Wandering Fel

Showing posts with label Desserts. Show all posts

Hello! It's finally Friday and while everyday is a weekend for me since I have not found a new job yet, it still feels good when Friday is finally here. Sometimes I wonder if it is really a wise decision to quit my last job without finding a new job yet but then again, I really hate being stressed up so much for work up to the point I could not sleep peacefully at night. So yeah, I suppose sometimes in life you just gotta do what you really need to do. Which in my case, taking a break from work.

One of the good thing when you are not working is you suddenly have all the time in the world to do what you want to do all along. While the thing that you want to do all along may have been something revolutionary or YOLO-ish like travelling around the world for some people, what I want to do all along is rather simple actually. I just want to try out those restaurants which I have not had the chance to go before. After all, a happy stomach leads to happy soul, no?

The decision making part is rather hard because apparently I have spent around 50 hours per week chained to my cubicle for the past I-dunno-how-many-years so I end up with many restaurants to select from. When you cannot make your own decision, it's time to use the helpline of phoning a friend and let the friend decide instead. The friend that I called, Lee Lee (shortformed to LL), has suggested Cafe & Meal Muji (i.e. Cafe Muji) because she wanted to try to eat healthier. Uhh, okay. Not really a fan of healthy meals but I suppose it won't kill to eat healthy once in a while. Hahaha.

We went to Cafe Muji which is situated inside Muji store at Level 2 of Raffles City, one of the shopping centres at City Hall. Cafe Muji's website states that Cafe Muji promotes simple food consists of natural ingredients for a nutritious well-balanced meal. Oh wow, the Japanese is known for its affinity for healthy eating and natural ingredients stuff so this kinda make me curious. The cafe offers pick and mix ordering system but you can also go for its ala-carte options if you want to. I chose the selection of 3 dishes (which Cafe Muji refers to as "deli") which comes with a bowl of grain rice at the price of SGD 12.90.

Singapore Eats: Cafe & Meal Muji, Raffles City

For the selection of 3 deli, you can choose 2 cold deli and 1 hot deli complete with a choice of bread or rice. I opted for grilled salmon, frittata (egg-tofu dish) and salad with half piece of daikon. I don't know why but the food served at Cafe Muji gives you the "homey" feeling in Japanese way (because I don't think my Mom will ever cook something like this at home) and I love the brown rice so much, it goes well with the other deli on my plate. My favourite deli item is surprisingly the frittata instead of the salmon.

Deli selection at Cafe Muji in Raffles City

LL ordered one of the ala-carte menus, butter curry chicken served with rice (SGD 14.90). I tried a piece of the chicken and it taste pretty good and the curry taste pretty clean without being too rich. The rice served together with the butter curry chicken is the same as the rice that I opted to go with the delis above.

Butter curry chicken at Cafe & Meal Muji

After we had finished our meal, LL made another move to the counter and oh-my-gawd, is she placing another order? Turns out her appetite that day is as huge as the mountain boar's (oops, she's surely gonna kill me if she read this). If you are still hungry after your meal (like this boar LL), you can check out the dessert range offered at Cafe Muji. There is a wide variety of desserts from cream puff, swiss roll, pudding to ice cream. LL is so into cakes with strawberry so she came back with not one but two swiss roll. The left one is green tea red bean swiss roll (matcha azuki swiss roll) while the right one is yuzu swiss roll. Both swiss rolls are priced at SGD 6.90. I prefer the yuzu swiss roll as there is the tangy flavor of yuzu which mix together with the sweetness of the sponge cake and cream. If you like your desserts to be light, you will like the yuzu swiss roll.

Matcha and cream roll cake from Cafe Muji

I would consider going back in future to try other deli items but since the price tag of SGD 12.90 is not exactly cheap in my wallet's dictionary, I would not come back to Cafe Muji that often I suppose. At least not until I have secured new lifeline in my cashflow life. Oh gosh, life's tough.

Cafe & Meal Muji's address:

252 North Bridge Road, #02-020/022

Raffles City

Nearest MRT: City Hall MRT

Opening hours:

Daily 10AM - 10PM

When my travel buddy insisted that we should include China House in our weekend trip's itinerary to Penang, I was honestly kinda confused. I mean since when my travel buddy is so interested in some heritage or historical building? Turns out even though China House is really a heritage building in Penang, it is also a popular cafe/ bar which has completely brought new sparks to Penang's cafe-scene.

