January 2012

, by cy

Transition in progress...

, by cy

[SG] Maison Kayser (Paris) - Singapore Part II

Following our first visit to Maison Kayser almost a month ago during their opening, we figured they would have settled down now and the quality of products should be consistent. With one of the best reviews I had ever furnished for any eatery during my last visit, it was no surprise that I held high expectations.

Business seemed brisk compared to a month ago where they had not received as much publicity. We observed that there was a constant stream of customers from nearby shops and offices which came for take-away orders. With a simple layout unlike the elaborate decorations at Paul (bakery and restaurant), it certainly set a more casual relaxed atmosphere in this quiet corner of Scotts Square.

Before I continue, I reiterate that one should start by 'appreciating its colour, gently press a slice to your nose to experience its crispy touch and crust, the smoothness and perfume of the bread itself. Only then take a bite, and feel its texture and flavors develop in your mouth'. This is indeed the crux of how one should enjoy their deli. For more details about their fermentation and production process, please refer to my first post.

Collection of the pastries was self-service (No service charge was imposed anyway) and after I had made the payment, I was offered a variety of other bread to try. Before I could extend out to fetch a piece, the server kindly placed them on our plates and thoughtfully placed 2 pieces of each item for us to taste.

Pain Au Raisins Noix - apple, walnut, raisins, honey fillings (S3.70/-)

(+) The crust was crisp and it was very fragrant, exuding the richness of fruits and the wholemeal bread.
(+) Like the rest of their bread, ingredients were generous.
(+) Chunks of walnut which was crunchy and tasted fresh. (Not the stale soft types)
(+) Raisins were juicy and succulent.
(+) Being a wholemeal bread, it was relatively dense but the natural sweetness from the natural fermentation and fresh ingredients was more than alluring for the next bite.

(-) Could not taste much of the honey to know of its existence as an ingredient.

Verdict: 7.5/10

Pain Aux Yuzu (S$3.30/-)

Yuzu is a citrus fruit that many Japanese endeared to their recipes to give that refreshing zest to their food. Recently, we had our first experience with the Salty Yuzu flavoured ice cream at Tom's Palette, so I did some research on this fruit. Thought to be a hybrid between sour mandarins and lchang papeda, it is a very aromatic fruit with strong flavours.

(+) Strong waft of citrus aroma hits you as soon as you tear the bread apart.

(+) Natural sweetness from fermentation enhanced by a refreshing tinge of zest from yuzu.

(+) Traditional wholemeal bread was soft on the inside with an interesting blend of flavour.

(+) Very crisp and well baked crust coupled with soft bread was a delight to the palette.

Verdict: 8.0/10

Ananas Coco - Pineapple and Coconut (S$3.75/-)

(+) A very exotic and interesting blend of flavours infused into a white bread.

(+) Delectable pieces of naturally sweetened pineapple chunks that maintained moisture.

(+) A fluffy bread from compared to the wholemeal loaves.

(+) Particularly enjoyed the natural sweetness of the fruit and its fermentation process.

(-) Sadly, the crust was not crisp enough. Might have been left for a tad longer on the shelf.

(-) Could barely taste the coconut element though it exuded a faint fragrance.

Verdict: 7.0/10

Baguette Monge (S4.10/-)

Nothing could beat a freshly baked baguette from the oven. Overheard the staff saying that it would take 25mins before the next batch of baguettes were ready, so we patiently waited while enjoying our treat.

(+) Very crispy crust and well baked.

(+) Pockets of air filled the interior of the bread which gave the baguette a light feeling.

(+) The soft bread contrasted starkly with the crisp crust and melted in the mouth literally.

(+) Next time you get to taste a freshly baked baguette, try tearing a small portion and leave it in your mouth (do not chew it) and you will understand what I meant. The soft bread literally melted leaving you to enjoy the crisp crust.

(+) Total freshness when the warm waft of fragrance hit you in the face.

(+) Was so fragrant that I could smell through the bag (for the leftover)

(+) When I had the leftover for breakfast the next morning, it was still tasty, despite the crust softening to a rather malleable texture.

