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| Ladies browsing at the Snoopy Brochure at Lauderale |
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| Where's SNOOPY? |
This place needs no further explanation. Simply google and you'll know its one of the oldest coffee house in the area that has survived gentrification. I must have forgotten about the crowd as I came here on one of the busiest day-National Day.
Don't be alarm if the auntie ignores you. Just be on an eagle-eye to catch the next empty table. We managed to squeeze into a corner table, stuffy but at least that saves up the extra charges for air-con.
"自己拿啊、自己拿啊＂,chirped the Hainanese old auntie, who left after clearing the bowls from earlier visitors. "Wah! So good ar! " What if anyone take extra and not pay?" Well, this boils down to trust and honesty, I guessed. Grab a plate and pick your own pastries. No need to wait for the aunties to come......just start feeding yourself because the drinks, eggs and toasts take time to cook.
Each pastry on display sits on a paper lining, which the auntie did not even bother to count after everything. We had 6 pieces at first; 4 egg tarts, 1 plain and 1 almond cupcake.
And ooh...these egg tarts are SUPER delicious. I have been deceived Nth times by numerous tasty-looking egg tarts which ended up with pliable tarts. But not this time. The dark brown shell is thicker-than-usual, but crumbly and fragrant. ![]()
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Call them cupcakes but do not compare them with those popular cupcakes on the street nowadays. Not moist, greasy nor very sweet. You might find it dry but these are how they should be. Being just fresh out of the oven, I popped one carelessly into my mouth, forgetting that they are meant to be shared.
Every now and then, a fresh tray of baked items out from the kitchen draws me to see what's out there. Though they were not the golden cream horns and custard puff, I took another 2 cupcakes with chocolate icing.
The much awaited open faced toast buns ($1 each) were spread with green kaya. I did mention previously that my family usually prefer brown to green, but this is an exception. The kaya spread was aromatic and sweet, but just nice. Nonetheless, I would prefer thin-sliced kaya toasts.
There was no need for the butter knife to spread the butter evenly. Just slam the other side down and chow through the lukewarm bun like a burger.
Kopi? Milo? Or Teh? We had all of them. Though their beans are roasted traditionally in their kitchen, the coffee was diluted. The milo was not spared too.
You won't have time to laze around and chill out with your friends compared to many hipster cafes (be prepared to receive glares by people who are queuing.... some people were hogging tables while playing iphones after their meal)
I enjoy it this no frills kopitiam. Chop chop. Eat. Drink and Go.
Chin Mee Chin Confectionery 真美珍茶室204 East Coast Road Tue–Sun 8am to 4.30pmClosed on Mondays
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Before the three-tier set is served, guests will be served a choice of tea or coffee. Most certainly, tea is highly recommended and the wide range here includes the classic tea selection featuring tea from the Peninsula hotel brand, herbal tea selection as well as Harney & Sons fine tea selection. Harney & Sons is an American craft tea brand since 1983 and I enjoyed their Green Tea with Thai flavours (the Thai ingredient seemed to be lemongrass)![]()
Among the starters, the Shrimp and egg salad wrap was a moreish delight with spiced creamy mashed egg wrapped in a yellow crepe skin that surprisingly contained nostalgic taste of curry. I also like the Yuzu marinated salmon and white radish cocktail which resembled an refined pickled dish with bright sour flavours. Who says salmon must always go with cream cheese and dill?
Lying besides the roasted bell pepper quiche is a Pink sandwich specially created for the Pink Breast Cancer Awareness campaign. The combination of corned beef, roasted beet and lemon cream is quite an adventurous idea that would realize its full potential if the beef had not been too sinewy.
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As mentioned earlier, The Peninsula Tokyo shows its support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month every October by staging “Peninsula in Pink” as part of a group-wide campaign of the Peninsula Hotels to raise both awareness and funds. A percentage of the proceeds raised goes to local breast cancer-related charities.
