This is La Vigne Cafe & Bakery, a Korean-style bakery and café in Eastwood.
They’d undergone a refresh since our last visit over a decade ago.
Twist Donut ($3.30)
This had a crisp, lightly sugared exterior that delivered a gentle crunch, while the interior remained light and fluffy. Simple but well executed.
Crunchy Twist Donut ($3.90)
The panko coating introduced a pronounced crunch, yet it muted the underlying flavour of the donut. The textural contrast was present but not sufficiently tender within to create a more satisfying balance.
Sticky Rice Twist Donut ($3.90)
Crisp and crunchy on the exterior with a slightly chewy mochi-like quality, complemented by black sesame that added bursts of nuttiness.
Salted Bread ($5.00)
A crispy base with plenty of butter, topped with salt that contrasted against the subtle sweetness of the bread. The texture was pleasant but lacked sufficient chew to elevate the overall experience.
Red Bean Salted Bread ($5.50)
A more balanced option, where the sweetness of the red bean paste cut through the oiliness of the bread, enhancing the flavour.
Bean Powder Mochi Stick ($3.50)
The injeolmi flavour was too subtle, offering only a faint nuttiness. The texture was chewy, though the exterior lacked crispness.
Black Sesame Mochi Stick ($3.50)
Similar in texture to the bean powder version but slightly firmer, with a deeper, richer nuttiness from the black sesame. Preferred over the bean powder stick.
Mugwort Sticky Rice Donut ($3.50)
The standout among the three mochi donuts, with a vibrant, herbaceous mugwort flavour that was bold yet free of bitterness. The smooth bean paste paired harmoniously with the chewy mochi exterior, which also carried the mugwort notes. Would repurchase, though a crisper finish on the exterior would improve it further.
Red Bean Yakimochi ($3.50)
The tteok was dense and firm, lacking the chew that defines a fresher or steamed variant—likely a consequence of the baking process. The smooth red bean filling, interspersed with small walnut pieces, provided pleasant texture contrast, though a chunkier tsubuan-style paste would have offered more depth.
Red Bean Yakimochi ($3.70)
The tteok carried a distinct black sesame aroma and flavour, mirrored in the thick, rich filling. The robust smoky nuttiness helped offset the denseness of the baked tteok, resulting in a more cohesive and satisfying bite compared to the red bean version.
Tapioca Sesame Bread ($5.50, pack of 2)
The bread had an crust that yielded with a light crunch before revealing a chewy, mochi-like interior. Entirely unsweetened, it drew its depth from the savoury nuttiness of black sesame, which provided balance and a lingering roasted warmth. Exceptionally textural and well-executed, it stood out as one of the most satisfying items.
Coffee Manjū ($9.00, pack of 4)
Each manjū featured a thin, semi-firm baked crust enclosing a thick white bean paste infused with coffee. The filling mirrored the smooth texture typical of Japanese wagashi, but with a roasted coffee note that lent a subtle bitterness to balance the sweetness. The coffee bean on top, soft rather than crisp, served more as decoration than flavour component. A refined and understated confection, ideal with tea.
Sweet Potato Bread ($3.90)
The sweet potato filling was smooth, but leaned heavily towards an overt, confectionery sweetness, reading more like a processed paste than mashed or roasted sweet potato. This sweetness overwhelmed any natural earthiness or caramelised depth one would expect. The bread itself was dry and otherwise unremarkable.
Overall, La Vigne Cafe & Bakery offered solid savoury options and nostalgic Korean-style pastries, though the execution was uneven. The tapioca sesame bread and coffee manjū demonstrated the most finesse, while the mugwort donut and black sesame mochi stick displayed the strongest character among the mochi-based selections.
La Vigne Cafe & Bakery is located at 82 Rowe St, Eastwood NSW 2122.