San Churro

There is a rumour that a strand of some Spanish epidemic has spread through various parts of Australia. While visiting Melbourne last December, Jason and me witnessed it first hand, on Lygon Street. At first we rubbed our eyes, disbelieving what was before us. We thought such things only manifested in places like Madrid.

But we were wrong.


There it was. San Churro. The most deadly franchise to hit Australia. Particularly lethal to chocaholics and lovers of fried, dough goodness. We soon took to interviewing the handsome brunette at the bar and he assured us, in what I can only describe as feverish enthusiasm, that the franchise was already well established in NSW, VIC and WA and had recently reached the Sunshine Coast in QLD. Soon, most probably this year, it would find another host in the Gold Coast...We gasped in horror. What about Brisbane???

But here we were on Lygon St and the damage was done. We became infected with an urge that was only too familiar. The urge to generously dip a long Spanish doughnut into rich, thick chocolate and watch it disappear bite after bite into our mouths.


After a long, wistful glance at the menu (which does not limit itself to Churros!), we decided to opt for a classic plate of Churros with a choice of two dips. The first was the classic milk chocolate dip. The other dip, was the scourge of all dieters: Argentinian Caramel.


I had in fact read about this very Caramel dip online. The victim had emphasised that resistance to any indulgence would be futile. That this was no ordinary caramel, not the boiled condensed-can-kind of caramel. Something far more insidious. But it was too late to pay heed to any warning: we did not survive the Argentinian Caramel. By far, the thickest, glossiest caramel I had ever seen, it was however, anything but sickly sweet.


After recovering from this sudden attack and while still giddy from the assault, we found ourselves looking around the franchise restaurant. I took a few photos of the interior for evidence. I want others to know what they are facing if they are exposed to San Churro.


I want them to know that San Churro is as close as you will come to paradise...


And that there is no immunity.