In line with the theme of pink, the spread of desserts dominated by pink, white and red colors. Classic mousse cakes include the Raspberry and white chocolate mousse and La Foret noire (Blackforest cake) whose cherries were well soaked but not overly done to the extent of drenching the entire cake.
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Most European cakes that contained citrus peels tend to be extra sweet because the peels are concentrated with sugar but not for this Grapefruit pound cake. The bitterness of the peels here was forthcoming, and thus it took me some time to get accustomed to the taste. Hence, I prefer the Rhubarb tart, which has an excellent pastry base that never fails to put a smile on my face.
But it was the homemade scones that I enjoyed bits by bits till the end of the course because they were simply terrific. Both the organic plain and raisin scones were those old-fashioned kinds with a sturdy wall that collapsed upon a bite. These were especially mesmerizing with the clotted cream and raspberry compote.
The Afternoon Tea menu changes every season and be sure to avoid weekends and national holidays unless you do not mind queuing with the Japanese ladies. The selection might not be the most extensive one but it sure leaves one full and satisfied. And with the beautiful live piano music playing in the background, one can easily forget about the time and the busy crowds outside in Ginza.
The Peninsula Classic Afternoon TeaPrice: 4200 YenDaily: 2.30pm-5pm (Reservations available only on weekdays)1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, TokyoTel: (81-3) 6270 2888 Nearest Station: JR Yurakucho/ Tokyo Metro Ginza Station www.peninsula.com/tokyo **********************************
Special thanks to The Peninsula Tokyo for the invite
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If you baked frequently or read about croissants in Japan, you may be familiar with the Echire Butter. The status of Echire as of the internationally renowned butter brand is equivalent to Godiva in the chocolate world.
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As the popular choice among Michelin star chefs, Echire started as a cooperative dairy farm in the Village of Echire, in Western France since 1894, which means more than 100 years ago!!
According to Amazon Online:
A famed artisan French butter, from the milk of cows of the small village of Poitiers and La Rochelle. ![]()
Known as one of the best butters in France, Echire butter is served in the finest dining establishments (which is why the French covet this butter and keep 85% of the production within France). This sophisticated butter won AOC protected status (like Roquefort Cheese), and is produced mostly by hand. Beurre Echire is characterized by a light texture and lightly salted, subtle flavor.The best way to savour their premium butter is of course, through CROISSANTS--the most difficult bread to master well with the Nth number of repeated folds of butter.
When it first opened in 2009, their croissants always sell out fast before noon. But now, rest assure that you don't have to queue to get them.Three types are available: Traditional, Demi-Sel (salted) and Doux (sweet). I always prefer croissants to be hot from the oven so I was afraid that it would not be as crispy. But it was so crunchy and buttery even when not reheated. Things can get messy so just bite straight from the paper bag and let the flakes fall inside.
Rest assure that the Doux is not sweet at all for "sweet" is just a substitution for unsalted butter.Another must try is the Financier ¥315 that has a very attractive dark brown sheen. The Madeleine ¥315 is delicious too but I prefer the financier as it is less cakey and sweet, though the Madeleine has a pleasant lemon undertone.
The Pistachio and Raisin Danish ¥473 meets all my ideal criteria of a good sweet danish. It's airy, extra crunchy especially when one bites into the nutty surface.
And the dough amazingly resisted from turning soggy despite holding vanilla custard in the center. So good it deserves a close up shot.
However, while the baked goods are brilliant, the chilled pastries are not. The Millefeuille ¥735 was overly saddled with a thick layer of sticky icing sugar, just like a person who puts on excessive make-up.
The Deux Cream ¥630 fared slightly better, but it is actually nothing more than a semi-dry biscuit sponge, buttercream and raisin.
Perhaps the ice cream might do the trick regardless whether it is summer or winter. Three flavours (Butter/Caramel/Butter and Raisins) and as usual, I go straight for the Caramel ¥525. Echire butter takes up 21% of the ice cream volume and hence explains why this qualifies as a true rich indulgence.
