Showing posts with label Bread. Show all posts

[FOOD] 20130803 The Loaf Bakery and Bistro Perdana Quay @ Telaga Harbour, Langkawi


The Loaf is a Japanese fusion bakery and bistro that also serves Western style ala carte menu for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. Using traditional Japanese baking methods coupled with the best ingredients, the bakery sets to serve the best products to its customers.

The bakery is linked to our former Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir, with the first outlet opened in Telaga Harbour, Langkawi in 2006. You will often see Tun's name appear in the menu such as Tun's Breakfast.

Over the years, this premium bakery has expanded outside Langkawi with a few outlets opened at key hotspots in Klang Valley such as Pavillion, Bangsar Village II, Empire Subang, Sogo KL, Avanue K, Nu Sentral, KLIA 2, Sunway Pyramid, Mitsui Outlet Park, the Mines, Cheras Central Mall, DPulze Cyberjaya and Great Eastern Mall. They also have another outlet in Langkawi which is located at the new Cenang Mall.

The Loaf serves various kind of bread and pastries, including cookies and jams. They also have their own specialty dessert known as the Uhuhu that looks more like a cup cake with different topping selections.

C9 Perdana Quay Telaga Harbour Park Pantai Kok, Langkawi 07000 Kedah
Telephone: +604 959 4866
Opening Hours: 10:00am until 10:00pm

TO GO


The Perdana Quay is located at the Telaga Harbour which is towards the west side of the island, with a good view of sea and yacht. However, the location is kinda remote and it's recommended to rent a car as grabbing a cab may not be easy.


SPECIALITY



It was my second day in Langkawi and I'm on my way to Panorama Langkawi hence decided to drop by The Loaf Bakery and Bistro at Perdana Quay for breakfast since it's along the way, otherwise I would hardly drop by due to the distance away from main attraction areas.


The first outlet is located at this serene and quiet Telaga Harbour, overlooking the nice view of yacht docks. The Perdana Quay is rather quiet in my opinion with little crowd, it will be tough for the outlets here to sustain and constant upkeep and maintenance is required to keep the flow of tourist coming in. The whole place was rather quiet with majority of the commercial activity located at the sea-fronting side.


You can choose to dine outside with a cuppa while overlooking the beautiful scenery, but I prefer to avoid the scorching hot sun. I would be nice to sit outside at night with the cold night sea breeze and some music. Hmm..


The bakery was quiet in the morning with only a few patrons, probably also due to Ramadhan month during my visit where all the Muslims are fasting. The interior is cozy with a warm and homey feel.



They have various pastries and breads to offer and most of them do look very appetizing. They do provide some samplers for you to try. Prices are towards the higher side but still affordable, probably will just buy less.


This is one very special looking bread that looks like a pizza but actually known as the Coco Choco.


More bread for your selection.


I ordered the Square Egg on Toast (RM13) for a start with the description quoted from their menu "Thick toast with square sunny side-up egg, chicken sausages, hash brown and fresh grill tomato" that comes with a choice of coffee or tea. Well, to be honest, there's nothing to shout about this plate with everything looks and taste mediocre with oily hash brown and blunt toast.


The coffee that comes along with the toast. Very thick black coffee towards the acidic side.


Don't quite remember what this is called but if not mistaken it is the Scrambled Egg with Beef Stripes. The look might not be appetizing but fortunately the taste is ok, although nothing spectacular.


Hot Chocolate was also acceptable but I do hope for a richer taste of chocolate.


I also ordered a croissant for comparison purpose as I just had one of the best croissant the day before at La Chocolatine at Pantai Tengah. As expected, the croissant is the typical crispy pastry, which I don't fancy and I still prefer the one back in La Chocolatine.