Penang Weekend Trip: Afternoon cakes at China House, Georgetown

Located between Lebuh Pantai and Lebuh Victoria (note: lebuh means street), China House is probably one of the longest cafe in Penang (if not the longest already) as you can practically enter the cafe from one street to another. It is functioning as cafe-cum-bar-cum-art gallery-cum-library and it has three storeys oh my gawd. And yet, despite its huge space, we still needed to wait for empty seats as the cafe is fully packed around 5PM on Saturday afternoon.

China House, a popular cafe in Georgetown Penang

While waiting for our names to be called, I used the time efficiently to check out what China House is actually selling. This place is cake heaven my goodness. There are so many types of sliced cakes offered from variety of chocolate cakes to cheese cake to citrusy cakes.

Sliced cakes display at China House in Penang

If the cake selection does not overwhelm you by now, the next shelf show variety of other patisseries like doughnuts, pies, cupcakes, muffin, etc. I feel like trying them all but then again that may not be the best idea. Uh oh, but the glazed cinnamon looks like it's calling my name to eat it... #delusional

Cakes display at China House in Georgetown Penang

The weather was still crazy hot even though it's gonna be sunset in the next two hours, so we should really rehydrate ourselves once we were nicely seated. The drinks menu from China House also have a long list of all kind of beverages from juices, coffee, teas, milkshakes and ciders.

Drinks menu from China House at Georgetown Penang

My travel buddy and I took turn in ordering and here are the things that we ordered at China House: a glass of cider, a slice of lemon cake, a slice of chocolate meringue cake, and a glass of Rainbow juice (pineapple, mango and strawberry).

Afternoon break at China House in Georgetown, Penang

When my travel buddy came back with a plate of lemon cake on her hand, both of us were looking at each other in amazement. It's not because we have never seen lemon cake before, it's just the size of the cake is so huge. Like so HUGE with the same price that we usually pay for a slice of cake in Singapore. Suddenly, none of us feel like buying any cake in Singapore anymore because we feel kinda cheated. LOL. (Actually until today, I have not bought any cake in Singapore but not because of I'm being petty, more because I'm fat. :P).

A slice of lemon cake from China House in Georgetown Penang

I came back with another kind of cake, a classic chocolate cake but the texture of this cake is slightly odd. The cake looks like it can crumble at any time because there's a mixture of meringue in the cake. I usually do not eat meringue on its own because it looks so damn sweet but turns out it gives a nice addition to a classic chocolate cake. Thankfully, the size of this chocolate meringue cake is not as big as the lemon cake earlier.

A slice of chocolate cake from China House in Penang

China House is located at:

153 Lebuh Pantai, Georgetown, Penang

Opening hours:

Daily 9AM - 1AM

I suppose one of the ways to promote the food that you sell is by putting the word "Famous" as part of your brand mark. But, Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul is not famous by name only. Because after all no business will last without good quality food (plus good price tag too). This chendul stall at the corner of Penang Road seems to always have crowd attending especially when the weather is scorching hot. Which is the usual weather for Penang.

Penang Weekend Trip: Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol, Georgetown

Thankfully it does not take very long to prepare a bowl of chendul since the ingredients are all already prepared beforehand. The men behind the food cart just have to mix all the ingredients together and put some shaved ice on top of them in a bowl.

Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol at Georgetown

Even the wall mural showing a man eating chendul. Oh right, there's the queue right there. Do not get intimidated by the long queue as they serve chendul pretty fast although you may have to consume them standing. Takeaway cup is available but you have to pay a bit extra at RM 3.20 (the dine in option costs RM 2.90).

Long queue to buy Teochew chendol at Penang Georgetown

My travel buddy and I managed to secure seats for two inside the nearby coffee shop and that's good! Because this way, I could take picture of this very popular Teochew Chendul. It looks nothing much but this simple dessert taste so good especially when consumed under the hot weather.

If you are getting full after all the street food that you have consumed, you can spend a your time walking around and checking out the souvenir shops which are scattered all over Georgetown. This is the nearest souvenir store located right opposite the chendul stall and oh wow, I've never thought I would see Mr Bean's bear plush in this souvenir store. Anyone's watching Mr Bean before? Used to be one of my family's favourite shows. Rowan Atkinson's a genius indeed.

Street market at Georgetown in Penang Malaysia

Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul is located at one of the intersections along Penang Road (if I'm not wrong, it's the intersection between Penang Road and Lebuh Kwang Kee).