Honestly, the prices of the pastries here are expensive. One financier already costs more than a Pierre Herme macaron. Plain butter sables and galette cookies are available and I could imagine how good they are. If you are contemplating to give one item a try, it is definitely the croissant. Otherwise, get the butter as a spread for a luxury breakfast.
Echire Maison Du Beurre
(Only shop outside France)
Marunouchi Brick Square 1F Tokyo 100-6901, Chiyoda Ku Marunouchi 2-6-1
Opens 10am-8pm Daily〒100-6901 東京都千代田区丸の内2-6-1 丸の内ブリックスクエア1F
営業時間 10：00～20：00（無休） http://www.kataoka.com/echire-shop-about.html***Join me on facebook for latest updates***
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| Enoki and broccoli in creamy sesame style |
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| Sweetness Level: Super High (X100)What stood out among the rest was the Hokkaido Kabocha, which was simmered without any dashi and additional flavoring according to chef. Yet the sweetness is something that I would remember for the rest of my life. |
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| Other people's food, not mine :( |
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| 1 minute walk from Exit A2 Higashi Ginza Station Hibiya Line and spot the long signboard and walk towards it. Alternatively, take Tokyo Metro Ginza Line Ginza Station Exit B1 (Walk 3 min) |
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| Slide the black door on the right ( no need password) |
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| Go down the stairs |
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The Hazelnut Butterscotch Blondie ($4.50) was too dry and chalky with rancid untoasted nuts though the butterscotch sauce was rich and sweet. ![]()
I don't understand the logic of molten lava cakes $6without ice cream or creme anglaise sauce but I know some do. The version here is very rich, dense and luckily not too sweet. However, the cake texture was still dry as compared to Domino's or Morgansfield.
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The Chocolate Tofu Cake $6 did not taste anything of tofu but I guessed the ingredient blended into the mousse did help to give it a smooth, creamy texture. However, the biscuit base was stale and not crunchy as described by the staff.
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With a crisp texture and some even noted a resemblance with cereal taste, the signature waffles with one scoop ice cream ($8.50) was the better ones that day. I wonder if the salted caramel ice cream came from Salted Caramel at Upp Thomson though. But it was too small a scoop for the size of the waffles.![]()
Mediocre Cheese Toast Melts which can be skipped Another recommended item was the Chocolate Root Beer Cake $6. Think layers of root-beer-infused ganache intersecting with chocolate sponge. I like chocolate and root beer. But the combination of both tasted strange.
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| Blackout Cake $6 |
Bottomline, a cafe that is simply over-rated. Perhaps it is crowded because the seats are limited. My companions were generous to comment that the ambience was good, for instance the settings such as the red bricks tiled wall and lightings. But I tend to ignore ambience and focus on the food. Given the substandard quality of the chocolate desserts, I would not fancy a return. But do note this visit was in July 2013 and the food may have changed or improved.
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Wimbly Lu15-2 Jalan RiangSingapore 358987http://www.wimblylu.com***Join me on facebook for latest updates***
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Tokyo Solamachi was too far for me so I ended up at Tokyo Station.
The queue at Tokyo Station at 1.15pm on a random Saturday was long (the longest if you observed all the queues for the ramen shops located in the same area).Luckily, the turnover rate for tables was pretty fast so I ended up queuing only for 30min.
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| the ramen chefs were tasting the stock for quality control |
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I can't critique much about Tsukemen, as this is the first bowl of Tsukemen in my life. My mind was not saying "so good, so good" but was thinking "why are the guys sitting on both sides of me eating so fast?" The guy on my right ordered the original (￥850) while the one on the left had the Extra Large version. Both came in after me and left before me.
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Everything was good except that the noodles were too thick and chewy like udon and the Ajitama came without being halved (but the taste of the egg was perfect)
Though the poster recommended adding only one tiny spoon and mixed well, I kept on adding as it boosted the fragrance of the noodles until the bottle was nearly emptied by me.And so in the end, my tsukemen become attractively red and even more appetizing.
