07 Nov THE LUNE LINE UP
Lining up for a Lune croissant is not a mere line up but an experience!
Opening Day Lune Croissanterie Fitzroy
Saturday 31st October, 2015.
Some may call me crazy but I’m not the only one. Arriving at their new Fitzroy location at 4.20am, I’m third in line! Yes you heard right! The couple in the line up before me was there at 3.30am. It’s dark, cold and I can feel a thunderstorm approaching but nothing could dull our excitement. My friend arrived soon after with deck chairs and umbrellas and we took our spot in the line proudly. Every 10 minutes or so more people joined the line. Some were clearly Lune newbies while others were well accustomed to the ‘rules’ of the line. Yes there are un-said rules but mostly it’s just common sense, don’t cut in line and keep the noise down! If you brought a chair to sit on well you’re a Lune line up expert! Note: this was my 3rd line up. The two previous times were at the former Elwood location. After the first time I made sure we had chairs every time since.
Between chatting to others in line, peeking through the windows (yes you can now see them baking in the Lune Lab), catching up on Instagram and talking all things travel with my friend, the time seems to fly by! During the line up staff arrive here and there and each time they open the door the sweet aroma of pastries sneaks out bringing oohs and ahh’s down the line. At around 6am coffee and hot chocolate orders were taken and very much appreciated. This was just the kick I needed. There is no ticketing system anymore which means you stay in line the entire time. In Elwood once you had your ticket and coffee you could go sit and relax in the car for an hour or two. Anyway not to worry, it did rain but the last hour felt like 5 minutes and before we knew it the roller door went up and we were escorted into the entry way (still in line). There are now two staff serving the counter which means the line moves along quicker.
The new Fitzroy warehouse style location is remarkably larger than their former tiny hole in the wall in Elwood. This of course means they are churning out a lot more pastries now, stretching the joy of eating these delicacies to many more Lune lovers waiting in line. However, there is still a limit of 6 pastries per customer. During the line up I pondered over the menu several times. I thought that I finally knew what I wanted before the doors even opened. But don’t be deceived. Even when you think you have decided and then changed your mind a million times while lining up, once you see the display of pastries on the counter you somehow become speechless and your mind goes blank as the decision just got so much harder! The very helpful staff behind the counter put no pressure on my decision and even made a few suggestions when it came to choosing the 6th one…the Luxembourger Cruffin…Filled with mandarin curd, topped with Crème Diplomat, garnished with freeze dried mandarin…Inspired by Luxembourg Bistro.
After a short wait inside my name is called out and I’m handed my pastry prize. I must admit I do feel like a winner each time I walk away from Lune with my ‘box of success’ pastries. After all there are many that make the journey and go home empty handed. I’m really impressed by the new cleverly designed box that has cut out air vents at the top to prevent the pastries from sweating and going soggy. The custom logo design is equally impressive. Walking outside onto the street with my loot in hand, those still waiting in line in the rain give me an envious look when they see I’ve scored. Not to worry, their turn will come!
The Verdict
For me the twice baked croissants are the real standout. The almond twice baked croissant is the best I’ve ever tasted. I now refuse to eat one anywhere else as nothing compares to Lune’s creation. These and the kougin-amanns are the first to sell out.
The classic Croissant is a traditional French croissant prepared over 3 days. The buttery layers are unforgettable. No other traditional croissant comes close to this perfection!
Twice baked Almond: The original Croissant aux Amandes, prepared with almond frangipane & garnished with a hearty amount of flaked almonds. This is always on my list to order!
Twice baked Cookies ‘n’ Cream: Vanilla frangipane with cookie chunks, topped with chocolate soil, served with “cookie cream”. This one is a real treat and could easily pass as dessert.
Ham & Gruyere croissant baked fresh with a filling of shaved ham, Swiss Gruyere & seeded mustard. I’m very much a sweet tooth so I forced myself to order this one because I’ve heard great things about it. I’m so glad that I did try it. It is a perfect combination of salty and sweet which I really loved. It was great having this as a savoury option to break up all my sweet pastries.
The Macca Sacca was great but it was my least favourite of the 6 I chose. It’s a twice baked croissant with macadamia frangipane & salted caramel. It didn’t have as much flavour as the other twice baked croissants. It was still great and I wouldn’t say no if it was the last pastry left but I wouldn’t choose this one again.
If you have ever tried Lune, you’d never call me crazy…you would agree that lining up for these croissants are totally worth it!
Lune Croissanterie Fitzroy (Melbourne, Australia)
Opens at 8am (until sold out) as I was there opening day I decided to get there super early. If you can line up before 6am I’d highly suggest it. Open Saturday and Sunday’s only!
If you follow me on Instagram you’ll see I’m heading to Paris soon for Christmas. The founder of Lune, Kate Reid trained at a bakery in Paris which I will visit while I’m there.