Last but not least is of course their signature Uhuhu dessert and I ordered the Chocolate Almond (RM3+) to wrap up my breakfast. It taste more like a moose dessert than a cup cake,

SUMMARY


I never been to The Loaf at KL and only tried in Langkawi since it is the origin. Overall, the environment is cozy but the food were disappointing even though the breads are still up to standard. I would recommend to just dine in during tea break for their pastries and bread and forget about the ala carte menu. Price is also towards the high side and not to value for such quality.

Taste
 ☆☆☆
 mediocre
Value
 ☆☆☆
 high side
Service
 ☆☆☆☆☆
 Very attentive and friendly staff
Cleanliness
 ☆☆☆☆☆
Opening Hours
08:00am until 10:00pm (Daily)
Wifi
Yes
Parking
Yes
Website
http://www.theloaf.com.my/

GPS: 6.368551, 99.682553
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[FOOD] 20130802 La Chocolatine @ Pantai Tengah, Langkawi


Had my first breakfast in Langkawi at La Chocolatine after my night flight back in 2013. It is a small French pastry shop owned by a French, who is also the pastry chef, serving some very nice pastries and desserts.

Although the price seemed to be on the higher end but it is totally justified by the quality of the pastries and desserts served, with some French desserts that are rarely seen in normal pastries. They do serve breakfast sets with sandwiches and omelette if you fancy a western breakfast.

La Chocolatine is located at Pantai Tengah, right after the junction between Jalan Pantai Tengah and Jalan Teluk Baru.

03 Jalan Teluk Baru, Pantai Tengah, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah
Telephone: +604 - 9558891
Opening Hours: 09:00am until 09:00pm

TO GO


La Chocolatine is located at Pantai Tengah, which is towards the South end of popular tourist spot of Pantai Cenang. If you are staying nearby Pantai Cenang or Pantai Tengah then travelling by foot is most recommended as you can also enjoy the beach front.

Any other locations would require you to either rent a car or bike or to take a cab.

SPECIALITY



La Chocolatine is a cozy little pastry shop with a striking orange sign board located just after the end of Jalan Pantai Tengah with a beach fronting (although some distance away).


It has a very simple yet homey interior with some trace of French culture. The service was friendly and prompt and I noticed some locals are working on the pastries in the kitchen.


Breakfast set menu are available but I don't quite get the reason of serving two beverages but only one bread, of course with the price tag of RM20 and above (that was in 2013!).


I opt for the ala carte menu instead to have more flexibility. They serve Nespresso coffee along with tea or hot chocolate to accompany your pastry. Although I would like to comment on my Cappuccino was just mediocre. Better just to focus on their pastries and desserts and to skip beverages.

Croissant - RM4

Their croissant was a killer. I'm not a fan of croissant but this particular croissant totally changed my perspective of croissant because I used to think that croissant is dry and oily with layers of pastries. The croissant made by La Chocolatine was different, it was soft and fluffy with rich butter flavour.


The inner texture of the croissant reassembles more like a bread (but not bread!) instead of the normal croissant that I used to have.


I also ordered this bread (sorry I don't remember the name!) which is also very good. I really like the texture of the pastries, not forgetting the flavour.


Desserts are also their signature and I believe the girls will definitely scream in front of the patisserie counter with arrays of sinful desserts for the sweet tooth. Common French desserts such as enclair, tarts, macaroons and many other fancy French-named desserts. However, do expect a higher price tag for such premium quality desserts with at least RM10 each.

I skipped desserts as it was too early in the morning for a sweet dip. Probably will try it next time when I'm in Langkawi again. 


SUMMARY


Very nice and authentic pastries that totally revamped my perspective of pastries. It gave me an insight on how well a pastry can taste like, if properly done. It was kinda rare to find a French pastry in a place like Langkawi but perhaps the peaceful and slow pace of Langkawi attracted many foreigners to reside here.

