Location: 190 University Avenue, Toronto
Website: https://noodlebar-toronto.momofuku.com/
Depending on who you ask, pavlova is either from Australia or New Zealand, and apparently the debate can get fairly heated. In my case, it’s an easy decision: I’ve already written about New Zealand, so Australia it is.
Momofuku is probably an odd choice to represent Australia, but it turns out that pavlova is not an easy dessert to find. I think the Noodle Bar is one of the few restaurants in the GTA to serve it — and even there, you’re not guaranteed to find it on the menu.
Well, if you see it, order it; it’s delicious.
It’s a very simple dessert. Traditionally, pavlova is just fruit, meringue, and whipped cream. The version at Momofuku subs out the cream for lemon curd, which you’d think wouldn’t work — but it totally works (to be fair, this was my first time trying pavlova, so I have nothing to compare it to).
The meringue is great — it’s lightly crispy on the outside, with a soft, slightly marshmallowy interior. The fruit in this particular version is blood orange, which is sweet and slightly tart. Combined with the lemon curd, it might have been too much of a citrusy bite, but the sweet meringue balances it out perfectly. It’s delightful.
Around the World in 196 Plates 