This list of irresistibles is dedicated to honouring sweet irresistibles that have been MoMo & Coco’s reliable favourites since before the inception of this dessert review blog site. This list also honours sweet irresistibles sampled since the inception of this site that were not photographed or documented here because it was not always appropriate nor convenient to photograph on that particular dining occasion.
Enjoy!
Modern irresistibles from restaurants
- No. 35 – the most innovative and experimental modern desserts, and the irresistible views that confer the irresistible feeling that you are a high-roller on the top of the world. MoMo & Coco have had the privilege to delight in the business luncheon desserts of coconut tapioca, with ginger granita and mango salsa sorbet; coffee and cream mille feuille; and the berries and aerated chocolate. For that special occasion.
- Gingerboy – the dessert share platter.
- Longrain – the dessert share platter.
- Cumulus – the lemon curd madeleines.
- Cutler & Co – the icecream sandwich with salted caramel and the violet ice cream. MoMo & Coco believe desserts are the main strength of Cutler & Co, savoury fare tends to be too modern for our tastes.
Neo-classical irresistibles from restaurants
- Mezzo Bar and Grill – the valrhona chocolate sorbet dessert with caramel diamonds served in a martini glass (available when it was formerly Oyster Little Bourke); and when you don’t have your own nonna, the best outside of Italy, tiramisu della nonna. Consistently excellent service with universal, inter-generational appeal.
- Maha – the turkish delight-filled doughnuts, with rosewater honey, caramelised pralines and strong almond icecream; a molecular breakdown of the creme brulee; and also, most of the unique Middle-Eastern interpretations of classical European desserts, as seasonally available…all of which are guaranteed to be a magical carpet ride of sweetness. Date-night perfection.
- Movida – the Basque tart filled with sweet quince and served with merengada ice cream.
- Mamasita – the miniature sweet corn ice cream cone with caramel and popcorn.
- The Court House – the classical panna cotta.
- Tao Tao House – for yum cha desserts that go beyond the ubiquitous sago pudding and egg tarts.
- Grand Hyatt Collins Kitchen – for a fuss-free introduction to high tea, this is a smorgasbord of desserts, including an icecream bar, waffle station, chocolate fountain and unlimited beverages.
Irresistibles from cafes and specialty boutiques
- Le Triskel – every crepe under the roof of this laneway cafe, and the most charming service. Right next door to the best French macarons in Melbourne too, La Belle Miette.
- Roule Galette – a very cosy nook for traditional crepes.
- Aix Creperie – the less traditional but still so sweet, slightly pancake-y french crepes in a very very tiny place.
- Waffle On – waffles of generous sweetness and proportions, to be devoured standing or sitting on crates, on a laneway corner near a train station no less.
- Benitos – the sticky raisin-filled breakfast bun.
- Commercial Bakery – le citron tart, and all manner of flaky pastries from a laneway cafe-cum-bakery.
- Balha’s Pastry – the baklava, borma, shabiatt, assabeh, kol o shor, halva, ma’amoul, basbousa, hab el hal, and other Middle Eastern sweets saturated in cinnamon, cardamon, saffron, rosewater, honey, embellished with pomegranate, figs, dates, quince, pistachio, sesame, nuts, from this enormous bakery especially, but there’s also a number of other good, smaller Middle Eastern bakeries in the vicinity too.
- Le Petit Gateau – the artisanal cakes (with barely any mousse components = real cakes), though we recommend especially the brownie and passionfruit chocolate gateau; and the praline mud cake.
- Little Cupcakes – the most moist cupcakes in Melbourne, focusing on traditional flavours, we recommend especially the red velvet, cookies and cream and the cutie-pie teddy bear mini-cupcakes.
- Laurent – a stalwart of european-style cakes.
- Brunetti – the long-established stalwart of cakes, cakes, cakes.
- Jock’s Ice Cream – the Obamarama icecream of course, but difficult to stop there. Lovely treat after a run in the neighbouring park.
- Il Dolce Freddo – because when we can’t always be in Italy, the vast range of traditional and contemporary flavours available here is the next best option. A favourite since university days.
- Koko Black – the almost-restaurant-worthy chocolate desserts! Bypass the lackadaisical high tea though.
- Max Brenner – the molten chocolate shot.
- Haighs Chocolate – chocolate, chocolate, chocolate (not the best, but large range available at comparatively affordable prices).
- Suga – who doesn’t want a nostalgic big big big round boiled sugar lollypop??
- The Original Lolly Shop – because MoMo & Coco misses Reese’s Peanutbutter Cups and all the lovely English toffees.
- Most markets, theme parks or carnival events – the heavenly pink clouds of fairy floss, because it is an oldey, but a goodey, and because sometimes, the most simple irresistibles hold the best memories.
Irresistibles from bars/lounges
- Izakaya Den – the fiji apple mille-feuille, and the eye candy.
- The Waiting Room – cherry jelly peanut chocolate bar.
- Berlin Bar – the only bar we know that has gummi bears!
- For irresistibles of sweet alcoholism – special mention to Der Raum, Eau de Vie, The Lui Bar, New Gold Mountain, Double Happiness, The Atrium, Murmur, Emerald Peacock, Red Hummingbird, Gin Palace, Siglo, Misty, 1806, The Long Room…and those mentioned-above, of course.
Dessert Correspondents 