It’s been a while since I posted here or wrote anything for my blog. Truth is, I sort of lost my way. I wrote the blog every single week for three years, and then Covid hit, and I moved countries, and I was trying to find my feet, and then Oct 7 happened and the joy in anything felt misplaced. I felt stressed and isolated and had writers block and imposters syndrome, and I didn’t think anything that I put down was good enough for public consumption, and I just couldn’t. I would pick up a pen and put it down again, the passion was gone. 

That was the last few years, and also last Thursday and then Friday… But then on Saturday, I went to Avner’s Bakery in Surry Hills with my sister. Avner’s offers up the best filled bagels in town, the most sublime babka and cheesecake, and too many other goodies to name. Avner’s also provides something unique that a lot of other also delicious bakeries do not, because Avner’s has Ed. You see, going out to eat isn’t just about the food being quality fare. It’s about how it makes you feel, it’s about the environment, and especially, it’s about the people. As Marie Kondo might ask – Does it/ do they, spark joy? 

Well, yes. Ed is joy personified, a big guy with an even bigger personality, that embodies a generosity of spirit that feels rare to find. No sooner have we rocked up to  the door than we are met by Ed, large carving knife and a hunk of fruit bread in hand. ‘I’ve made some new fruit bread, you must try it!’. Don’t have to tell me twice. 

We happily munch down the fruit bread as Ed tells us some fun snippets from his origin story, and the process behind his tattoos, and then when Ed runs off to offer fruit bread to the next thrilled arrival, we take our seats on the unassuming sidewalk stools and go in to order. Cue the bagels. 

We end up with the Lox Bagel – handmade cured trout in dill juniper and pickle juice, cream cheese, capers and onion, with an Avner’s pickle ($17.50). We also decide to share the Pastrami Bagel – smoked beef, sweet potato, sauerkraut, onion and zhoug, with an Avner’s pickle ($17.50). Dessert decisions will be made later.

The trout and cream cheese are perfectly balanced and the capers add a salty surprise to every few mouthfuls. It’s creamy, and slightly acidic, not too fishy, just fishy enough, perfect. The lox is my favourite. I could eat it forever.

Next up the pastrami, generously filled with ample meat and a nice chunk of sweet potato to include a bit of sweetness, all cut through by the slightly spicy zhoug. The sauerkraut and onions adds an acidic pop to create the perfect balanced mouthful. 

No sooner have we finished our bagels than another staff member appears with a tray of cinnamon and chocolate babka for people to try (again, the generosity!), I try the cinnamon, which is divine, but not yet sated in our dessert consumption, we then order the strawberry cheesecake and raspberry babka which is as rich and delightful and sinful as it sounds. The babka with its syrupy but flaky edges and slightly tart raspberry centre certainly hits the spot. Then I move to happily gobble up the cheesecake. This is despite knowing that cheesecake doesn’t play well with my fragile Ashkenazi Jewish digestive system. I’ll definitely be paying for it later. #worthit. 

We are too full, defeated by dessert. Ed jokingly says we are ‘soft’ (we’ll be soft around the mid-section if we aren’t careful!) The leftovers are packed away for later and no sooner are we ready to leave than Ed pokes his head out of the door again. ‘Who has good taste and wants to try something?’ ‘Me me!’ My sister and I shout, jumping up and down with our hands in the air. We follow him into the kitchen and find ourselves standing over a large pot of fig jam, rich and fruity, but not too sweet and still warm. It still needs some time to thicken up but it’s going to be amazing. That’s the other thing, everything at Avner’s is made in house, with love, and the inhibitable spirit of a true Jewish mensch.

It’s hard to be around that and not be inspired. To feel like just maybe, you want to put pen to paper again. So here I am, i’ll try keep the momentum going. Will definitely be paying Avner’s a visit again soon, hope I see you there. 

At the end of the day, life is too short. Fuck the haters, write the words, eat the babka. 

Avner’s Bakery – 370/372 Bourke St, Surry Hills NSW 2010 – avners.com.au