First Look: A Tenacious Pastry Talent Serves Croissants and Brunch in the Shade of the Harbour Bridge

At the height of Sydney’s August 2021 lockdown, a photo of a tart sent local pastry lovers into a frenzy – including this Broadsheet writer. Posted by then-Picco Leo baker Yeongjin Park, it teased his version of a Portuguese tart: hefty, craggly edged, custard-filled and laced with miso caramel. Stuck at home, we were clamouring to know when we could get our hands on one.

“I wanted to minimise wasted dough when making croissants, so I began shaping them into squares,” Park tells Broadsheet about what first prompted his custard tart experimentation. “It’s something I’m grateful for since it’s played a significant role in bringing me where I am today.”

A year after that glossy-topped tart lit up Sydney’s pastry scene, he co-founded Tenacious Bakehouse, where it quickly became the spot’s signature item. There were also mandu-inspired sausage rolls, onigiri-shaped croissants, golden croissant loaves and more, winning him a following before he abruptly stepped away in 2024.

“I realised there was still more to learn so I worked at several respected bakeries like Self Raised, AP Bakery and Lab Bakery to broaden my experience.” Now, Park’s first solo venture lands harbourside, in Dawes Point.

Sparked into action by a trip to learn fermentation methods from a master, the monk Jeong Kwan Sunim, Park opened Jinius – a place that weaves Korean tastes through modern brunch plates and baked goods.

Australian flour ferments for 24 to 36 hours with nuruk, a wheat-cake starter used in makgeolli rice wine, laying the foundation for Jinius’s breads and pastries. The result is a robust, earthy flavour, which is softened with a hint of sikhye. The deep but subtly sweet drink is made with a rice and malted barley ferment, which steps in for sugar. The balance is striking in the airy, chewy sourdough (best swiped with kombu-cultured butter) where the natural MSG ramps up the flavour in the bread. Gluten free slices are also on hand, powered by a nuruk starter made with rice cakes.

Long-time fans rejoice: the Portuguese tart returns, slightly smaller and less sweet. The heavy hitter is joined by a choco-marzipan number, which is studded with walnuts and goes down like a turbocharged chocolate croissant, plus Park’s perfected plain croissants and milk cheese doughnuts. The tangzhong doughnuts are all pillow and bounce, filled with a mix of not-too-sweet mascarpone milk cream and vanilla milk cream that nods to the flavour of White Rabbit candy.

Beyond the pastry counter, brunch plates incorporate Korean culture too. Baguettes and sourdough move with coffee by Ona, and brioche arrives as French toast. There are two plates Park insists you order: the smoked salmon plate and the market plate. On the first, Tasmanian-bred Atlantic salmon is cured for an hour, then smoked with cherry wood for 30 minutes. “Pre-smoked salmon can often be too salty, so we do it ourselves to achieve the flavour and texture we want,” he says. The smoked salmon is so tender it slumps into silky shards, pairing perfectly with dill cream cheese.

The artful market plate goes lighter: cannellini bean purée is topped with slices of cucumber, heirloom tomato and radish, plus honey-roasted walnuts, pickled cauliflower and green beans. It’s refreshing and balanced, built for breakfast or lunch. “Even someone like me who doesn’t usually enjoy veggies thinks it tastes amazing,” says Park.

The chef credits much of his success to his time at Italian restaurant Casoni under Jowoon Oh – who’s now at Enmore’s Osteria di Russo & Russo – and later at Picco Leo with Federico Zanellato (Lumi, Lode) and Karl Firla. “I met many great people who influenced and supported me.” It’s those experiences that shaped the miso-caramel custard tart that started it all for Park.

Big plans are in play for Jinius – Park is eyeing dinner services where he’ll expand into pizza, pasta, snacks and wine. (Anyone who remembers Tenacious Pizza should pay attention.)

Three hundred metres from the Harbour Bridge and you’re at the 60-seater, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and sun-soaked interiors. “There’s a special energy here,” says Park. “I can peacefully make bread, and that feeling carries to guests.”

Jinius
Shop 8, 16 Hickson Road, Dawes Point

Hours:
Wed to Sun 8am–3pm

@jinus.au