Taste
 ☆☆☆☆☆
 Very nice pastries
Value
 ☆☆☆☆
Price is on the higher end
Service
 ☆☆☆☆
Cleanliness
 ☆☆☆☆☆
Opening Hours
09:00am until 09:00pm (Daily)
Wifi
Yes
Parking
Yes
Website
Nil

GPS: 6.282507, 99.730884
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[FOOD] 20141220 Xinjiang Flat Bread @ Luohu, Shenzhen



Found this roadside stall selling some nice looking flat bread when I'm my way to Leyuan Road for seafood dinner. It's actually located just two streets away from Dongmen Pedestrian Street at Lixin Road 立新路.



It was manned by three gentlemen, which I believe originated from Xinjiang Province, China. One rolling the dough, another one on the oven and the last one taking care of the sales. The flat bread is actually Halal as most of the Xinjiang people are generally Muslims.

Lixin Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China
广东省深圳市罗湖区立新路
Nearest Metro Station: Shaibu Station, Exit D2
Telephone: N/A
Opening Hours: N/A

TO GO

Disclaimer: Google services are barred in China. You need to either bypass the "Great Wall" or use a VPN. Alternatively, you may use their domestic sites such as Baidu Map.

Travelling in Shenzhen is not as convenient as Hong Kong, with destination distanced away from Metro stations. I would recommend taking cab or public buses if you somewhat able to communicate in Mandarin as it will be the most convenient way to commute. The cab and buses are fast and reliable in comparison to our lousy Malaysian buses.

You may opt to drop by if you are nearby Dongmen, which is just two streets away. Alternatively, you can also take the Metro using Longgang Line (Blue) and exit D2. It will just be a short distance away.





SPECIALITY


They actually have two variety to choose from which is onion flat bread and another is with bean paste fillings. The onion flat bread looks pretty similar to our local Indian Naan bread. Even the preparation is similar where the dough is rolled into flat pieces and then placed it at the wall of the stone oven with a round object wrapped with wet cloth.

Onion Flat Bread - RMB3 (RM1.80)

I was a bit sceptical to try roadside stalls in China at first. So I waited to see whether any locals will buy from them. After observing some time, I decided to give it a try after a few locals actually bought from them. 

The breads are actually priced at RMB3 (RM1.80) each, which I think it is overpriced for a place like China. Nevertheless, given the size of the bread and the curiosity to try, I took out 3 pieces of coins and passed to the guy.

I requested for a fresh piece for two reasons. The existing ones on the stall are cold due the cold weather, a warm bread will definitely be appetizing. Second reason is definitely for hygiene purposes as fresh from oven will minimize contamination as the stall is located just at the roadside.

The flat bread smells good, thanks to the sesame seeds and onion pieces, and of course, fresh from oven. The texture is hard and chewy, unlike our naan bread which is soft and gluten. Taste wise was a bit disappointing as it was quite plain but I kinda like the wheaty original taste.

SUMMARY

Taste
☆☆☆☆
Not too bad for a snack
Value
☆☆☆
pricey for a piece of flat bread in China!
Service 
N/A 
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
Roadside stall, beware of fumes and dusts
Opening Hours
N/A
Wifi
N/A
Parking
N/A
Website
N/A


GPS: 22.547526, 114.121209
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[FOOD] 20141219 Kam Wah Cafe 金华茶室 @ Mongkok



Kam Wah Cafe is the place to look for if you are looking for some famous "Polo buns" (菠萝包). The Polo buns (nothing to do with Marco Polo) is actually a normal bun with a sugar crust coated on top that looks like pineapple (bo lo in Cantonese) when baked, hence the name.

The bun is actually commonly served in many "cafe" in HK with options to be served with butter slices (菠萝油), pork chop (猪扒菠萝包) and etc. The Kam Wah Cafe in Mongkok is well known for its fresh-from-oven buns that is usually sold out very quickly.

Besides Polo buns, the cafe also sells various pastries like coconut tart and egg tart (Tai Cheong is much better) and cooked food for those to opt to dine in.