Being a huge fan of baguettes, especially freshly baked ones, this was definitely cream of the crop. Considering how I used to wait for fresh baguettes at Provence Bakery at Holland Village to get my fix, I might have found a new place yet. That being said, my rave for their baguette was based on a freshly baked stick, so please pardon any discrepancies that you might have from my gourmet experience.

Verdict: 9.5/10

Tarte Citron (S4.70/-)

Considering how good their Brazilia Tarte was when we tried during the last visit, it would be heinous not to try one of their signature items, the lemon tart. It was a 'love or hate' relationship with this exquisite tart, simple it might look, but the burst of flavours was definitely mind-blowing. For someone with a sharp taste, especially towards sour food, I could not stop myself from a 2nd helping.

(+) Very STRONG citrus flavour and I could not emphasize more.

(+) The freshness of the lemons knocked me back instantly at the first bite.

(+) Sourness from the fresh lemons used was subtly soothed by a light sweet aftertaste.

(+) The filling was very soft, almost custard like, accompanied by a thin hard crust, perfect.

(+) The standard of their tarts' crusts maintained at benchmark level, drawing comparison from the tart we had at our last visit.

(+) Drizzle of crystallized fragments of lime/lemon gave a slight crunch to the soft filling.

(+) Overall, the varied mouthfeel was very wholesome and the tart was sublime.

Verdict: 9.0/10

The standard of Maison Kayser's pastries and bread alike were definitely of high quality and kept at a benchmark. Reasonably priced for the fine ingredients and suiting a delight to my palette anytime, I would definitely drop by for some take-away before leaving for UK.

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, by cy

Desserts

[SG] Paul (Bakery) - Takashimaya, Singapore

The much anticipated Paul bakery finally opened in Singapore! Scheduled for opening before Christmas, there was apparently some delay, but anyhow it is now here at Ngee Ann City! (where Coffee Club used to be located, beside Kinokuniya book store). Having first tried Paul Bakery at Covent Garden in London and a regular patron ever since (even when I am on transit in Dubai, would not fail to grab a bite from their bakery), a heart-warming sense of familiarity grew intriguingly from within. With antiques and decorative elements that were hunted for all over France, this bakery-restaurant here in Singapore certainly provided the special, welcoming atmosphere expected. For our dining experience at Dubai, please visit here.

With Paul being the latest French boulangerie to be imported into the Singapore bakery scene, it was definitely a blessing for our tastebuds just yet with Maison Kayser's offering of their palatable pastries and bread just a month ago at Scotts Square. The main difference being the former offered a greater range of gourmet treats including salads, soups, muffins on top of their signature cakes, macarons and tarts, while Maison Kayser's focus remained on their pastries and bread. It was hard not to draw comparisons, considering that both boulangeries originated from France and the close timing of their ventures in Singapore. Paul had the bakery separated from the dine-in restaurant, with an entrance to the latter down the corridor.

It was hard not to be tempted as I spotted my favourite caneles and chouquettes tucked at a corner but I left it till too late and the bakery section was closed when we left the restaurant. Managed to find some pictures of these treats which we tried in London before returning to Singapore in summer. (Pardon the poor quality mobile shots!)

Praline Macaron

Bite-sized chouquettes

Can you resist these golden delicious tempting caneles?

We were escorted to our table located outside the kitchen door and on the outside of the restaurant along the corridor overlooking the atrium of Ngee Ann City Shopping Centre. Being dished a well-decorated menu (though pages were teetering and falling off, considering how new the place was, it was a surprise), we were left to our own. Seated just outside the kitchen, the waiters and waitresses kept pacing up and down in front of us and the little squabbles among the team left me bewildered. It seemed like a couple of diners had wrong food served to them and food were being returned to the kitchen.

We were pretty frustrated ourselves when the same thing occurred to us. First up was the waffle. Upon hearing the rather heated exchange of words between the kitchen staffs and the serving team regarding the mix-up in orders, I took extra care in making sure our choices were given to the waitress, but we were served waffle with chocolate instead of our intended waffle with sugar.

Waffle with chocolate sauce (S$6/-)

(-) Indulging a waffle treat without the buttery fragrance seemed quite a task.

(-) Did not taste like waffle at all, in fact we felt that it tasted more like bread.

(-) There was a slight crisp to the crust, but nothing more than passable.

