review

Mr. Brown's Raw Treats

Mr Brown's Raw Fruit & Nut Cake

We were given a bunch of goodies from Mr Brown's to try out. Not only do they look beautiful, they're very healthy and taste great to boot!

Now of course when you get free food, it automatically tastes 25% better off the bat, however we can honestly say that most of the ones we tried really are delicious. We would even go as far to say that they're the best raw treats in Darwin!

(We wouldn't lie to you, promise.)

The difference between Petra's CakesMel's Raw Delites and Mr Brown's creations is the range of bites, balls, pralines and truffles rather than cakes. We also really appreciated the different textures and experience each bite had to bring to our palates.

Mr Brown's is the brainchild of Alex Brown, a talented young chef hailing from Germany who decided he liked Darwin so much he decided to set up shop. He spent quite some time cooking for vegetarian and vegan kitchens in his homeland and now turned his hand to making raw pastry delights. The treats he makes are free of sugar, gluten and dairy. Most of current menu items are vegan whilst the non vegan items only differ by the addition of honey as a sweetener (which doesn't count as vegan apparently).  

He plans on introducing new creations every few weeks to keep us wanting for more, but for now here's the menu:

Mr Brown's Breakfast Balls

Breakfast Balls (Vegan)

T: I'm told the breakfast balls are packed with energy and obviously designed to be eaten as a breakfast meal. There are a lot of flavours going on in this one which I can't quite single out, it is tasty however. It is also not too sweet, which works better for breakfast. 

C: Substance and weight are always a criterion in my choice of breakkie balls and these definitely hit the spot! I loved that all the ingredients were just the right size - not too large to chew too much and not too fine and you have no clue what's in it.

Protein Balls

T: It reminded of a Summer Log chocolate bar - buttery, nutty with just the right amount of sweetness. As someone who loves to lay on the peanut butter real thick I really liked these. The protein is a bonus too! This is sure to be popular with the gym crowd.

C: It's like eating a chunky peanut butter cake - there's some honey in it and it gives the ball a nice rounded note of sweetness. Toasted peanuts are always a win too.

Mr Brown's Protein Balls, Breakfast Balls, Raw Vegan Lemon Bites, Raw Brownies

Raw Lemon Bites (Vegan)

T: Kick ass hit of lemon flavour to them and are one of my other favourites.

C: Probably in my top three, the lemon in this is absolutely divine! There's a bit of a mild almond munch on as well, so it's not like you're eating a raw lemon.

Raw Brownie (Vegan)

T: Oooh yeah. Rich cacao flavour and soft gooey texture, just like a real chocolate praline. I should know, especially after gorging myself at Max Brenner earlier this week. Super nice dessert this one and is be perfectly suited to be enjoyed with a coffee.

C: Instant fave! It's like a healthy rocky road or italian chocolate log. I swear I could eat a whole tray and not die from the intense chocolate goodness.

It is at this point I am literally and enthusiastically crying out "I'm in heaven! Mmmm oh yeah" whilst fist pumping the air. For something so healthy these are actually quite good!

Mr Brown's Raw Bounty Praline

Mr. Brown's Raw Bounty Praline

T: I had high hopes for this, but I thought it needed a bit more coconut punch or something to make it just a tad sweeter.

C: I'm not a big fan of Bounty's but this I quite liked! I felt like it could use a bit more chocolate, but hey, anything and everything could use with more chocolate right?!

Raw Fruit & Nut Cake (Vegan)​

T: Carrot like flavour with a dollop of sultana/dates. Has some interesting crispy micro crackling textures going on here, if that's even a thing. Not bad at all. Not in my top 3, but middle of the pack.

C: One of my favourite combos of all time, this cake reminds me of a classic carrot cake with a good punch of orange and crunch.

Mr Brown's Raw Poppy Seed Praline

Raw Poppy Seed Praline

T: He's packed on the poppy seeds to great effect - this thing literally pops in your mouth. Pop pop poppy pop! It's like Territory Day fireworks in your mouth. Flavour wise it is a bit  unique compared to the others, I found it to have very Middle Eastern like flavours with strong spices and a lengthy after taste. 

C: Aesthetically, I'm a fan. The pop of orange zest is drop dead gorgeous. The nutmeg punch was unexpected and I would have loved the innards to be a bit more smoother to make the poppy seeds pop more. Don't get me wrong, it's still yummy!

Mr Brown's French Apricot Praline

French Apricot Praline

T: Very pretty with a beautiful and tasty orange coloured top layer. The sweetness of the top balances out the less sweet bottom part, although I do wish it could have a fraction more apricot punch.

C: I LOVE THIS. It's like eating apricot fudge! It's not sweet, and if you're like me that likes raw God given flavours, this is a winner. I also found this the easiest to engulf whole.

Overall, we think Mr Brown's a fine winner. His creations show great skill and attention to detail, and some of these goodies are simply sublime!
Can't to see what else he comes up with - if these are any indication then it should be pretty good!

You can find Mr Brown's goodies at the following cafes:

or order directly by sending a message on Facebook