agnès b. Café LPG  

Had to wait while the table was being cleared.

I had originally planned on the turkey and brie sandwich. The server suggested the turkey and green apple sandwich to me. I accepted the offer hesitantly as I have never had apples as part of a sandwich. Clearly I had my doubts.

Pleased to note that the server was right: It was a great sandwich. Many simple flavours inside (some sort of chutney, turkey, apple slices, cheese) combined to make each bite refreshing AND unique. Never the same.. The apple really did help to add a great deal of refreshment. My only disappointment was that the apple was not de-skinned. Still, considering that the sandwich was toasted, it was all the more remarkable that the apple was crisp and light (not heated to the core --as the other ingredients were). The turkey was high quality seasoned (smoked?) breast meat - with little if any fat. Well done there!

Then on to dessert: The Vanelle is custard sandwiched between two thick wafers. Unfortunately, a puny, entirely insufficient plastic fork was provided. After getting nowhere with it, I literally took matters into my own hand and ate it, literally, as a sandwich. The vanilla custard was very creamy and very well balanced -- not too sweet or thick. The wafers had a light buttery taste, quite like croissants. The two went well together, but I did regret the absence of a REAL fork.

I have enjoyed going to Agnes B for a break whenever I have shopped at Times Square. I looked forward to the baguette and strawberry tart after shopping non stop for 3 hours. The staff recommended the roast beef baguette as the chicken baguette he said was dry. It was yummy but the real reason I stop at Agnes B is for their fresh delicious pastries. Fresh and delicious no more!!! The strawberries tasted old and the pastry at the base of the tart was soggy. I asked for a refund and the staff refused offering only an exchange. I looked for the freshest cake in the cabinet and decided on the chocolate slice. The chocolate was suppose to be smooth and creamy, it was so dry it crumbled away when I cut. It was powdery and most unappetizing. Needless to say I will not be returning there. So sad, the concept was good, the execution is poor.

choco box

milk choco
the package is nice, the whole piece of choco is smooth and not very sweet at all, its size is alright and 1 bite 1 choco....milk is in high quality coz it's quite creamy when i put it in my mouth and let it dissolve atutomatically~

dark choco
it's quite bitter but no sour taste, it's good that some of the high % choco is not smooth enough but this one is ok smooth, not tough texture, i really like this as i dun like sweet choco~

the staff is polite and always smile, they always upsell other products to me and let me try other products~

the package is nice for all choco products, good to serve as gifts to others

Came here before dinner for a quick Coffee and chat with my Aunt before heading separate ways. Although I'm really tempted to try their cakes, which looks a bit like Habitu offerings for some reason - I refrained myself to save tummy space. Until next time....

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MILK BASED COFFEE -
Quite honestly can't remember if I ordered a Caffe Latte or a Cappucino, as this was back in August and the end result from the photo is confusing.

The Cappucino looked-alike without any Choco powder - was unbelievably bitter and also burnt. The milk was also overheated by a factor of 40-50%. I took 1 sip, waited around 10 minutes for a 2nd sip before giving up completely

For such a famous shop operating a Cafe to complement its merchandise sales department, purporting to sell high end cakes, imported famous French Teas and what's advertised on the wall to be a carefully blended-to-perfection Coffee Base using 3 types of beans - the end result really shocked me. This is as bad as coffee can get, it was 苦過Dee Dee.

I complain a lot and that's not because I am a professional grumbler but because I believe if you are charged top dollars for your food & drink, you should get it at a decent standard. It is just the norm.

Le Pain Grille looks good on the outside but looks can be deceiving, very deceiving....

I approached the counter after admiring the display and I stood there for over a minute and a half while all their pretty staff happily chatted behind the counter (there were about 4/5 of them) before a supervisor type person who was dressed differently rushed to me looking hot & bothered. Last time I checked, this was a cafe where people come to relax and chill out, the worst thing you can get is a hot & bothered person serving you.

My ordered was a skimmed latte and a raspberry tart and the person who took my order "ordered" me to stand and wait while she tonged the tart onto a plate, gave it to me, and "ordered" me to wait for my coffee. The tart has a base card which she did not even bother to take off, I don't get many things inedible on my plate often. They have enough staff to run a restaurant and the least they could have done is to deliver me my order when they were charging top dollar. I am sure in Times Square a lot of tourists will come by for a bite with loads of shopping in their hands and they will think the same.

While waiting for my latte, I saw the coffee dripped in under 10 seconds and the "barista" (a very very polite title, I could have called her something else) left the milk on the steamer while swanning round behind the counter. When I unveiled the drink, the dish-water like sewage confirmed my believe that they had no training on making coffee.

I had my last raspberry tart at the Congress at the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre and have stopped eating one since, I was served a tart with mouldy raspberries, was kinda hoping the raspberry tart here would restore my confidence in the poor pastry, it didn't.

The tart case was biscuit-like hard, undercooked, stale and no taste of any butter, I would imagine chewing on a brick is more enjoyable. The creme pat has no taste of vanilla, cream or egg. It is sweet no doubt but eating is not about empty calories. Raspberries are seeping. At first, i thought they must have been maserated in something, I was wrong, they are just seeping, not fresh, full stop. You know the sliminess you get from leaving lettuce in fridge for a long time and it turned grimmy, that is exactly the same. And the flaked almonds only adds to the whole bad experience as they were rancid. I could have picked up processed food from any supermarket, I don't have to come here for fine pastries.

The Italian tourists sitting next to me shaked their heads violently and uncontrollably after they had the coffee, a ringing endorsement of how the food & drink here have become the best of the worst.

Let's put this into perspective, for about $70, i bought a coffee and a tart here. I could have had 4 afternoon tea sets at Cafe de Coral and their food is prepared on the same day. i could have bought 3 coffees at Tsui Wah for the price I paid for the merky water here and at least they deliver what they agreed on the tin.

Looking pretty is never enough in this business and i think if Agnes b herself had what I had for afternoon tea, she would have weeped in shame.

Always walk past and always see many people having tea here. Always want to try this one. Thought that it would be the same as the La Loggia. Too bad, it is not. It doesnt offer mug to its coffee. Too bad. I would prefer the mug and the nice organic sugar offered by La Loggia. Anyway.

Hubby had a cup of cappucinno and I had a cup of mocha. My mocha was alright, as it had strong favour of chocolate. But hubby said starbucks coffee is better than this. Too bad. But still Agnes B is my preferred brand. Just like its style.

Saturday.
1) Chocolate truffle ($28) - love its soft texture, and the very rich chocolate flavour, very nice! it wont dry your throat! although the size is small, it's quite full.
2) Amour ($28) - white & dark chocolate cake with strawberry mousse in the middle. texture is very smooth & soft, white chocolate lovers should have a try!
3) Latte ($28) - see if you're fine with the rich milk. taste is ok.
Will definitely come back!