The Friday Shop

Salam all, 

I'm back in Malaysia for the next few months! I arrived on Friday night so I'm still terribly jetlagged and a tad disoriented. It's mainly because of the hot weather, I think. . . Okay who am I kidding? I miss New Zealand right now! I've become very accustomed to the laid-back Kiwi lifestyle. So much so, I take a bit of time to adjust to how hectic life can be in Kuala Lumpur. One of the things I miss about Dunedin is a bakery that I only recently found out about. It wouldn't be a big deal if it was opened everyday like any other bakery. This place is one of a kind. It is dubbed to have the best pastries in Dunedin but the catch is it is only open on Fridays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and you've gotta be there very early in order to grab the yummies.

As some of you might recall I had my last exam on a Thursday and despite feeling and looking like a zombie I was absolutely determined to wake up at 6 a.m. to go there. I invited one of my awesomest friends, Lamya, to go on this 'adventure' with me (anything that involves trying new food is my idea of an adventure). We picked her up slightly after 7 a.m. and off we went to the Highgate Bridge Shop a.k.a the Friday Shop which is nestled in Roslyn Village. 

The bakery serves delectable French pastries by Chef Jim Byars who worked alongside Albert Roux in London’s legendary Michelin starred Le Gavroche restaurant. We arrived at 7.30 a.m. which I thought was pretty early then but later found out that if I wanted to see the entire variety of croissants, pastries and tarts I would have to be there by 6 a.m.! We walked in and I took a good look around the quaint, little bakery. The decor is minimal but it didn't matter because the centre of attraction is undoubtedly the drool-worthy food in front of us.

I was tempted to buy everything because of all the rave reviews I had heard. I spotted the divine-looking chocolate tarts and just when I was about to place one in a paper bag I got distracted by everything else in the shop. So guessed what happened? I forgot all about them and left the shop without buying at least one! I was so gutted when Lamya told me that they tasted heavenly. Yes, heavenly. We're both so in love with this bakery that we've already made sleepover plans at her place so we can go every week next year. As disappointed as I was I still felt pretty happy with what we brought home because everything I bought was ah-ma-zing! I couldn't believe that I didn't hear about this place before and that I had lived in Dunedin for 6 years without these pastries that were baked to perfection. 

This is just half of what I bought that day.

clockwise: Apricot Danish, Apple Puff Pastry, Almond Custard-filled Puff Pastry

Strawberry Tart

The Friday Shop also sells prepared dishes such as chicken in basquaise sauce, navarin of lamb, galantine of chicken, macaroni of salmon, leeks and mushroom, but I don't think they are halal. I'm not really complaining because I have more of a sweet tooth than anything else. I'm so happy we have this gem in little ol' Dunedin. I would love to have my very own Friday Shop someday. Who knows, who knows. . .