Thursday, February 24, 2011

Pane e Latte and Blu Cow Deli

Sometimes being disorganised is a good thing.  If I had been better prepared that one day, I would have stopped at Cavallaro's for a goodie box of biscotti or even baked something myself.  Instead, perpetually late, I rocketed down Ballarat Road wondering if a packet of Mint Slice from 7-11 would be too embarrassing to bring to this friend of a friend's house.  Impatiently drumming my fingers on the wheel, suddenly I spied a promising sign and quickly hung a left.

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That's how I found Pane e Latte, tucked behind the Deer Park main drag.  It conceals a fabulous range of delicately and lovingly crafted cakes and biscotti to rival even Cavallaro's.

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Everything is made on the premises in the kitchen behind, visible through large windows.  We got chatting to the lovely owner and she said they are just about function, not style.  The decision to provide a retail outlet was an afterthought but in fact I love the style they have come up with - the polished concrete floor and lots of sparkling stainless steel and glass, brightened by the shabby chic chandelier.

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Biscotti of every shape, texture and filling are for sale - soft chocolate sandwiched between shortbread hearts, decadent chocolate logs sliced into fat discs, delicate crostoli covered in bubbles, some of which pop to provide little craters for icing sugar.

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There are entire cakes as well as individual portions, even rum baba bobbing in a jar full of syrup.  The prices are staggeringly reasonable.  A whole apple pie for $8.60, huge biscotti napoletani for $2.80.  Mixed biscotti are sold by weight for $45 per kg.

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A box of love for about $10.  The cigars were unreal, filled with a soft, creamy, white chocolate-like creme.  The horseshoes were so short and crumbly, their little legs and backsides dipped in dark chocolate.  Swoon!

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His black shirt dusted in flour, the baker deftly prepared great coffees, a steal for $2.80.  Strong and rich, they went perfectly with the rich pastries.  We spied loaves of bread rising in the kitchen and were directed to the other half of the family business, Blu Cow Deli across the parking lot opposite.

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If you have been searching for that elusive amazing western suburbs delicatessen, this might be it.  A range to rival King & Godfree - San Daniele prosciutto, incredible salamis and amazing cheeses.  Proper pasta and kitsch Italian bath products make this a western suburbs mini-Mediterranean wholesalers.

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And there was the bread we had spied - big hearty sourdough loaves of all permutations.  What a struggle to choose just one!

Coconut Hse Shanghai Makhbaz 008

Dark rye sourdough.  Actually quite light in flavour but a gorgeous texture, soft yet dense but in a cakey way - quite like mud cake, in fact.  Delicious and a very western suburbs $4.20!

Pane E Latte on Urbanspoon

Pane e Latte
Shop 6&7, 1-5 Canterbury Road, Deer Park (map)
Phone:  9363 0422

Blu Cow Deli
809 Western Highway, Deer Park (map)
Phone: 
9363 1428


Wheelchair Access
Call to confirm.

15 comments:

  1. OMG - that's simply an amazing find. Well done! Can't wait to check it out! Who needs Brunetti's et al, eh?

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  2. Well I knew about the deli, it is an oasis in a sea of ordinary... However the cake shop will now be a must try.....
    Thank you.....

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  3. Ooooh! My sweet tooth just kicked into overdrive, but in all honesty what I'd most love is the dark rye sourdough. I adore tangy, super-strong breads!

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  4. Oh wow! GReat find... and you knkow what I just discovered Cavallaro..... :P

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  5. Haha I'm terrible. I don't even know a good bakery in my burb! I would soo like to try one of those cigars… mmmm

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  6. Me too on discovering Cavallaro via this post - Looking forward to your review of it! And while I'm making requests, there is a new cafe opening any day now in Newport and would love your thoughts! Love your blog - thanks so much.

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  7. Thanks, have been on the lookout for good Italian deli's in the west!

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  8. Just a quick note - the phone number for Pane e Latte is 9363 0422. Off to try it today!

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  9. buriramtourakom, thank you for that - I just realised I never put the map link in! Will fix that soon!

    "Love the salami", I love your name... that is the Calabrese salami and it is absolutely to die for. I had dreams about it...

    I will have to do a Cavallaro's post soon - any excuse for their cannoli, although I also really love their mixed biscotti.

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  10. James In FootscrayMarch 21, 2011 at 5:15 PM

    Must visit Blue Cow Deli! Are there other food shops out West you think are special or unusual? I think you mentioned Altona Fresh Centre in a review, it's great! (Such a dodgy exterior and then you walk in - it's so Lygon St!)

    I reckon the Spanish grocer in Ascot Vale Rd, and Rocco Deli near the Cash Converters off Geelong Rd, are both pretty fabulous ... and they're really friendly too. Maybe that's the main thing?!

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  11. Hello James in Footscray! Yes Altona Fresh is great great great. Try their double-smoked franks, OMG, to die for. Spanish grocer in Ascot Vale Rd - that is a bit of a find! Must check them out soon.

    I do have a little pocket in the west with some neato shops that I will share with you soon so stay tuned!

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  12. James In FootscrayMarch 28, 2011 at 9:04 PM

    Oh wow looking forward to the shops!

    Regarding the Spanish grocer, I think it's called Fortunado, 320 Ascot Vale Rd. It looks like an ordinary milk bar from the outside. The very friendly owner's from Chile, in fact, so really it's Latin American (although there is, for example, paella seasoning from Spain).

    Speaking of Spain, the supermarket at Footscray Market (of all places) has several posh Spanish cheeses, and they let you taste them!

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  13. Hi Ms. Baklover.
    Took your recommendation and visited Panne e Latte. For us though, it was not a good experience. The cakes we bought were both old... one had the cream on the top quite hard, and on the other the fresh strawberries were dried and in edible.

    I am disappointed, as your blog is such a good pointer.

    Oh well...

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  14. TKYC what a shame. Perhaps try the biscotti next time, if there is a next time?

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  15. I gave Pane e Latte a try just the other day, the first time I've tried one of your recommendations - I brought a focaccia home and when I told my wife I got it from a place in Deer Park she was pretty puzzled but then she took a bite and asked no more questions :) I had a sneaky apple strudel slice to myself too which was also very nice so all in all, very impressed. And the deli looked awesome.

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