20/11/2021
Well hello! We've been on 99 reviews for quite some time now. It's time to bring up the tonne. Yay, 100 reviews! We are doing it in style by reviewing one of the best bakeries in South East Queensland.
A mid-week trip to Paddock takes us to a converted old house. You are immediately transported to a venue that has atmosphere and plenty of personality. Such a great space. The venue seats plenty and has many indoor/outdoor areas to accommodate varying moods and styles of it's customers.
The staff were friendly and accommodating and took on the challenge with confidence. Apologies in advance- there are some major holes in this review. Two reasons. 1. It was really busy so we didn't have time to ask my regular questions and 2. We're out of practice. 😀 It's been a while.
Ok, so we've got a great location and great staff. Let's get to the food.
The loaf- classic sourdough. It's a pass mark - just. The actual shape of the loaf doesn't lend itself to good slices and the fermentation process of the dough wasn't controlled meaning there were massive bubbles. There was no surface area to put my hummus! Despite this, we fully appreciated the rustic aspect of the loaf and the sour tang was discernible. Really enjoyable.
The pastry- ummmmm. Some sort of possibly vegetarian sausage roll. Yep, I let you all down here. I don't know what it was because I didn't ask. Soz. Lovely buttery puff pastry envelopes a mixture of quality ingredients. I identified macadamia nut, quinoa, corn, linseed. It could have been vegetarian (very difficult to tell these days) The tomato relish adds a flavour hit too. Apart from an inconsistent bake with one side being slightly underdone, this was deeeeelish. Hopefully they will read this and come through with a description because I want to eat it again next time.
The sweet. - The Rocher. Wow. Just wow. This will live long in the memory. Check the picture for a full description. The semi-sourdough cruffin is the star here. It's consistency is strong enough to prevent a hazel-choc collapse while eating, and the texture provides a delightful crunch to add a unique element to the experience. It's death by chocolate and a most satisfying way to die. Can't fault it. Go there and immerse yourself in one.
There's no beating about the bush here. Paddock has a place in the top 5 of South East Queensland's best bakeries. The quality of the food and charm of the venue make it a destination bakery. If you haven't been there yet, it needs to be on your bucket list. Get your timing right though as this place is very popular.
