By Josephine, Brunswick by Snooze

After breakfast at Hungry Birds, Big Fil had his usual eage eye on breakfast dessert and his choice for the morning was By Josephine. It might be at the scruffier end of Sydney but it's typically Melbourne; you need to scratch under the surface.



By Josephine is decidedly elegant inside. The purple paint on the walls is decidedly "look at me" but at the same time it's elegant and offset by the pristine white woodwork on the opposing wall and the white trim and chairs. I like it.



The texture and flavours of the macarons are good: none of that almond meal like texture left on the tongue and with good solid flavours. Our choices for the day: salted butter caramel, foie gras, black sesame and jasmine blossom.



I'm crazy for salted caramel and By Josephine's was better than most although I'd need to try another one to see whether I think it's better than Cacao. The caramel was rich with the gooey centre I like, not to mention that delectable stab of salt to offset the sugar.

Black sesame is not a favourite with me ... Big Fil's the team member with a decided taste for Asian inspired flavours and I defer to his view that this macaron was (very simply) delicious.

The surprise for both of us was the jasmine blossom. I often find macarons like jasmine blossom and rose to be washed out but this wasn't the case at By Josephine. Here eating the jasmine blossom was as much about inhaling the fragrance as it was about eating it.

I've left the most interesting for last: the foie gras. This wasn't a favourite with Big Fil and it took me by surprise. I ate my half slowly and was taken with how the foie gras' savoury taste balanced, and almost overwhelmed, the sweetness of the macaron. Big Fil's view was the texture was creamy and interesting, but he wasn't convinced by the flavours. With such diversity, I may have to try another to see if my first impressions continue.

Overall

Just in case you're not that interested in macarons, By Josephine also stocks pastries and friands, ice cream and savoury rolls. And if you find you do love her macarons and don't get to Brunswick very often, you'll find stockists across Melbourne and country Victoria listed on the By Josephine website. Definitely delectable.

Verdict
Food - 8
Ambience - 8.5
Service - 8.5
Price - 7.5

Address
365 Sydney Road
Brunswick Vic 3056
Tel: 0420 276 361