Nutritional information (referred from http://www.paul.fr/shop/fr-FR/Product/Gaufre_4-10)

NUTRITIONAL VALUES PER SERVING (88G)

Fat19.84
Proteins5.52
Carbohydrates33.68
Fiber1.44
Salt0.80
Sugar10.16
Saturated fatty acids1.84
Waffle Calories (kcal)338.24

A check with their ingredients showed that only gluten, milk and eggs were used in the making of the waffles. The lack of butter as an ingredient might cater to some, but for 338kcals per serving, I might want to taste something more fragrant.

Verdict: 5.0/10

We ordered the Patissier's Basket (S8.90++), which was supposed to have a croissant, 1/2 flute bread, pain au chocolate and a briochette. I was pretty astonished when these pastries were chosen by the waitress from the table outside the kitchen (refer to picture) and served to us in a woven basket. To make matters worse, we were served the wrong selection of pastries. We had a briochette and escargot and a cramique raisin (brioche with raisin). We were told that the croissant would be served later, but it was not mentioned of until our blueberry tart came about 15mins later and I asked for the croissant. We were left pretty disillusioned about what was going on with the hectic movement on the side by the servers and they seemed rather clueless too in serving our orders. I verified with a waitress on our orders and she politely explained that due to the lack of pastries in the selection basket, we were offered different ones as replacement, but this was not conveyed to our knowledge earlier. When the croissant was eventually brought to us, I noticed the pain au chocolate on the serving tray too, oh well, so much about pastries not available. I had to request on a 2nd occasion for the 1/2 flute bread and a separate 3rd occasion for the jam and butter.

If you had ordered either of the 2 sets of pastries' basket, the waitress basically picked off the confections from the table in the middle of the picture above. Imagine Cafe Cartel's spread, only slightly poorer grade. I supposed the mix-up was due to the fact that the croissant and pain au chocolate belonged to pastries from the bakery (located at the other side of the restaurant) while the rest of the selection were from the bread table. The automatic closed door to the right of the table was the entry to the kitchen.

Cramique Raisin

Briochette

The Cramique Raisin and the Briochette tasted the same since the former was just with raisins and well presented differently in an elongated shape.

(+) Only thing good was the crunchy sugar pieces, very sad indeed.

(-) Both tasted more like scone with its relatively hard inside rather than the expected fluffy buttery texture and fragrance.
(-) From the 4th pic, you could see that fermentation of the dough was uneven or even incomplete, which resulted in some parts of the briochette tasting hard and dense.
(-) Lack of moisture in the interior, which made the briochette taste dry.
(-) I had to apply some butter and jam to make it more appetizing.
(-) Considering the density of the briochette (which should NOT be the case), it stuffed us up pretty full quickly, good though if you are after something filling.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES PER SERVING (60G)

Fat7.26
Proteins5.91
Carbohydrates30.40
Fiber1.93
Salt0.69
Sugar6.1
Saturated fatty acids4.50
Briochette Calories (kcal)214.20

Verdict: 5.5/10

Escargot Raisins

(+/-) Very average and nothing special, neither good nor bad. Was not too sweet though.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES PER SERVING (100G)

Fat11.23
Proteins4.85
Carbohydrates51.14
Fiber3.21
Salt0.66
Sugar25.56
Saturated fatty acids27.08
Escargot Raisins Calories (kcal)331.00

Verdict: 6.5/10

Croissant

(+) Very crispy and flaky crust, with good buttery fragrance.

(+) A relatively dense croissant with a heavier filling of the interior, which gave a varied mouthfeel of the soft tender filling with a very crispy crust. A good balance.

(-) Not recommended if you prefer light airy croissants with emphasis on the flaky crusts.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES PER SERVING (55G)

Fat12.67
Proteins4.39
Carbohydrates21.25
Fibers2.1
Salt0.60
Sugar0.00
Saturated fatty acids0.05
Croissant Calories (kcal)218.90

Verdict: 7.5/10

1/2 flute bread

(+) Butter was served at room temperature which melted in our mouths.

(+) Apricot jam was good quality too with chunks of the fruit.

(-) It was plain hard and hard to chew. Took some effort with the teeth to actually rip a portion off before being able to chew on it. Yes, it was that bad.

(-) Needless to say, impossible to slice with knife.

