Do you ever dream of baguettes from your favourite bakery in France? Or that first slice of eggplant pizza you tasted in Italy? Ned Radojcic did. In fact, he dreamed everything about bread. So much so that he sought his favourite bakers in the world, brought them to Australia and opened the aptly named, Ned’s Bake.
But this South Yarra café is not just about bread. It serves a gathering of locals with good coffee (Ripe Harvest Blend 227), hot soups, salads and pastas, and of course all your usual bakery fare.
My first visit, I opted for the mushroom bechamel Danish and a caprese baguette. The Danish was delicious. Savoury pastries are seriously underrated and this one was tasty with creamy mushrooms and cheese, encased in light, crisp, buttery pastry.
Vegetarian baguettes include caprese with basil, tomato and fresh mozzarella; or the goats’ cheese, mushroom and rocket. The flavours of both are tasty, but the highlight is the bread which is crusty and strong. The goats’ cheese was generously slathered with cooked but cold mushrooms and bitter rocket.
The tomato and burrata salad is a fresh alternative. The colourful cherry tomatoes are served with pitted black olives, big leafed parsley and a herb vinaigrette. The burrata was on the firmer side, but still moist and milky in the centre.
There are a number of pizza slices – more like focaccia with toppings serve toasted. The dough was light but crisp on the base.
There is a reason why locals make this place their local, and the friendly staff know it.
While the bread is on the dearer side, it is cheaper than a flight to the northern continent. And enough to satisfy your foodie day dreams.
Ned’s Bake
134 Toorak Road
South Yarra VIC 3141
03 9867 2457
nedsbake.com.au
But this South Yarra café is not just about bread. It serves a gathering of locals with good coffee (Ripe Harvest Blend 227), hot soups, salads and pastas, and of course all your usual bakery fare.
My first visit, I opted for the mushroom bechamel Danish and a caprese baguette. The Danish was delicious. Savoury pastries are seriously underrated and this one was tasty with creamy mushrooms and cheese, encased in light, crisp, buttery pastry.
Vegetarian baguettes include caprese with basil, tomato and fresh mozzarella; or the goats’ cheese, mushroom and rocket. The flavours of both are tasty, but the highlight is the bread which is crusty and strong. The goats’ cheese was generously slathered with cooked but cold mushrooms and bitter rocket.
The tomato and burrata salad is a fresh alternative. The colourful cherry tomatoes are served with pitted black olives, big leafed parsley and a herb vinaigrette. The burrata was on the firmer side, but still moist and milky in the centre.
There are a number of pizza slices – more like focaccia with toppings serve toasted. The dough was light but crisp on the base.
There is a reason why locals make this place their local, and the friendly staff know it.
While the bread is on the dearer side, it is cheaper than a flight to the northern continent. And enough to satisfy your foodie day dreams.
Ned’s Bake
134 Toorak Road
South Yarra VIC 3141
03 9867 2457
nedsbake.com.au