47 Bute Street, Mongkok, Hong Kong
太子弼街47號地下
Nearest MRT Stations: Prince Edward Station, Exit B2
Telephone: +852 2392 6830
Opening Hours: 06:30am until 12:00am

TO GO


Kam Wah Cafe is located at Bute Street, Mongkok, which is accessible via Prince Edward Station, Exit B2 or Mong Kok Station, Exit B3. Both stations are accessible via Kwun Tong Line (Green) or Tsuen Wan Line (Red)




SPECIALITY




Kam Wah Cafe offers both dine in and take away option. Their daily menu are usually published at the frontage of the shop with prices included.


Hong Kong cafes like to sell in set due to practicality and for volume of sales. It's easier for patrons to order just Set A, B or C and easier for the owner to prepare, as well as to get higher volume and profit.

Normal Polo Bun with Butter - HKD9 (RM4)


Polo Bun with Pork Chop 猪扒菠萝包 - HKD20 (RM9)

Today decided to dine in and of course not forgetting their famous buns. The yellowish bun has very soft texture with the sweet powdery crust on top. The bun is best served fresh and hot as I did take away one and it didn't taste as good after it became cold.

Stir-Fried HK style Pork Keow Teow 猪扒河 - HKD44 (RM20)

Over the three days of stay and I never get to try HK's famous stir-fried beef keow teow and I saw Kam Wah Cafe have that in the menu, so I ordered one to try (beef was substituted with pork because I don't take beef). To be honest, the noodle just taste mediocre, but I didn't have high expectations to begin with since this dish is not the signature here.

Signature Toast 西多士 - HKD19 (RM9)


Half way through the food I saw the signboard showing their award winning Toast (西多士) so I decided to give it a try also since this will be my last meal in HK before heading to Shenzhen.


The toast is served with maple syrup. To be honest, the toast has nothing to shout about. Please skip this. The toast served in Bangkok's After You Cafe is much better than this.


Now you see where the name of the bun came from?

SUMMARY


Not totally worth a visit unless you are nearby looking for a bite. The buns are ok but the rest are just mediocre.

Taste
☆☆☆
nothing much to shout about except for the buns.
Value
☆☆☆☆
average pricing
Service
☆☆☆☆
not good but not too bad either. 
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
Opening Hours
06:30am until 12:00am (Daily)
Wifi
N/A
Parking
N/A
Website
N/A

GPS: 22.322222, 114.169727
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[FOOD] 20141219 Australian Dairy Company Ltd 澳洲牛奶公司 @ Jordan


The name Australian Dairy Company Ltd ("ADC") probably might made you think that it is opened by some ang moh fellas or what. Well, at least that's what my initial thought. After doing research online only realise that it is yet another "cafe" or cha chan teng (in cantonese for coffee/tea shop) but it is famous for its simple yet unbelievably delicious scramble eggs.

I was first sceptical as English breakfast was never in my list of to eat in HK but after reading much reviews and blogs online, I decided to give it a try to experience the so called "legendary" scramble eggs that will redefine your definition of scramble eggs, as described by many reviewers.

The shop opens as early as 7:30am but do not get discouraged by the long queue as the staff are very efficient at clearing long lines. Despite occupying 2 lots, the cafe is always full of patrons with long queue at the outside.

The shop is located at Jordan, just next to another Mak's Noodles outlet.

G/F, 47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong
香港佐敦白加士街47-49號地下
Nearest MRT Stations: Jordan, Exit C2
Telephone:
Opening Hours: 7:30am until 11:00pm (Closed on Thursdays)

TO GO


Just take the Tsuen Wan Line (Red) and drop off at Jordan station, Exit C2. Walk straight for a block and turn right. You won't miss the long lines across the whole street.




SPECIALITY



ADC is well known for its scramble eggs and it is a favourite for the locals as you will notice long queue of crowds as soon as you arrived. I think the Cantonese term "line up 9 streets" probably came from here (just kidding!). Jokes aside, the que is definitely amazing, easily span up to 100 meters of human centipede. 