(-) I could imagine a freshly baked loaf tasting good though, for the interior was rather airy with pockets between the filling, and crust was stiff enough. Probably been left for a while before being served which resulted in the bread turning hard.

(-) Presentation of the serving butter could be improved though.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES PER SERVING (73G)

Fat0.47
Proteins7.64
Carbohydrates44.87
Fiber2.85
Salt1.17
Sugar1.1
Saturated fatty acids0.06
Flute Bread Calories (kcal)219.99

Verdict: 6.0/10

Tarte Myrtilles (S$6.40++)

(+) The tart had a unique pastry-type buttery flaky base and crust, which was very fragrant

(+) The tart tasted like a light pudding and what appealed was it was not too sweet.

(-) Made me felt like I was eating a curd-like blueberry jam-based tart.

(-) Lack of a burst of freshness which was overall quite a letdown too.

(-) All tartes listed on the menu were not available except for this, a rhubarb slice (tart of the day) and a fruit tarte. The variety could certainly be improved upon.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES PER SERVING (155G)

Fat23.62
Proteins5.19
Carbohydrates49.48
Fiber4.60
Salt0.91
Sugar22.92
Saturated fatty acids15.24
Blueberry Tart Calories (kcal)440.46

Verdict: 6.5/10

Long black coffee (S$4.60++)

(+) I had a complimentary second cup of black coffee.

(+) Rich and strong, full bodied roast. Definitely my cup of coffee.

(-) First time I had a cup of coffee half-filled while the menu stated 'large cup of coffee'.

I was pretty astonished when I was served my cup of black coffee. Stopping the server, I could not help but asked politely 'Is this supposed to be the serving size of my coffee?'. He seemed rather shocked at my question and replied honestly 'Yeah yeah...it was set by the machine'. I merely reaffirmed by saying 'Okay, so my serving of coffee is supposed to be half a cup then'. With a shrug, he went off and his expression seemed to yell 'Huh, what are you talking about?' Anyhow, he returned to our table couple of minutes later slipping another cup of fresh brew and said 'Here's another cup of coffee'. Before I could realize what was going on and thanked him for it, he was back at the kitchen helping out.

Even though I usually take my coffee black (without sugar nor milk), a check through the sachets tray found a used packet being stuffed back into the pile. Greater supervision should probably be administered.

Glamour from the chandeliers aside, Paul restaurant was quite a starking contrast to the seats on the outside of the restaurant along the corridor of the shopping mall, where we were seated.

This picture illustrated the cashier counter and further in the background was the rubbish bin and staffs' resting area, all exposed to the public and dine-in customers. In fact, we witnessed bags of rubbish being passed over the railings to be sent away and cluster of Malay staffs nestled at a corner waiting to knock off work. A table of 2 customers (where the 3 ladies in the above picture were seated) was sent away because the staff explained that there was a power failure and apparently could not meet their orders and the lady disgruntling walked off murmuring 'Power failure dont need to eat already' (in mandarin). Moments after the couple were sent off, the waitress welcomed and escorted the above ladies into the restaurant. Did not quite make sense to me.

In all honesty, one might have expected better quality food from Paul, 'bakers at heart' considering the reputation and quality of food served elsewhere in UK and Dubai (the two places where I had tried before).

Customer service was good. When one of the waitress struggled with verifying our orders, the one whom took the orders stepped forward and handled the situation. It seemed like a very stressful and frustrating situation for the servers themselves, but their professionalism deserved some recognition. There were a bunch of french managers (since they seemed to be taking charge when something messed up) on the floor surveying and trying to help resolve disputes. Could it simply be a problem of poor communication? It seemed like neighbouring tables faced similar problems with their orders, so the problem could be fundamental just yet.

Food for thought: If you are not ready for business, it might be worthwhile to wait till the team is ready rather than trying to salvage messy situations day in and out. I would give Paul a couple more weeks to settle in before trying their food again. Then again, I would be gone and would probably be better off enjoying their treats in London.

