Another week, another bakery in my quest to find the best loaf of sourdough (and croissant) in Sydney.
After last week's rocky start, I did have to question whether this was a worthwhile endeavour... Was I really cut out to eat bread? But with a reminder from my friends that I really will eat just about anything (and the fact that I was hungry again), I decided to dive back in with my next bakery. I chose the bakery on my list closest to me, in Pyrmont.
I have walked by Pioik countless times, each time curious on how in the world to pronounce it. On weekend mornings there can be a long line, so that seemed to be a good sign to me.
It turns out their hours are limited. Very, very limited. They are only open Thursday-Sunday mornings from 7:00am to 11:00am. For such a large shopfront in a not inexpensive suburb, on a high-foot traffic street, the limited hours really surprise me.
After my run this morning I was getting ready for the day and the thought crossed my mind that, if I hurried, I could get up Harris Street before 11:00 to grab myself a loaf (or as it turned out, a portion thereof).
When I got to Pioik, there was quite a (socially distanced) line, which given they were set to close in five minutes, made me worried I might not be able to snag a loaf. Fortunately, it turned out all the people outside were waiting for orders, so I was able to duck in and grab my baked goods without issue.
First impressions of the bakery were:
- neighbourhood vibe, with families and older folks queued up for food (I feel like that's a good sign)
- open kitchen, with the baking on full display, and nice displays of various baked goods
- light, airy, and overall very welcoming
Just behind the counter, there was an open rack with about a dozen loaves of bread left. It was a bit hard to sort out what signs went with what, so I had to ask. The loaves of bread were pretty huge, so sold in both full and half loaves; as one person I definitely only needed a half loaf.
I ordered a half loaf of their sourdough and a croissant. Here are my thoughts on each.
Croissant
$5.00 (+1.5% for paying with a card—not uncommon in Australia)
Look and feel
A very large croissant. Oddly uniform in shape. Gorgeous golden colour.
First bite
Flaky on the outside, dense but not too dense inside. A pleasant butteriness. Definitely a fan.
Overall thoughts
A pretty great croissant. I didn't put away half for later like last week. Overall, satisfied with this one, though still a bit heavier than I would think a croissant should be. Basically a meal on its own. Going to rank it a bit conservatively for now, with so many more to try, but it could probably be a 4.
Pioik croissant rating: 3.5/5
Pioik sourdough (half)
$8.00 (+1.5%) / whole loaves are $15.00 (+1.5%)
Look and feel
Crisp on the outside, but not so much that the loaf is stiff. There's a bit of give when you touch it. Looks nice and light on the inside, and while the highest parts of the loaf are a bit blackened, overall it looks well cooked (not not overcooked). Cuts very easily, even the crust, with plenty of give without being too tough.
First bite
Soft but dense. Mild flavour, but very good. Great chewiness and the crust isn't hard/sharp when you take a bite.
Overall thoughts
Love the texture and flavour (though it could have been a bit less subtle). Cuts well without flaking/exploding crust all over. I'd go buy this again. And it's nice you can get a massive loaf if you're having a dinner party. Still will be conservative as I haven't tried many yet, but this is definitely worth checking out.
Pioik sourdough rating: 3.5/5
So there you have it, my first thoughts on Sydney bakeries. Maybe I just got a burned loaf from Sonoma, but from this experience I would not recommend it.
Pioik overall rating: 3.5/5
I'd definitely go back to Pioik since it is just down the street. I'd recommend it and would be interested in trying other breads from there.
...
I do have to add a note about my
Sonoma post from last week. After speaking with a few friends, they insisted that the loaf was indeed burned. A few recommended I take it back, and after reaching out to Sonoma, they agreed. I took it back on Saturday when I had some free time and they were very nice to replace the loaf. They didn't have any additional Mission loafs that day, so they replaced it with a
Miche, which is made with whole wheat.
The loaf was beautiful and not burned; I appreciate that they swapped it out for me, and I wanted to be transparent about them about giving me a new loaf.
That being said, I still wasn't so blown away by the bread. Not much flavour. Very dense.
Sonoma Miche sourdough rating: 2.5/5
It was fine, but there are plenty of better loaves out there.
Sonoma (revised) overall rating: 2.5/5
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