Showing posts with label Pastry. 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] 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 Hoi Keng Congee 海景粥店 @ Mong Kok


Congee, or porridge is also one of the well known Cantonese cuisine. Located in Mong Kok, Hoi Keng Congee specialist is one of the more well known place for a quick local breakfast. However, there's no sea view noted around, as their name "Hoi Keng" literally means sea view.

Congee was used to be the staple food for the Chinese as rice was expensive and living was difficult. The same amount of rice can feed more mouths if it was cooked into porridge. As life gets better, so does the food culture. Congee has evolved over the years from the normal white plain congee, into more varieties from sweet to savoury. The locals also like to dip their porridge with "yau char gwai" (fried dough), which you may find these being sold outside the shop.

There are three Hoi Keng branches in HK if I'm not mistaken, namely in Mong Kok (Bute Street & Argyle Street) and Kowloon City.

G/F, 72, Bute Street, Mong Kok
旺角太子弼街72號地下
Nearest MTR stations: Kwun Tong Line/Tsuen Wan Line, Mong Kok Station, Exit B3
Telephone:
Opening Hours:

G/F, 105, Argyle Street, Mong Kok
旺角亞皆老街105號地下
Nearest MTR stations: Kwun Tong Line/Tsuen Wan Line, Mong Kok Station, Exit D2
Telephone:
Opening Hours:

12, Fuk Lo Tsun Road, Kowloon City
九龍城福佬村道12號
Nearest MTR stations: Kwun Tong Line, Lok Fu Station, Exit B (far far away!)
Telephone:
Opening Hours:

TO GO


The branch I went was Bute Street as I was passing by Fa Yuen Street. If you intend to visit this branch, you may take Kwun Tong Line (Green) or Tsuen Wan Line (Red) and then drop off at Mong Kok Station, Exit B3.




SPECIALITY 



I was actually just passing by Bute Street and didn't intend to have an congee for lunch. However, I couldn't resist the invitation call of the tasty "yau char kwai" selling right outside the congee shop despite the pricey price tag of HKD11 (RM5).


They have all sorts of "yau char kwai" in display, some of which are commonly found in Malaysia like the "ham zin beng" (salty fried dough with five spices). I was particularly interested with the one on the top right, which is something I don't see in Malaysia.


The lady told me it is called "ngau lai sou" (crispy milk bun/dough) and I had to try one to satisfy my cravings. 

Ngau Lai Sou 牛奶酥 - HKD11 (RM5)

The "ngau lai sou" is very fresh and I'm still able to feel the heat by holding it. The texture on the fried dough is definitely inviting.


Compared to other fried dough, this "ngau lai sou" is inclined towards to sweet than savoury. The soft and fluffy dough, coupled with crispy sweet crust just makes me go on and on to finish the whole piece.

SUMMARY


As I didn't include congee as part of my HK food list due to the short time frame, hence I'm only reviewing Hoi Keng Congee shop as a street food list for the fried dough that they sell outside the shop. Given chance, would definitely visit them for a Cantonese porridge breakfast next time.

Taste
☆☆☆☆☆
soft interior, crispy exterior
Value
☆☆☆
this "yau char kwai" costs me RM5! My gawd..
Service
N/A
Cleanliness
N/A
Opening Hours
N/A
Wifi
N/A
Parking
N/A
Website
N/A

GPS: 22.322243, 114.170269
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[FOOD] 20141218 Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌饼家 @ Central, HK


There's another must eat item in Hong Kong, which is the legendary egg tart which appears a lot in Hong Kong TVB dramas. The familiar name of 酥皮蛋挞 definitely brings out your desire to have one bite on the crispy exterior and yet fluffy interior of the egg tart.

There are many pastry shops and bakeries around Hong Kong that sell egg tarts, but among these, Tai Cheong Bakery grabs the most lime light for being the arguably the best in Hong Kong, which I totally agreed after comparing a few. There are many outlets around Hong Kong, but the one you must go will be their headquarters in Central, Hong Kong.

35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central
Nearest MTR stations: Central, Exit D2
Telephone: +852 83008301
Opening Hours: 
07:30am until 9pm (Mon - Sat)
08:30am until 9pm (Sun & Public Holiday)

TO GO


Depends on where you stay, there are generally many ways to reach Tai Cheong Bakery. However, the basics would still be by MRT to Central, exit D2 then travel by foot for about 10 minutes along the busy streets. There will a slight uphill climb as Central is near to the Victoria Peak. Alternatively, you can take the cab.

SPECIALITY


Tai Cheong is known for their egg tarts, but they do have other pastries like coconut tart for sale as well. It is easy to notice the bakery with small crowds gathering outside it. The tarts are affordable at only HKD6 (RM2.70). The staffs are attentive and efficient, so you don't need to wait long to get a bite on the delicious tart.


The exterior of the bakery


The famous Tai Cheong egg tart - HKD6 (RM2.70)

The tart is a well representation of 酥皮蛋挞 and will redefine the types that we had in Malaysia. The outer crust is crispy, the pastry is soft and the custard is fluffy. The definition of a 5 star egg tart.

SUMMARY


The tart was better than my expectation as I always have a perception that famous food tend to be overrated due to the popularity. However, Tai Cheong's egg tart proved me wrong. Quality can still be maintained even after mass production.


Taste
☆☆☆☆☆
best egg tart ever had yet. Better than the Ipoh ones.
Value
☆☆☆☆☆
considered cheap for food in HK. Value for money
Service
☆☆☆☆
fast and efficient staff
Cleanliness
☆☆☆☆
Opening Hours
07:30am until 9:00pm (Mon - Sat)
08:30am until 9:00pm (Sun & Public Holiday)
Wifi
N/A 
Parking
Minimal 
Website
http://www.taoheung.com.hk/en/brands/tai_cheong_bakery/index_p_2.html 

GPS: 22.282462, 114.153660
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