Burek heaven is a bite away

Just 18 miles south of Sydney's CBD Rockdale's main drag is a hotch-potch of car smash repairers, retail shops - and a little family-owned Macedonian bakery serving up bureks and breads. Its a yeasty smell as a friend and I walk in. The owner gently eases from the oven a side of lamb that he's roasted for a customer; it happens regularly he says. But we've come for bureks, filo pastry filled with spinach and cheese, or ground beef, or aromatic cinnamon-topped apple, cooked Macedonian style in big round pans. The local Macedonian-Australians are eating them with buttermilk but we wash a plateful down with coffee. On the way out we resist the super-sweet baklava but buy a crusty loaf of bread, one of several varieties in the basket. A family member is happy to give us the lowdown on the bread spread but customers are lining up behind us waiting for their slice of heaven.

Alexander's Bakery Cafe, 494 Princes Highway, Rockdale, Sydney. Phone 956796
Image from Wikipedia