we know, but chef Nans Wojtczak tells us that even his native French customers say his croissants are the best they’ve ever tasted.
So what makes a good croissant? Choukette’s croissants (the house specialty) are crafted using the finest quality butter and ingredients. Glossy, flaky, pillows of goodness, we could eat ten of these for breakfast every day of the week.
The selection of macarons is extensive, we recommend you try the chai mint macaron which was the winner in the Melbourne Macaron Competition in 2010. The subtle flavour of chai mixed with a burst of mint makes for a winning combination. New macaron flavours are introduced weekly – when we popped in the flavour of the day was Pomegranate. Nans enjoys mixing local seasonal flavours with traditional pastry techniques to create a truly French and Melbourne fusion.
And the cakes…where to begin. Let’s just say we were in heaven sampling the beautiful selection of cakes. Our favourite was the Chocolate Royal – chocolate mousse with flourless chocolate sponge and a crunchy layer of praline. A close second was the Millefeuille – layers of delicate puff pastry and rich vanilla custard (basically the fancy version of the Aussie ‘snot block’).
If you’re more of a fan of the savoury persuasion, Choukette has a range of lunch options that are sure to please. Hot pies, artisan quiches and baguettes overflowing with ham and french cheeses are all reasonably priced and are the perfect accompaniment to a Melbourne winter.
Everything at Choukette is baked daily on site. If you love a good bakery and a healthy serve of gluten, add this Sydney road gem to your must-visit list.
BY NIGELLA LAWSUIT
Choukette is located at 318 Sydney Road, Brunswick. Contact them on 9380 8680 or visit choukette.com.au for more information.
