A Vanilla Slice Worth Driving 100km For
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.
Written by mellie on
January 29th, 2006 | Tags: cafes, desserts | Category: Uncategorized
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February 2nd, 2006 at 3:42 am
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!
February 6th, 2006 at 10:30 am
Thanks for the well wishes Ange. You must make a day trip down to Sorrento soon to sample one. I insist!!
February 8th, 2006 at 12:15 pm
I know these are meant to the best but I’ve been disappointed by it. Maybe it was just a bad day?
February 16th, 2006 at 5:10 am
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…
March 1st, 2006 at 6:36 am
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.
November 7th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
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!
November 8th, 2006 at 9:18 am
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.
December 28th, 2006 at 9:09 pm
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.
December 28th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
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.
May 6th, 2007 at 8:11 am
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
May 6th, 2007 at 8:19 am
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.
May 27th, 2007 at 11:37 am
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.
March 23rd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
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.
October 10th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
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.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
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!