Sometimes nothing will distract teenagers from their phones
Zimt Patisserie Cafe was previously in Hamilton Street Mont Albert. I gave up going there as it was always dark and clattery but would always stop to look at their themed window displays of amazing delights.
If it was Halloween there would be iced orange biscuits and eerie pumpkin jack o'lanterns and on Valentine's Day heart shaped cakes or petite little rosewater macaroons. Displays were always stunning enough to make one's jaw drop and mouth drool.
Easter theme
Late last year, Zimt moved to Union Road in Surrey Hills and is now glassed away behind floor to ceiling windows.
Without an official shop front they don't have the same capacity to create amazing window displays but this is a much better environment for those enjoying their coffee and cake.
It is light and open with comfortable booth-like seating. The decor is quite ritzy. French inspired with some bright red seating and dark wire light fixtures.
We recently decided to try out their high tea option. And certainly the experience is worth telling others about. Which is the beauty of writing for WeekendNotes.
Between the five of us we were given two, three-tiered cake stands. On the bottom were interesting savouries such as tomato and spinach quiches and petite rolls decked to capacity with cubes of chicken, slices avocado and and the nutty texture of tiny shard of walnut.
The next tier had gorgeous looking cakes. Because it was Easter, the cakes were peaked with snowy vanilla frosting, and decorated with colourful little sugar bunnies and Easter eggs.
There was also delicious squares of opera gateaux which is almond sponge, soaked in coffee syrup, alternating with chocolate buttercream & ganache, and then decorated with what looked exactly like coffee beans but were in fact carefully carved replicas made out of chocolate.
The top tier we decided was there because it was heaven - salty caramel macarons. A heavenly mixture that is both sweet and slightly salty with a rich butter cream in the middle.
Normally you are served Devonshire tea (scones, jam and cream) with all of this, but because it was Easter themed we were given a basket of their spicy hot cross buns with individual little plates each with a curved pat of yellow butter.
Box of buns
With real butter
High tea of course came with tea or coffee. While a coffee addict, I must say I envied those who took the tea option. It came in a delightful little teapot which meant you could top up while you grazed.
But what I really liked about Zimt was the price. It was $30 a head. We had so much food we could not eat it all and much was boxed up to take home. Apparently no group has yet been able to eat all the offerings in one sitting.
Normally high teas of this quality would set you back at least $60 to $70 dollars. And I know, because I write a lot about high teas.
Yet if you had been ordering these foods separately at Zimt, roughly it would have cost at least $40 per person, if not more. So the high tea option is good value.
You are certainly not locked into any options. There are gluten free options available and you can structure your wants from the extensive menu on their website.
They also theme the high teas for special occasions.
Zimt is recommended for your next family occasion.
Beautifully designed cakes
