As far as vanilla slices go, the Sorrento version from Just Fine Foods Delicatessen (23 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento, Victoria) has got to be one of the better ones. I do have a slight criticism though. They are very hard to eat!
Layers of crisp puff pastry barely contain the indulgence of creamy custard, which has a decidedly comforting whipped vanilla pudding taste to it. A seam of sweet strawberry jam gooeyfies the bottom layer of pastry, and the top is liberally caked in a blizzard of icing sugar.
One quite doesn’t know how to tackle its consumption though. A fork can pierce the flaky pastry when tackled from above, but attempting to remove a portion forces the custard to spurt outwards like some divine halo. And picking it up and taking a bite has its perils as well. An untimely inhalation could have one high on icing sugar for days!
At $5.00 a pop for takeaway, it certainly isn’t cheap. And for the purist, it probably doesn’t fulfill the criteria of the traditonal vanilla slice. But it is well worth a drop in should you find yourself in that part of the peninsula.
These look fantastic & I have even heard of them before though haven’t managed to get down there yet to try one myself. Good Luck in the new career, sound fantastic!
Thanks for the well wishes Ange. You must make a day trip down to Sorrento soon to sample one. I insist!!
I know these are meant to the best but I’ve been disappointed by it. Maybe it was just a bad day?
I’m with you! I wrote a post about the very same vanilla slices from Sorrento alsmot exactly a year ago, and wondered how you avoid the explosion of icing sugar all over your cleavage…
I bought only one and the smiling shop assistant suggested I had better drive a few km down the road if I did not want a second. I had to catch a plane in Melbourne so drove about 5km away before stopping to eat my vanilla slice. It was absolutely delicious! The best I have ever tasted. Much different from those generally available in other shops. I have to admit, that after checking I would not miss my flight, I drove the 5km back and bought another. Maybe a little messy to eat but who really cares.
I did not have the opportunity to taste a piece of the famous vanilla slice.
I was told that they only sell take away boxes of six slices and the door to the store was shut rudely in my face.
A LOT of customer service training would not go astray. After all you cannot live on an award from 2003 forever!
Hi Jo. Gosh…how absolutely horrible! Did it happen to be at closing time when you popped in? That is appalling customer service. I’d probably be making a phone call or writing a letter in complaint. Perhaps you might get some restitution in the form of free vanilla slices
Luckily I’ve only had great service from them. They do sell them individually (heck, I certainly know that one for a fact
), and once when I arrived about five minutes after closing, they even unpacked their fridge so I could get a tray. And they were very nice about it too!
I’m sorry you had such a horrid experience.
I’ve been enjoying these for some years now (certainly pre-2003). I admit at times I’ve enjoyed a whole slice, however, I enjoy even more sharing a half slice with a friend over coffee.
The service isn’t always good. The place is pretty crowded (furniture as well as people!), small, and pricey too. Far too often we accept prices for things we can get elsewhere for far less. I enjoy a bargain any day if its genuine, but I certainly don’t begrudge myself a treat when I visit Sorrento. I’ve had some lovely lunches over that way by pure chance but I generally end up having a vanilla slice before I leave (and after lots of walking in between! Best way to go really, is to take the ferry from Queenscliff, then at least you feel like you’ve earned your tucker by the time you’ve strolled up the hill and around the shops.
So true Karen. I have had both great and not so great service. Like you though, it is a tradition. A trip to Sorrento is not complete without one.
So tell me – care to dob in these nice lunch places? I am always up for a recommendation.
Hello all Vanilla slice lovers, you should try the Vanilla slices at the Mansfield Bakery, I am not sure what the name of the Bakery is other than it is not the Bertalis one. Their Vanilla slices have won awards and they stand firm and are reasonably easy to eat with a fork (compared to a standard VS). They are very rich and creamy and are a VS to measure up to.
Andrea
Hi Andrea – hey, thanks for the tip! Next time I’m in that neck of the woods I’ll be sure to try it out.
The last two comments were deleted by the blog owner. If the anons who posted have issue with this, then please feel free to email me at mellie AT tummyrumbles.com.
