Australian Gourmet Traveller - (11)November 2020 (1)

BABAJAN2.0

BabajanownerKirstyChiapliaspermanentlyswitchedherCarltonNorthbrunch

haventoa takeawayTurkishemporium.Floor-to-ceilingtimberbakeryshelves

arenowpackedwithboreks,simits,breadandpastries,whilethefrontcounter

is filledwithanabundanceofricepilafsandsalads,Turkishfishsandwiches,

cakesandfamilymealsofmoussaka,12-hourbraisedlambshouldersandmore.

Thenew-lookBabajanalsoincludesTurkishandMiddleEasternpantrystaples,

suchasharissa,Aleppo,za’atar,zhougandolives,alongsidegroceries.

“Customersmightnotbeabletositdownandenjoyaneggplant-Aleppotoastie

rightnow,buttheycanbuya jarofAleppo,a loafofsourdough,eggsand

picklestorecreateit athome,”saysChiaplias.Whilepositiveinthisinterim

period,Chiapliasis pinningherhopesontheintroductionofoutdoorseating

asrestrictionsareeased.“I’dlovetohavepeoplesitoutsidewitha coffeeor

a glassofwine,"shesays.“Toputfoodona platewouldreallybesomething.”

AGNESBAKERY+ BOTTLESHOP

ChefBenWilliamsonwasslated

toopenhisnewBrisbane

restaurantinMarch,butinstead

Agnesopenedasa bakeryand

bottleshop.Thetemporaryfixture

soldsmokedpotatosourdough,

figandcustardkouign-amanns,

pumpkinandporkpizzette,and

rosewaterbrûléechouxbuns,

alongsidecheese,salumi, pickles

andsmokedbutter.

SIXPENNYGENERALSTORE

Forthreemonthsthisfine-dinerin

Sydney’sStanmoreoperatedasa

generalstore.Insteadofpreparing

a modern-Australiantastingmenu

for 34 diners,DanPuskasandhis

teambakedcakesandloavesof

sourdough,madejam,andfilled

bottleswithSixpennychillisauce

tobesoldtoa never-endinglineof

customersthatformedoutsidethe

restauranteachweekend.“We’d

openordersat5pmonFriday,and

bySaturdaymorningtherewould

be 90 orsoorders.Somepeople

spent$300oncake!”recalls

Puskas.“Weweren’texpecting

such a positive response.”

THESUMMERTOWN

ARISTOLOGISTVEGETABLEBOX

ThisAdelaiderestaurantoffered

organicvegetableboxesfrom

thebeginningoflockdown.The

shop-pivotalsoincludedbunches

offreshlypickednativeflowers,

wineandcoffee.It wastheperfect

warm-upforitslarder-meets-cellar

door,whichopenedinJune.

MARTAROMANBAKERY

It wasn’tunusualtoseea queue

snaking20-plusmetresfrom

thisRushcuttersBayrestaurant-

turned-Romanbakery.That’s

becauseitssfogliatellestuffed

withprosciuttoandherbedricotta,

mortadella-andprovolone-filled

paniniandprofiteroleswith

pipedcoffeecreamhad half

ofSydneytalking.

CAFEPACI’SFINNISHBAKERY

PasiPentänenhasalwaysbeen

fiercelyinnovative,soit wasno

surprisethathisiterationof

a bakerywasoneofthemost

cleverandforward-thinkingin

Sydney.Puntersqueuedinneatly

distancedlinestosnapupFinnish

pastriesandplayfulbakerytreats,

likeblackpuddingsausagerolls,

carrot-and-licoricecakes(afun

takeona CafePacidessert),and

potatoandmolassesrye bread

topped with gravlax.

OUTSTAN

DI

N

G

M

NE

B• NOIT

BA

AJ

AN

PHOTOGRAPHY ARIANNA LEGGIERO (BABAJAN) & SARAH PANNELL (KING

&GODFREE).

58 GOURMET TRAVELLER