This is Lelesu, a modern Chinese bakery with locations in Eastwood and Burwood.
2025
Peanut Mochi Bagel ($6.50)
A bagel with dough encasing a centre of milk mochi and crushed peanut, dusted in peanut powder. The bagel was tender with a satisfying chew, while the peanut added textural crunch and complementary sweetness. The milk mochi provided a soft, stretchy contrast. Overall, a well-balanced bagel, not overly sweet, with an engaging mix of textures.
Coffee Black Tea Chestnut Bagel ($5.80)
Darker in hue than the previous bagel, though the dough itself did not impart a noticeable flavour difference. Instead, the filling featured chestnut paste divided into two halves, one flavoured with coffee and the other with black tea. Both flavours were distinct and aromatic, though they overwhelmed the nuttiness of the chestnut, which contributed little beyond texture. A tasty bagel with good chew, but somewhat of a missed opportunity for showcasing chestnut.
Osmanthus & Millet Bun ($3.50)
The bun was soft and tender, but the osmanthus and millet centre carried an unexpectedly strong margarine-like flavour and aroma, with the floral notes of osmanthus emerging only sporadically when encountering the few blossoms dispersed within. The millet itself had a thick, gluey texture that lacked contrast. A smoother bean-based filling would likely have provided better balance and coherence.
Guihua Chestnut Pastry ($3.70)
The pairing of osmanthus and chestnut produced an oddly savoury impression, reminiscent of pork floss, with only subtle floral notes. The chestnut paste lacked distinct presence, and the pastry-to-filling ratio leaned heavily towards pastry. This imbalance left the interior insufficient to counter the dryness of the exterior.
Longjing Egg Yolk Pastry ($5.60)
Unexpectedly, the pastry incorporated pepper rather than crushed tea leaves, which paired well with the savoury salted egg yolk. The longjing paste between pastry and yolk offered gentle sweetness, tea fragrance, and a touch of moisture that balanced the drier elements. A thoughtful and successful composition, leaning firmly towards savoury.
“Real” Peanut Pastry ($5.00)
Visually appealing for its peanut-shaped exterior, but disappointing in execution. The pastry was overly thick and dry, with insufficient sweetness or moisture. The peanuts were crushed too finely to contribute meaningful texture against the dense pastry.
Walnut Pastry ($6.80)
A contrast to the peanut pastry, with dried longan and longan honey paste lending necessary moisture and richness. The walnut pieces were larger, offering a pleasing textural counterpoint. The filling carried a smoky, honeyed sweetness balanced by the subtle bitterness of walnut, making this one of the stronger offerings.
Japanese Plain Butter Roll ($4.00)
The crust was chewy with distinct layered structure, offering pleasant resistance on biting. The interior, though somewhat denser than ideal, was tender with a pronounced buttery richness that surpassed the version from Wang Bakehouse. However, it lacked the lighter, more delicate texture found in the Gangnam Bakery or Ten Thousand counterparts. A well-made roll, though one that would benefit from greater aeration in both crust and crumb.
French Sunflower Egg Tart ($5.80)
The pastry was exceptionally flaky and crisp, with a deep, well-developed Maillard flavour that added a savoury richness. Though the inner layers near the custard appeared slightly undercooked, this did not detract from the overall texture or enjoyment. The custard itself was smooth and creamy, leaning towards a restrained sweetness, though it lacked the pronounced egginess and gentle wobble characteristic of more traditional versions. Despite that, this presented a refined and elevated take on the classic egg tart, with finesse in both lamination and balance.
Overall, Lelesu delivers creative variations on bagels and pastries with mixed results. The bagels were consistently satisfying, particularly the Peanut Mochi Bagel, while the pastries varied more sharply in quality, with the Walnut Pastry and Longjing Egg Yolk Pastry standing out. Some items suffered from dryness and underdeveloped fillings, but the bakery demonstrates distinctive flavour pairings.
Black Sesame Mochi ($8.80) — two black sesame and one red bean (with roasted soybean flour)
The mochi in both varieties was overly dense and doughy, lacking the soft, stretchy texture expected of well-made mochi. The black sesame filling was not sufficiently rich to stand on its own, unlike traditional black sesame rolls where the sesame is fully incorporated into the dough. Instead, the ground black sesame only added to the glutinous texture, making it heavy and unbalanced. The red bean filling, though chunkier and looser, provided some relief with its natural sweetness, but the kinako (roasted soybean flour) further contributed to the cloying texture when rehydrated on the palate. Overall, both varieties were disappointing in both flavour and texture.
Peanut Black Sesame Mochi ($3.20)
Once again, the mochi was dense rather than pillowy-soft and stretchy, making it an unsatisfying base for the filling. The peanut and black sesame interior, despite its visible presence, lacked the deep roasted nuttiness found in superior versions, such as those from Little Bun Kitchen. While “not too sweet” is typically a compliment, in this case, the filling was not sweet enough, nor was it moist enough to create contrast. The lack of textural variation between the mochi and the filling resulted in an overall dry and underwhelming bite. The addition of desiccated coconut on the exterior, a common element in Chinese-style mochi, was another drawback.
Pineapple Pastry ($2.80)
Measuring approximately 7 x 3 x 2 cm, this pastry had a high pastry-to-filling ratio. The pastry itself was rich and buttery with a large-crumbed texture but remained dry on the palate for an extended period, as the pineapple filling lacked sufficient moisture to counterbalance it. However, once the moisture level evened out, the pineapple flavour was bright and vibrant, with a subtle yet unobtrusive fibre content and a punchy tropical acidity that is often missing in other pineapple cakes. The buttery notes lingered, contributing to an aromatic finish.
Earl Grey Red Bean Pretzel ($5.00)
Reheated as instructed in a preheated oven at 180°C for three minutes, the pretzel developed a crisp crust with a soft, tender interior. The pretzel base delivered a mild but pleasant savoury note. The red bean filling, made with whole yet tender beans, introduced a gentle earthiness and sweetness. However, the earl grey flavour, though listed, was not discernible.
Black Sesame Pretzel Stick ($4.80)
Presented with a similar baked structure to the previous. On tasting, the filling incorporated a cream cheese element, which altered the expected profile and reduced clarity of the black sesame. The combination resulted in a less cohesive flavour outcome.
2026
Low Sugar Red Bean Qing Tuan (left; $5.00)
The dough presented with a green hue and a slightly tacky surface. Initial contact delivered a bouncy, elastic texture with reduced stickiness. The flavour showed a pronounced grassy note. The red bean filling was smooth, with restrained sweetness that balanced the dough without dominating.
Hand-ground Black Sesame Peanut Qing Tuan (right; $6.00)
The dough structure remained consistent. The filling presented as a denser paste with minimal sweetness, emphasising nutty and savoury notes. The sesame was more prominent than the peanut, resulting in a slightly unbalanced profile.
Overall, the mochi offerings were disappointing, with dense textures and muted flavours. However, the pineapple pastry stood out for its well-balanced, vibrant filling, and the red bean pretzel offered a pleasing fusion of textures and flavour, making these the highlights of the visit.
Lelesu is located at Shop 3/161 Rowe St, Eastwood NSW 2122 and Shop 11 Burwood Chinatown, 127-133 Burwood Rd, Burwood NSW 2134.