Paterson’s Pies, Avalon Beach

Shop 1/27 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach, New South Wales
facebook.com/patersonspies/

In the last of the backlog of old reviews, I visit the far northern beachside suburb of Avalon Beach – which I just learnt was named “Avalon Beach” and not “Avalon” like I thought. Wikipedia says it used to be named Avalon, but the “Beach” was officially added in 2012. Anyway, here is the bakery known as Paterson’s Pies.

Paterson's Pies, Avalon Beach

It’s a streetfront facing dedicated pie shop, listing pies and sausage rolls as their primary products, followed by quiches, croissants, and coffee. There’s nowhere to sit inside the small shop, which just has a service counter and a fridge of drinks.

Paterson's Pies, Avalon Beach

Most of the menu is pies, with a few token sweet baked treats for dessert, but alas no vanilla slices. I grabbed one of the pies, and a sausage roll.

Sausage roll: Paterson's Pies, Avalon Beach

The roll looks a little on the small side, but plump and well-baked. The pastry has a deep, rich brown colour, with a mostly smooth surface that’s difficult to judge on flakiness visually. There’s a distinct line running along the top, marking the edge of where a glaze has been brushed on, and a very sparse sprinkle of crispy breadcrumbs. There’s an interesting burnt spot which looks like some fat has dripped off something from the shelf above inside the oven. The filling has retreated deep inside the visible ends of the pastry roll, but it looks okay, crispy on the end and with orange strips of carrot visible.

Sausage roll: Paterson's Pies, Avalon Beach

It’s nice! The pastry is crisp and flaky, with a touch of moisture in the underneath layers, but not oily. It’s not deficient in any way. The meat filling is juicy and well seasoned, with the aforementioned carrot shreds, as well as chunks of onion, small flecks of fresh green herbs, and specks of black pepper that combine to make a nice savoury flavour. The meat has a good sausage texture, and it’s clear that someone has taken care in blending this filling. The meat is pork, but the natural flavour is just a tad overwhelmed by all that seasoning – it is perhaps just a little too salty for my taste. Apart from that, though, there’s nothing to criticise. A good solid sausage roll, which is a treat to eat, but doesn’t aspire to any levels of greatness.

Sausage roll: 7/10

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