Last month, New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells stepped down because – among other reasons – he fears developing gout. (Like many restaurant reviewers before him.) While we don’t do reviews at Broadsheet, we do eat out a lot and the G-word is something we throw around in jest. But even if my day job as a Broadsheet editor doesn’t give me gout one day, my unpaid side gig as Sydney’s most passionate rum baba aficionado surely will.

If you’re not familiar with the baba, let me break it down for you. Firstly, like most great desserts, it’s French. You take a small warm cake, douse the whole thing in rum (or rum syrup), then eat it with vanilla cream. It’s gout-tastic! The rich vanilla notes of the rum elevate the otherwise dry, bready cake. Listen: the whole thing just sings. And it stops you from having to choose between a nightcap and a dessert.

I first fell in love with the baba in Paris, where they douse the cake in rum at the table and often leave the bottle. If you’re heading over anytime soon, there are some textbook examples of baba au rhum (as they say en francais) at Boullion Chartier and Le Café du Commerce and they’re both well under 10 euros.

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I don’t have a Paris trip on the horizon, so I’ve been chasing that baba rush here in Sydney. Here are my five favourites.

Parlour, CBD

Tucked underneath the QT and right next door to the State Theatre, Parlour is perfectly Parisian: banquette seating, candlelit tables and ornate 1920s design features. The neo-French menu is a treat from the get-go but the desserts – typically served tableside with theatrical flair – are where Parlour really shines. The rum baba here is brought out to the table whole and cut in front of you, then a splash of the golden liquor is poured directly into the cake’s centre. A heap of Chantilly marscapone completes it.

Le Foote, The Rocks

This might be the sexiest rum baba on the list. It brings perfect Bundt-esque ridges, a dusting of cinnamon and spiced-sabayon cream to the party, plus a perfectly poised maraschino cherry. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a schmick spot like Le Foote.

Monopole, CBD

Monopole recently got a French makeover and as the dining room enters its new era, there’s a rum baba in tow. This twist on the standard baba trades rum for Calvados, with the apple brandy’s fruity notes being supported by green apple (Perfect for Brat Summer) and a classic Chantilly. Also on the menu is a Baba Au Rum cocktail, if you want to double down on the booziness.

Bert’s, Newport

Overlooking both the buzzing courtyard of The Newport and a quiet cove of parked boats, the Merivale brasserie Bert’s feels something like a Riviera resort – so naturally there’s a traditional rum baba on the menu. Warmed rum is poured tableside over the cake before it’s cut down the middle and topped with generous dollops of whipped cream.

Shell House, CBD

Shell House’s baba is the crown jewel of its dessert menu. Straying slightly from your typical serve of the 18th century dessert, this sky-high rendition adds burnt honey and banana to the rum for a richer, sweeter nod to the boozy beauty.