In the southern Sydney suburb of Gymea, about as far from the cobbled streets of Lisbon as you can get, sits a popular café and bread making business, The Portuguese Bakery.
This authentic, suburban bakery offers a wide range of traditional bread, rolls, and wraps but the one item that brings locals coming back for more is a delicious cup of golden goodness, known simply as the Portuguese tart.
Portuguese tarts at The Portuguese Bakery. Source: Supplied
The move fulfilled a cherished dream for Raul, who yearned to migrate to either Canada or Australia as a teenager. Clearly, Australia won out.
It wasn’t so straightforward for Doria, a trained pastry chef who followed her former personal-trainer husband to a new country and career, as a boilermaker.
Doria and Raul Mendes owners of The Portuguese Bakery. Source: Supplied
For Raul, arriving in Sydney was love at first sight.
“I didn't want to go back,” he says.
I did fall in love on the first day that I landed here and I thought to myself, I want to live here for the rest of my life.
While most of Sydney's Portuguese migrant population lives in the inner west, Raul and Doria chose to live near the sea, in the Sutherland Shire.
They moved with a plan to open their own small business, but it took 5 years of hard work and saving.
Doria with her daughter in front of The Portuguese Bakery. Source: Supplied
To accomplish something in life you need to sacrifice, whether it's going to the cinema or out for dinner.
They soon found a perfect location, a shopfront with wide footpaths and a crossing nearby. And the business launched on the weekend of a street carnival.
Opening day for The Portuguese Bakery in Gymea. Source: Supplied
“I was out walking the dog one morning, and I happened to look across the road and saw a Portuguese bakery that had just opened, and I just love bread, and I came over and bought two rolls.”
“I’ve been back every day since,” she says with a cheeky grin.
Like so many of their customers, Coleen loves the Portuguese tarts.
On many days Doria and Raul are up early, baking before dawn so Doria can craft her tarts and supervise every step of the process.
The Portuguese custard tart is also known as ‘Pastel de Nata’ in Portugal.
Doria explains they originated in Lisbon and were first made by monks in local monasteries in the 1800's.
“Today, I think it is the most sold cake in the world,” she says folding pastry for her own batches.
“The secret is getting the consistency just right, and rolling and folding the pastry, then blasting it at the right temperature (300 degrees for eight minutes) to create the signature crunch,” she explains.
Pastry chef Doria Mendes making Portuguese Tarts at The Portuguese Baker. Source: Supplied
‘’We are not serving just the Portuguese community here. Most of our customers have large coffees with a lot of milk and that’s already sweet.
So I had to reduce the sweetness of the custard tart after I started hearing the customers saying it's too sweet, or it's a bit too eggy.
The process of trial and error has resulted in a delicious recipe and their Portuguese tarts literally fly off the racks today.
Though Raul and Doria couldn’t be more pleased or proud of what they’ve achieved in Gymea, they have no plans for a second bakery.
In fact, they’re happy to focus on improving their existing store - just like their relationship. They’ve been together for 20 years and married for 16.
“The secret to a good relationship, while you're having a successful business, is never going to bed upset with each other, otherwise you start with a bad day,” Raul says with a smile.
