Babka
| Where | 358 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 3065—View map |
Contact | 03 9416 0091 |
Website | — |
Open | Breakfast Tuesday to Sunday 7:00 am to 4:00 pm |
Payment | EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, Cash |
Diet | Soy, Gluten free |
Seating | Inside and outside |
Kids | Get a baby sitter |
Pets | Welcome |
Cute as a button
Ellie Parker 8 March 2010
Babka is like a fairy tale bakery. It belongs atop the Magic Faraway Tree. This darling little dollhouse of a bakery is Melbourne's Land of Goodies, Land of Birthdays and Land-of-Take-What-You-Want. No less.
Each visit to Babka will reward you with scenes of cosy, feel-good feelings and delicious baked treats. If you glance through the steamy wood-framed windows you will catch the familiar scene of regular patrons reveling in fairy tale-like delight. Pretty, rosy cheeked waitresses pitter patter around the Lilliputian floor space, constantly ferrying hot chocolates and warm sticky 'shoo-fly' buns to gaggles of giddy friends. At a tiny table in the corner, two elderly ladies mischievously order glasses of 'Beryl Sparkles' (vodka infused raspberries in champagne) to celebrate each other's 80th birthdays. Two chubby toddlers are so spellbound that they sit still on their little red vinyl chairs, focussing on getting the butter and jam out of the wee yellow ceramic bowls and into into their hot-in-the-hand croissants (if that isn't magic, I don't know what is). Lovers are delivered pots of smokey lapsung souchong tea and buttery, cinnamony escargot.
Babka land is probably most fabled for its Russian blintzes. These little crepe pockets ooze sweetened cottage cheese and sultanas, the tang of which melds with the puddle of citrus sauce. It's one of those must have moments, after which, the floor is all yours to move forward with the menu (remember it is the Land of Goodies, so you obliged to eat all that your heart desires). Agonise over the choice between Georgian baked beans with Meredith goat feta versus "Mememen", scrambled eggs with tomato, chili, feta, mint, parsley served on house made focaccia. The French toast is exemplarily,made with Babka's hallah bread and served with top shelf maple syrup and strawbs. The mushrooms are beaut too, piled high with fresh herbs and served on thick Casalinga bread.
Given the tiny room, the tables barely hold your plates and cups so there is a lot of tucking your elbows in, maneuvering and apologising to fellow patrons. You might want to leave your giant of a husband behind as he simply won't fit (tiny husbands will do fine however). And don't even think about bringing your Bugaboo.
As you leave, and in the tradition of the Land-of-Take-What-You-Want, tuck a couple of pies and a warm Casalinga loaf under your arm. Dick and Fanny style.