To save money, you can come from 7.30am-10am to enjoy the 朝つけメン at ￥630! The portion was huge and I left the place with a very full and satisfied belly.
It's time to find the next best Tsukemen.
Rokurinsha Tokyo 六厘舎
Morning Tsukemen 7.30am-10pm (a lot cheaper!)Usual Hours 11am-10.30pmhttp://rokurinsha.com/***Join me on facebook for latest updates***
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I don't know what is the secret cold-poach method used for this Cold poached chocolate $6.00 but it is simply a velvety semi-solidified chocolate ganache. It was my favourite out of the rest, because it was just pure chocolate goodness without any obstructions in the mouth.
The saltiness of the Salted Butterscotch Blondie Brownie $6.90 did not strike out as much as I would have thought. But the delectable fudgy, chewy texture after microwaving makes it one of the earliest cake to be wiped off the plate.
On the other hand, the bulky Hazelnut Crumble with a cookie base $6.90 is not something that you will like on the first bite, but the bittersweet taste gradually crawled in. What I like most is the top crumble layer, which was why I bought it initially. But apart from that, I would still pick the Butterscotch Blondie.
The White Chocolate Creme Brûlée ($6.90) which was served in a ramekin dish, is now in a the form of tart like their Chocolate Tart. But ooh...this would be one of the sweetest dessert I would remember for life. So sweet that I would avoid at all cost the next time.
The White Chocolate Butterscotch Block ($6.50) is not something new on the menu but I wanted to recall its taste. This is fairly good one when you have it with the dense brownies because the light fluffy texture of Swiss roll sponge and the sweet-salty butterscotch cream helps to balance the richness of the latter. But the white chocolate layer tasted more like buttercream instead of fresh cream which I would prefer. And surprisingly, after having ALL these except the Creme brûlée in one sitting, I was not hit with any chocolate concussion as my previous visit for Fullerton Chocolate Buffet.
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Hope that when I return there will be new items to try too!
Awfully Chocolate4 Jalan Kuras Sembawang Hills Estate
Singapore 577723
6451 7104
Open 10am - 10pm dailyVarious outlets in Sghttp://www.awfullychocolate.com***Join me on facebook for latest updates***
Situated within this small world are stacks of French Cookbooks (mostly bakery related) and health food.
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| Healthy dried goods, jams and kitchen ware |
But the food I would least imagine served at a health-food cafe were macarons which had been dressed as fashionable as the models of Elle Magazines.
And I was very curious about the creators behind these macarons (￥210 each) because their texture and taste have surpassed even Pierre Herme macarons, which are not the best in town in my opinion but I am using his to serve as a yardstick of measurement since his macarons are internationally raved.
They were all fresh, moist and crumbly even though they seemed to have sat in the cold display for long.
I loved everything I had, the Zebra-striped NY cheesecake, the Paris Tower emblem strawberry white chocolate, the giraffe spots imprinted Zesty Yuzu and of course the Matcha that must have been designed with the simplicity of Zen in mind for it had nothing on it.
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| An intense matcha macaron that stood out from the usual green tea flavoured macraons in the market |
It's not a place only for ladies. Guys are welcome too.![]()
ELLE Cafe Roppongi Hills エル カフェ六本木ヒルズ
Roppongi Hills Mori Tower Hill Side 2F
Roppongi 6-10-1 Minato Ku, Tokyo
東京都港区六本木6-10-1 六本木ヒルズ森タワー ヒルサイド2F
WEEKDAY 8am～11pm(L.O.22:30)
WEEKEND 11am～11pm(L.O.22:30)
03-3408-1188
http://ellecafe.jp/
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Nam Seng Wanton Mee 南生云吞面http://www.namsengnoodles.com/home.html***
Extras 番外篇
