Adriano Zumbo's High Tea Salon Opens In South Yarra

Pâtissier extraordinaire Adriano Zumbo has swung open the doors to his latest sugary venture, Fancy Nance. The renowned pastry chef, Tim Tam guest designer and MasterChef final boss cut the metaphorical ribbon on the South Yarra high tea salon and bakery cafe earlier in the week. In a related story, Melbourne’s most sadistic dentists have been seen cackling maniacally while rubbing their hands with glee.

Located on Daly Street on the former site of ill-fated Le Grand Cirque, Fancy Nance will cement Zumbo’s dessert dominion over South Yarra, complementing his patisserie on nearby Claremont Street. The kitchens will be the stomping ground of head chef Daniel Texter, whose resume includes stints at Noma in Copenhagen and Le Amis in Singapore.

The menu is an expectedly extravagant affair with a mix of sweet and savoury. The $45 high tea degustation includes a choux bun filled with tarragon ice cream, apple pie with cinnamon marshmallow, caramelised olives with smoked ricotta and pork rillettes on a pretzel bun. If that’s not quite decadent enough for you, they’ve also got a $65 version that features all of the above as well as a passionfruit curd and lemongrass panna cotta, grapefruit with white chocolate ganache and osso bucco with pea shoots.

Beverage options include a wide variety of teas, from the relatively conventional Darjeeling and chamomile to more elaborate combinations such as ginger and liquorice, and Dragon Pearl jasmine. They also offer coffee, hot chocolate, beer, wine and cocktails.

Sweetening the deal even further, Fancy Nance have struck up a partnership with chef Pierre Roelofs, who’ll use the salon to host his famous four-course dessert nights on select Thursday evenings throughout winter. If you’re interested in booking, head on over here.

It's not all dessert onsite though. The converted warehouse space will also be home to the soon-to-open Little Frankie’s, which will serve simple Italian fare such as bread, pastries and gelato (to sweeten the deal further).

Fancy Nance is located at 21 Daly Street, South Yarra, and operates Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 6pm. For more information, visit them on Facebook.

Via Good Food.

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