The experience at this place ruined my day completely.
I walked in and couldn’t get a table as they were all taken, so I ordered takeaway from the lady behind the counter. She was not welcoming and was in fact very grumpy.
As I waited for my takeaway, a table became available. I politely asked the lady we ordered from if we could change our ‘takeway’ order to ‘eat in’ as there was now a table free. I have never had such a rude, grumpy response in a cafe. She huffed and proceeded to violently clear the table almost hitting other customers. I did not want to stay another minute in the place and so said if it’s that much trouble I will just leave.
It’s a shame, because we would have spent more money there if she had given us a table and perhaps even recommended it to friends. Instead I am writing my first ever complaint because it was such a horrible experience.
Yes have been there a few times and think the service is a bit
mediocre even if the vanilla slices are pretty yummy
They are now $6 a slice (takeway) ..when I ordered two
and was told it was $12 (surprise) I remarked obviously `Oh thats
$6 each` to get the reply `if you want that could be $10 for one
and $2 for the other`.Wasnt sure to take that in good humor or
as a bit of a smart remark.I think due to the popularity of the
vanilla slices maybe the owners have got a but too smug and hence
the service has suffered.Have seen this happen many times in other places.
Hey there Anon and John – hmm, it most certainly sounds like they are getting a little too big for their boots! I haven’t been in ages…a year or two at least.
$6 each?!?!? My gawd…they must be raking it in now!
After this has been recommended by a colleague and read the comments from here, my boyfriend and I decided to drop by when we visit Sorrento this weekend. And we did today, I have to say that I agree with you John the service was really just quite normal – considering it’s a popular place…being a sunny Sunday the tables were all full and I could only see three staff serving and one behind the counter. Seems a bit under staff and had to wait for quite a while to order and for the food to arrive. Anyways I think I expected too much of the vanilla slice, it’s yummy but it wasn’t like “wow!!” the only good thing I can commend on is that it’s good custard – not too sweet, not to mention the price’s gone up to $7.5, along with a quite normal big breakfast that cost $20. Like said must have been the popularity…still a great day at Sorrento though.
I went back there with a small tour group about 3 weeks ago…the vanilla slices might have been $7.50 as per last comment
Clearly overpriced but being in Sorrento with the
jet set and latte set
on there doorstep maybe they can upgrade to an entree price..as I was ordering takeaways can`t comment too much on the service although you really feel `taken for granted`
For readers info I have worked as a full time tour Japanese speaking tour guide in Melb for over 15 years and I could write
a book about poor,rude or no service in various cafes/restuarants
For example in Sth bank cafe recently with another tour group was gobsmacked at the attitude of the young female manager in charge..it felt like we
were causing mayhem just for changing an order from the house wine to a (pricier!)bottle of wine
in amongst $100+ order of food and wine without even a free coffee for me,the tour leader.
You shouldnt have to only dine at top class but pricey establishments like Vue and Florentino(with great
food and service)
Maybe seeing how Japanese establishments treat customers(the saying `customer is god` is widely used)has influenced my views but surely a smile
and a sincere `how can I help you today` attitude is not asking too much!!
[...] Hootsen’s Vanilla Slice is good but I’ve had better. IMHO there is a bakery in Sorrento that makes the best traditional vanilla [...]
EXTREMELY over rated and very much over priced. Won’t be going back to buy another. It was about 6-7cm square(ish) and the pastry base was only about 1cm square. Had it as a take-away and had to pretty much just scrape the custard up with the fingers to eat it – I couldn’t pick it up (with just the tiny base). Obviously I got riped off a bit with the base, perhaps if I had it at the coffee with a spoon, it may have been better. Anyway, $7 for a slice is just a ripe-off – should’ve got an ice-cream.
[...] on this spring afternoon in September. And driving there provided a great excuse to indulge in the famous Sorrento vanilla slice – no pictures of me in this set, due to copious amounts of icing sugar on my shirt. [...]
You don’t have to travel that far for great vanilla slices there is this bakery in Camberwell on Riversdale Rd that sells beautiful slices and for really under $3 and they are a good size.
Yum!