In Short: Drury Lane is the quintessential patisserie, with a stunning display of sweet treats. Their biscuit sandwiches are a unique concept, and their savoury offerings will satisfy the most discerning pie or sausage roll aficionado.
For many of us, great holidays are defined by the sights, interactions, and sometimes even great food discoveries. But, then there’s also the lamenting of having such a finite window to enjoy that food discovery! You so wish you could pack the chef/baker/barista and take them back with you. If you’ve been down to Tasmania and Hobart, odds are you’ve munched on a cookie or tried a pastry at Sweet Envy. Fortunately, Sweet Envy’s chef, Alistair Wise has decided to bring his expertise to the mainland, and to Sydney. It’s a bit of coup for Brewtown, that Drury Lane has taken over the space upstairs; great pastry upstairs, remarkable coffee and cafe downstairs. It’s a spacious area of distressed brick and corrugated ceiling, with mini tables that allow consumers to quickly tuck into their treats and move off for other food adventures in Newtown. There’s an upbeat soundtrack, and if you like some of the tunes, you can take a peak at Network Connection Records at the opposite end of the patisserie for some old school vinyl.
A glass case is what you will see, as you make your way up the stairs and peer to the right. There are biscuit sandwiches, croissants, slices, and a selection of savoury items including sausage rolls and pies. Making a choice is made extremely difficult, as every item just looks spectacular and every single item is immaculately presented. The attention to detail and consistency points to a well drilled team who thrive on delivering food that pleases the eye first, and then teases the palate and satisfies the hunger not long after.
We choose a combination of sweet and savoury treats. We begin with a posset jar that is topped with six dainty meringues, that are perfectly shaped with a golden scorched exterior. Sitting beneath, are layers of lemon cream, fruit, and crumble. There are nutty flavours and textures with the lemon cream providing a sharp contrasting flavour. As I worked my way to the bottom, I encountered a rich raspberry compote that is nicely balanced. Cute presentation, and a treasure trove of flavour as you dig into the jar.
Our second treat was the Monty. I am sure many a work kitchen or home pantry has a pack of Arnotts assorted creams which includes a Monte Carlo. Well the Monty’s only relation to the Monte Carlo, is a rough allusion, otherwise it bears no resemblance, in the best sort of way. I love how pliable the biscuit is as it breaks apart in my mouth. There’s a coconut cream and textures of coconut as I chew on it which is divine, with blushes of strawberry cream mixed in. It’s a decadent “sandwich” that’s worth a trip to Newtown by itself.
Completing a trifecta of gorgeous sweets is a pistachio love croissant. First of all, I loved the toasted colour of the croissant with the sprinkling of crushed pistachio that contrasts against the tanned pastry. Drury Lane don’t take any shortcuts with their croissants, with the love croissant comprised of 48 layers of pastry. Yes 48, you read it right. As I bite into the croissant, the pastry cracks and falls apart revealing a filling of pistachio frangipanè, infused with rose water cream and yoghurt. It’s light, fragrant and amazingly delicious. I don’t want to know what my carb intake is, but I can’t stop myself indulging.
Drury Lane’s prowess with its pastry extends to its sausage rolls and pies. One of my favourite sausage rolls in Sydney is just up the road at Bourke Street Bakery and so, I see how Drury Lane’s lamb and harissa sausage roll stacks up. It’s a generous, plump roll with the sausage almost bursting out of the back of it. Biting into it reveals a spicy, peppery flavour of the harissa and hints of cumin too. The pastry is buttery and smooth on the inside, and crispy on the outside. Suffice to say on finishing the hearty roll, a new favourite had been sourced. Thanks Alistair and team!
I love the concept of Drury Lane, a spot where you can drop in, indulge and walk away with little fuss. We found the service team super friendly and exuded energy as they served us. You can also count on them to walk you through each of the biscuits and pastry. If only every day could start at Drury Lane, we’d all be very content!
Chris Waghorn says
I went here recently and absolutely loved the Lemon Meringue. The meringue was so creamy and delicious.