Paul Bakery

#03-16A/17/17A

391A Orchard Road, Ngee Ann City

Singapore 238873

Tel: (+65) 6836 5932

3 comments

, by cy

Desserts

[MY] Melaka Trip VIII | 四眼強糖水之家 (Uncle Keong Delicacies) & 雪花冰 | Snow Ice

我們走到累了，又找到另一間在馬六甲周圍貼滿宣傳海報的店休息一下 - 四眼強糖水之家。據悉這糖水店的賣點是利用高級食材例如魚翅燕窩等弄出讓人人都能以低價品嘗的美容甜品。

在馬六甲不同款式的棕櫚糖 (Gula Melaka) 刨冰真是多的是！

四眼強八寶冰 / Uncle Keong Eight Treasure Ice

(+) 豐盛的刨冰、棕櫚糖及配料
(+) 值得嘗試的健康食品，跟我們在 Jonker 88 吃的發寶精樂 (Eight Precious Chendol) 的分別在於四眼強用比較滋補的食材例如白果、薏米、蓮子、百合、龍眼肉等
(+) 八種配料增添了不同層次的口感

(-) 如果棕櫚糖味可再濃郁一點，這甜品會更上一層樓

Verdict: 7.0/10

蓮子百合雪耳盅 / Lotus Seed & Lily Bulbs with White Fungus

(-) 應是清甜的，過分甜會毀了滋陰養神和清熱祛暑的功效

Verdict: 6.0/10

龜苓膏 / Gui Lin Gao

(-) 可避免這食品。

(-) 完全沒有中藥的甘苦味，彷彿在吃涼粉即是仙草

Verdict: 5.0/10

四眼強糖水之家

58, Jalan Tokong,

75200 Melaka,

Malaysia

我只可說我們不會再光顧三叔公及四眼強，反而我們應讚揚這間在雞場街不起眼的甜品店。

店內有售帆船模型

榴槤炸彈 / Durian Fire Ball (RM 5.00/3pcs)

(+) 很別緻的食物綽號

(+) 服務員十分細心，怕我們會被新鮮炸出的球燙到，所以幫忙剪開一半方便我們品嘗

(+) 雖然餡的榴槤味不重，但在包着它的脆皮下還有一層很柔軟而會黏著的麵筋，咬下去時很是味兒

(-) 餡太結實，質地要跟榴槤泡芙拉一個平衡

Verdict: 6.5/10

青檸雪花冰

芒果雪花冰

(+) 味道剛好的青檸和芒果冰真的像雪花一樣柔軟，入口即溶解

(-) 唯一不滿意的是配料是不新鮮的罐頭食

Verdict: 7.0/10

海報還貼着有售榴槤脆皮卷和榴槤春卷

我們認為這店的雪花冰絕對可以跟新加坡的味香園相提並論，價錢還便宜2.5倍，其實關鍵只在於雪花冰機。

No comments

, by tmcy

Light Bites

[MY] Melaka Trip VII | 雞場街小吃 (Jonker Street Snacks)

啄啄 'Deung Deung' 糖 / 叮叮糖、龍鬚糖和大白兔奶糖（白兔糖）等都成為了記念着我們童年回憶的象徵。啄啄糖的起源其實是從廣洲引入香港，然後再發展到東南亞地方。現在已不懂得在哪裏可再聽到那些啄啄聲，反而很容易地在超市找到包裝好的。由於啄啄糖的製作過程跟薩其馬(馬仔) 一樣長和艱難，機器因此成為了人類的好幫手。對我而言，畢竟人手做的食物的水準永遠都會超出機器做的，因為師傅放了不少情感在內。這次在緣份的安排下竟然讓我們在異鄉的馬六甲跟這啄啄聲音再次碰上了。

除聲之外更吸引我們的是一位小男或女孩在敲碎鋅盆內的麥芽糖，然後看似四十多歲的爸爸坐在旁邊指導，或許他的技術也是由他爸傳教下來的。在對比下向前走多幾步，有另一位年紀更老的伯伯孤獨的在鑿，可惜的是可能他沒有下一代來接手。不確定他有沒有兒女，但現代年輕人怎會對這些傳統食物有興趣，很多美食也因而慢慢失傳了。相反地，色彩繽紛花巧的 Rock Candy 卻獲得新一代的接納與認同，據我所知澳洲的 Sticky 還已在東南亞區和香港開分店了。同樣兩種糖的作法都是要「拉」的，啄啄糖只是輸在行銷學上。