Opening hours:

Monday to Friday 10.30AM - 7PM

Saturday and Sunday 10AM - 7.30PM

When one of my friend, R, asked me out for a tarts party since she has a Groupon voucher (courtesy of her boyfriend who is too busy to use the voucher)...of course, I would not say no, would I? I have never heard of Tart Blanc until this invitation. And to be honest, I did not even manage to find the place and ended up walking here and fro in Millenia Walk. Turn out Tart Blanc is the small white-ish cafe located near Starbucks in Millenia Walk.

Tart Blanc is a tart specialty cafe and it offers so many different flavor (some unusual) for its tarts. Did not realise the lighting was so bad near the display fridge for the tarts until I check out my own pictures. Boo!

Tarts Specialty Cafe at Millenia Walk in City Hall

Thankfully, the lighting at the seating area is way better. The voucher from Groupon allows us to order three different tarts at a cheaper price. The tarts sold at Tart Blanc look very pretty to take picture. Tart Blanc also has a seasonal tart too, depending on the creativity feeling of the cafe owner. Other than the tarts, there are coffees and teas to drink to.

Tarts party at Tart Blanc, Millenia Walk

Save up to 25% on your hotel in Singapore & see millions of reviews.

After checking out their menu (and the display fridge), we went with our three order of tarts. The first one is the Raspberry Praline Tarts (SGD7.50). The tart has a lot of raspberry inside and hence, can be a bit sourish. However, the sourness mix great with the sweet chocolate chip cookie used as the tart base.

Raspberry Praline Tart at Tart Blanc Millenia Walk

The second tart that we tried that night was Blueberry Lavender Chocolate Tart (SGD 7.50). We could totally feel the tinge of lavender in the chocolate ganache and despite the initial unfamiliarity, we ended up enjoying every bite of Blueberry Lavender Chocolate Tart at Tart Blanc.

Blueberry Lavender Chocolate Tart at Millenia Walk City Hall

Last but not least is the Blood Orange Matcha Tart (SGD 7.50). I did not particularly like this tart at first. I felt that orange and matcha did not go well together. The funny thing is, the more we take a bite from the blood orange matcha tart, we become more and more accepting and finally able to understand and enjoy the flavour. The feeling is gradual. LOL.

Blood Orange Matcha Tart at Tart Blanc Millenia Walk

Tart Blanc also has savoury items on its menu such as sandwiches and soup. The sandwiches and the soup of the day cost the same at SGD 8.50.

Whenever I come back home to Jakarta, my mother and I went for our usual mall-hopping adventure. Thanks to the power of currency, sometimes I able to snatch some good deals for clothes and my favourite Fit-Flop. After we were done shopping (or window shopping), we usually look for a place to relax for a while before going back home. Rather than spending our time at the usual Starbucks (which can be found anywhere), we decided to try out something new. We looked up and we realized that there is a restaurant called Remboelan up there and we never tried it before. Although, what lies between you and the restaurant is...a set of stairs. XD

Remboelan offers authentic Indonesian dishes. I had eaten before the window shopping adventure so we did not really have stomach capacity to eat those filling dishes. But, we obviously still have space for those happiness food that you call desserts. =P #doublestandard

Before the desserts come, we ordered a unique Indonesian drink called "Kedondong" juice. Kedondong is known as Ambarella in English and it has refreshing sourish flavour. I find Remboelan's Kedondong juice refreshing but my mother said it could be better because she tried yummier version at other place before. Tough to please my mother. LOL.

Kedondong Juice at Remboelan in Plaza Senayan Jakarta

Save up to 25% on your hotel in Jakarta & see millions of reviews.

The next dish looks like a dollop of cheese and chocolate bits. Actually, there is something hidden beneath those yummy combination of cheese and chocolate. It is an Indonesian banana fritter. Yum! Banana fritter is best consumed with chocolate, cheese and chocolate sauce. #byediet

Cheese and chocolate banana fritter in Remboelan Plaza Senayan Jakarta

What I love the most about Indonesian dessert is this creation called "Es Campur" (re: Mixed Ice). The main ingredients inside "Es Campur" are usually coconut, avocados, jackfruit, pomegranate, jellies, atap seed, and grass jelly. The shaved ice will be poured into the glass first before the ingredients are added. The final touch to the dessert will be the condensed milk and syrup. It tastes so good I swear.

Beautiful and Sweet Indonesian Dessert at Remboelan, Plaza Senayan

If you happen to be in Plaza Senayan, do pay Remboelan a visit for an authentic Indonesian dining experience. The savory dishes have received a lot of good ravings from my friends too. So the next time I go home, I should probably give them a try. Hehe.