1 September 2016
Fine European chocolates, meticulously made, carefully packed and flown halfway across the world to the land Down Under? So much effort just for chocolate? I kid you not! This is the experience that Jeff de Bruges has recently delivered to Sydney-siders.
Sure, I’ve come across Jeff de Bruges during my travels in Europe, namely in France. However, seeing a shop in Australia, close to the beachside suburb of Bondi (in Bondi Junction), is both a novelty and welcomed surprise. A special thanks to my dear friend Mel for this discovery☺️
Who is Jeff de Bruges and what’s the appeal of his chocolates? These questions were top of mind during my recent visit to the shop.
My first observation, as I approach the shop, is the decor. It’s fairly consistent around the world. For a moment, I forget where I am and imagine walking down a cobblestone street of a cosmopolitan European city, lapping up the late summer sun.
Who is Jeff de Bruges? According to the website, “Jeff” is in fact Philippe Jambon, a French chocolatier with a passion for Belgian chocolates. “Jeff” is the name of his favourite song and Bruges is the idyllic, fairy tale city of Brugge or Bruges in north west Belgium. An interesting combination for a name but if it works, who am I to judge?
A lovely young lady welcomes me and asks if she can assist.
Is Jeff de Bruges a bean to bar chocolate maker or a chocolatier who uses couverture chocolate?
She is puzzled by my question and hesitates with her answer. I find out subsequently that their chocolates are made using carefully selected couverture chocolate.
What is Jeff de Bruges famous for and what would you recommend?
She informs me that all the chocolates are recommended but that it ultimately depends on my taste. That’s a bit vague so I wander around the shop instead, to discover for myself.
The shelves are adorned with attractive boxes of filled chocolates, as well as single origin bars and chocolate squares. No detail is spared with design and branding. The pocket sized catalogue of their filled chocolates and Juliettes (a version of the mendiant) is both a nice touch and handy to have, as I work my way through their selections.
I’m offered a tasting of filled chocolates and pick the Maison de Jeff dark 70%. It’s a house-shaped dark chocolate praline with bits of almonds, and hints of cinnamon and coriander. The cinnamon is predictable in the combination and marries well with the dark chocolate and praline, but the coriander doesn’t come through for me. I find the Tarte Citron more exciting. The lemon is refreshing and balances both the sweetness and richness of the ganache, enveloped in dark chocolate. The Harvey is a play on textures, with an almost molten, creamy praline accented with bits of biscuit, in a dark chocolate shell shaped like a Scottish terrier. Almost too cute to eat.
So, what’s the appeal of Jeff de Bruges chocolates? In my opinion, it’s the finer details – the attractive and perfectly shaped filled chocolates, the beautifully designed packaging of the boxed chocolates, bars and squares through to the broad variety to meet many a discerning tastes. I see the overall experience as a means to rekindle fond memories of European gastronomic adventures and perpetuate one’s holiday. The products are competitively priced against offerings from local renowned chocolatiers, which is an added bonus. The flavour combinations that I’ve tasted, while good, are not the most exciting that I’ve experienced in Sydney. However, I will reserve my final judgement as I’ve just been invited back for a tasting of Jeff de Bruges’ finest chocolates! I may also give the acclaimed ice cream a go, when the weather warms up.
As I’m about to leave, a lady walks into the shop and asks “What’s Jeff de Bruges chocolates? Is it like Guylian?” I can’t help but smile as the lovely lady serving me replies that “It’s better than Guylian.”?
