Walking along the Rocks, the usual souvenir shops, cafes and pubs greet you, but a new member sits on the corner of Hickson Road. Be seduced by a small bistro, bar and patisserie on the corner, simply called Baroque. From the La Renaissance Patisserie, the Charkos family offers a restaurant combining pastry and classic French cuisine, serving classic French Bistro dishes, plus extensive wines and pastries with a beautiful view of the harbour to match.
After enjoying watching contestants create a macaron tower on MasterChef, I went on a search to find Sydney’s best tasting macarons with the most crispy shells and deliciously soft interiors. And wow, did Baroque rate high. Baroque’s colourful clouds of meringue and sweet ganache are a staple of French Patisserie, tracing back to the early 16th century, finessed and refined after 35 years and two generations of experience, their Patissiers have perfected the art of Macaron-making. All Baroque Macarons are $2.50 each, with boxes of 3, 6, 12, 30 or more available to take away. But I recommend to sit in and enjoy a choice of three macarons with a coffee or tea for just $10.
Of course, they do beautiful breakfasts, lunches and dinners but their desserts are just to die for. With cakes, pastries and tartlets, there’s much to choose from but the macarons are some of the best desserts (or starters) I’ve let melt on my tongue. You be the judge though and choose a taste from their delectable range of flavours: dark chocolate, passionfruit, jasmine, rosewater, salted caramel, blackcurrant, pistachio & sour cherry, strawberry & vanilla, and extra virgin olive oil. But wait, there’s more. You can come and view the French Pastries being handmade on-site in a new open plan pastry kitchen, try some of the items, or even be your own MasterChef and learn how to create these scrumptious treats in Baroque’s Macaron Masterclasses.
It’s a gorgeous little bistro with raw brickwork, great copper saucepans and lights hanging from above, a large bar reflected in a large mirror and an open kitchen to watch the masters working, so grab a seat, a macaron or two and enjoy this casual eatery much needed in The Rocks.