Brunetti
Disclosure: My visit was courtesy of Brunetti and Food Pampering
Brunetti is a total Melbourne institution. The first shop opened in Carlton in 1985 (though the current family took over in 1991) and it is now a mini empire, having expanded to several more locations in Melbourne, as well as Singapore and Dubai. The Carlton shop spans three shop fronts, and seems to be constantly packed. It’s a big, loud, busy joint with a huge selection of cakes, pastries and other baked goods.
Before I cut out sugar, I visited Brunetti with Food Pampering and a few other bloggers for afternoon tea. Despite it being such an iconic place, prior to that afternoon I had never visited Brunetti before. I know, I’m very behind the times!
While there we sampled a selection of items. This tray of pastries looked gorgeous, and on it we had: little strawberry tarts, millefoglie with vanilla custard, French custard tarts, and a couple of cannoli filled with custard or chocolate cream.
Unfortunately, I found them a bit same same. By that I mean while they looked different, they were all quite sweet and all the fillings were cream or custard. More variation would have been good, as I felt like I was pretty much eating the same pastry over and over again.
In addition to the small pastries, we also tried a La Crezione ($4.50) – an éclair filled with bitter chocolate cream slightly flavoured with orange and decorated with a very pretty chocolate plaque printed with part of The Creation of Adam image. Sadly, the choux pastry was too dry – it looked much better than it tasted.
Much better was the Bigne San Guiseppe ($4), a fried doughnut dusted with sugar and filled with chantilly cream – cream, vanilla custard and strega liqueur. But – gak – more cream/custard!
With the exception of the éclair, nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out. But to be fair, we only tried a small sample of what’s available, and I’m sure that a different selection of pastries (less custard/creamy stuff) would have helped.
Brunetti must be doing something right. While there are bakeries and cafes in Melbourne that make better cakes and pastries, none of them can claim the longevity of Brunetti. And check out the long list of blog posts below – there’s a lot of Brunetti love out there. I guess I need another visit before I find mine.
Read Allan and Joyce’s accounts of the afternoon.
And for more on Brunetti (all Melbourne locations), check out these blogs:
[googleMap name=”Brunetti” width=”600″ height=”300″ directions_to=”false”]204 Faraday St, Carlton, VIC, Australia[/googleMap]
Brunetti
204 Faraday St
Carlton 3053
Phone: (03) 9347 2801
brunetti.com.au
October 20, 2011 @ 6:54 pm
mmmmm theregoes the diet
October 22, 2011 @ 9:54 pm
Hehee 🙂
October 20, 2011 @ 9:01 pm
Yeah, I’ve never considered this as somewhere I want to go in Melbourne. It’s always looks really… basic to me, but I guess I’ve always never been that interested in pastries, and things like eclairs and profiteroles make me go “bleurgh”. I think I’ll stick with making you go to raw food restaurants with me next time I visit. Surely you’re a little more open to it now? 😉
October 22, 2011 @ 9:47 pm
A raw food restaurant? I think not, my dear. Unless you’re going to come and eat a steak with me and not eat dessert…?
October 23, 2011 @ 5:37 pm
Oh fiddlesticks. I thought I’d be able to convince you because of your date coconut treat success and the fact that quite a few of the savoury raw dishes are vegie/protein/fat based rather than carb-based, but s’pose it was wishful thinking.
Raw steak as the compromise? 😉
October 23, 2011 @ 6:28 pm
But what’s the protein source? Yes it was definite wishful thinking – make your brother take you again. That’s what family is for. 😉
October 20, 2011 @ 9:50 pm
It was a little meh for sure!
October 22, 2011 @ 9:49 pm
I was particularly disappointed that the eclair was dry – it looked so pretty!
October 22, 2011 @ 3:27 am
Oh my gosh THANK YOU for your honesty. I’ve never been a fan of their desserts from Day 1. And like you said, I’m not sure if it was cause of the lighting or anything, but it’s really better to look at.
BUT, I still find myself going back time and time again after being there for the “Nth” time already. Maybe it’s cause of friends’ invitations and that I didn’t mind it as much. It’s one of those times that remind me that it doesn’t ALWAYS have to be about “good food” but the friendly company that matters. So, you’ll prolly find me going back again but more for a good catchup than their pastries (totally agree with the overly used custard and cream).
Still, respect for staying true and honest to what you feel even though it was sponsored tasting! Your readers like me really do appreciate that a lot. Have a great weekend, Agnes! =)
October 22, 2011 @ 9:51 pm
Aww, thanks Winston 🙂 You’re right – it’s not always about the food, but about the company. And if your friends like it, then that’s what matters.
Have a good weekend as well!
October 22, 2011 @ 5:46 pm
I can’t remember when the last time I visited this place! I can’t make myself go anymore, especially since there are so many better cake shops out here 😉
October 22, 2011 @ 9:52 pm
There really are, aren’t there?
October 22, 2011 @ 9:38 pm
I reckon what Brunetti does right is looks and location! Shiny pastries and smack dab on the tourist strips: Lygon St and next to Fed Square. Not really ingredients for good food.
October 22, 2011 @ 9:53 pm
Looks and location – I think you’re on to something with that theory.
October 22, 2011 @ 10:09 pm
Oh Agnes, what a brain freeze – I’ve been wondering why your updates weren’t showing up on my bloglist and only just realised I still had your blogspot address up there. I’ve corrected it now.
Apologies! Alright enough comment spamming from me haha 🙁
October 26, 2011 @ 8:13 pm
Hah – glad you found me again 🙂
October 23, 2011 @ 10:45 pm
Found your blog via Kat/SSS.
I work near Brunetti so i go there a lot, inc midnight runs on a Sat night. When we have birthdays at work we get Brunetti cake.
I agree with you, I think their French stuff isn’t the way i’d expect it to taste. When they don’t try to do French stuff it’s not bad, I love their ricotta cakes and their cannoli. But we had a profiterole cake at work and the pastry was dry and the cream wasn’t very good.
I”m a bit of a purist, if i want French pastries like eclairs, etc I will go to a French patisserie as I know somewhere like Brunetti will be disappointing.
October 26, 2011 @ 8:16 pm
Hi Nat 🙂 If I’m ever back there, I’ll keep in mind to stick to the ricotta cakes and cannoli!
October 24, 2011 @ 6:48 pm
Thank you for your honesty in this post! I’ve been playing with the idea of visiting Brunetti for a long time, however I’ve not heard any ‘this place is amazing, you must go!’, but instead mediocre reviews which say exactly what you did, custard and cream.. I know I can trust your reviews, so I think I will choose my precious (travel) time with visiting someone else.. Although, I think Cam would probably enjoy this place – he can never get enough custard and cream….! Hahaha. He’ll seriously just buy those cartons of custard and drink it 😛 funny boy. Those types of deserts usually make me feel ill, though!
October 26, 2011 @ 8:18 pm
Haha. The funny thing is – I really like custard and cream. But apparently I don’t like it *that* much!
PS: I gotta place for you that’s a must go… 😀