However, despite the long que, the lines cleared rather quickly. The efficient serving of the waiters is able to clear 50 meters (approx 50 pax) in the span of 10 to 15 minutes. When closer to the entrance, I observed how the waiters are able to work so efficiently.


Basically they will ask the number of pax of your group, if you are alone, you will get to go in first as you can easily fit into any of the empty seats. Yes, this means you have to share table with strangers, which is common in HK due to space limitation. If you have larger group, then you have to wait aside until the large group inside is cleared. Those taking away will have a separate line where the waiters will take your orders separately. They have to work so efficiently that even the menus are short-formed to save time. When one went in to place order, another waiter will quickly take over the station to serve the next patron. Hats off to the efficiency and die hard workers.



You are expected to order as soon as you are seated. They will give tourists some levy and will check with you again later for order. Don't take too long, otherwise you might hear some unpleasant mumbles later. Breakfast set is plain simple as you have three sets to choose from, i.e. Breakfast Set (Set A), Tea Set (Set B) or Quick Set (Set C). You just need to tell the waiter Set A, B or C then they will ask you coffee or tea, eggs to be fried or scramble (zin or chao 煎或炒?). The prices is stated above (as of Dec 2014) at HKD32 (RM15) for Set A and C, while Set B will cost you HKD38 (RM17).

Salty Broth Macaroni with Luncheon Meat - Set B HKD38 (RM17)

As soon as you placed your orders, you countdown 15 seconds for your first dish to be served. Yes, 15 seconds. All the food are readily cooked because the menu did not vary far and there will definitely takers for any dish cooked. The macaroni didn't look appetizing, same goes with the taste. I didn't really enjoy the macaroni as the flavour and taste didn't really suit me. The soup is rather clear but salty. The luncheon meat and macaroni just taste blunt. Hence you have to take the soup together with the macaroni for some flavour.

Scramble Eggs with Toast - Set B HKD38 (RM17)

The scramble eggs and toast is served next and this is what I'm here for. First glance on the scramble egg, you will noticed that the eggs are not totally cooked. Still sceptical with the fame it received, I took a bite. Seems like the rumour holds as the scramble egg does taste better than it looks. Even though it is not heavenly until I have to redefine the term "scramble eggs", it is fluffy and flavourful and makes you wonder how they cook it. Honestly I tried to replicate this when I'm back but couldn't actually get the same results (well, obviously). I enjoyed my eggs with my toasts that I would love to have another serving, eggs only.


The toast is soft and clad with butter in between, texture is better than our typical Hainanese toast at our local kopitiam. 

Fresh Milk - Set B HKD38 (RM17)

How can you miss the milk in the dairy company?! Well, to be honest, the milk is thin and taste like the usual milk powder that I used to have when I was a kid, the Nespray milk powder. Not too bad thou I was expecting Australian grade milk.

Fresh Milk Pudding - HKD26 (RM12)

Not forgetting the milk pudding which costs HKD26 (RM12) each bowl. The milk pudding is soft and smooth, with heavy milk flavour (obviously), identical to the glass of milk I had. Give it a try if you don't mind the strong milky taste.

SUMMARY


ADC is an ideal choice for breakfast especially for their scramble eggs and toast. You may skip the macaroni as it didn't taste spectacular. You probably need to spend 15 to 20 minutes in the queue before you get to fill your stomach, so be there early!

Taste
☆☆☆☆☆
for the scramble egg and milk pudding.
☆☆☆
for the rest
Value
☆☆☆☆☆
Service
☆☆☆☆☆
fast and efficient 
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
slippery floor, broken utensils 
Opening Hours
7:30am until 11:00pm (Daily)
(Closed on Thursdays)
Wifi
N/A 
Parking
Minimal 
Website
N/A 

GPS: 22.304602, 114.170533
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