sweet877's Profile

Mimosa Patisserie is famous in HK for it's mille-feuille/Napoleon. I never quite liked it, but every now and then I buy things I never quite liked just to see if my tastes have changed, or their recipe has changed. Well, no change in opinion this time. Although slightly less dense than other patisseries in town, which is good, the pâte feuilletée is underbaked for my tastes. It's also extremely weak in the butter department.The bottom layer of pâte was thicker than the top two layers. I don't know if this was on purpose, but it could be to serve as structural support. and prevent everything from weighing and crushing the bottom. Or I could be overthinking.I didn't like how the pâte was coated in white chocolate, as it made the whole thing too sweet. It was quite a thick layer of chocolate, too. I understand that it helps to keep the pâte from going soggy, but perhaps baking the pâte a bit more would help. I'm not sure though, as I'm not that good of a baker. I do appreciate the generosity of custard and mangoes. However, like the pâte, the custard was a bit lacking in taste. It didn't have any vanilla seeds, and neither did it taste eggy. So mango really was the dominant taste in this pastry.I did like how it was so big (well, normal sized rather than pinky sized) compared to most other patisseries'. I also like how, due to the lack of butter and heavy custard, it wasn't too filling even after such a big piece. Don't know when's the next time I'll be challenging myself with having another one though. Sad that I don't have a go-to place for mille feuilles in Hong Kong...suggestions VERY welcome. …Read More

A-1 Bakery is a local chain which churns out quite high quality Japanese-style breads at a premium price. Their cakes, on the other hand, are really good value for their size and quality. I got this piece of Chestnut and Green Tea cake at a discount ($17.5 instead of $20), and it’s quite hefty! Layers from top to bottom: green tea mousse, whipped cream, green tea sponge, chestnut puree and chestnut bits, chestnut sponge.I really don’t like sponge cake. Usually, local bakeries make sponge cakes which are REALLY spongy as in they bounce back when you fork in, and they have a distinctive sweet eggy taste which tastes too plain to me. Also, more often than not, it tends to get dried out in the fridge. It’s also not very satisfying. This cake surprised me by being NOTHING like that. The sponge was extremely moist and tasted strongly of matcha, having the bitter edge as well. The chestnut puree was VERY generous in quantity. It didn’t feel like it was mixed with whipped cream either, as it was quite thick. However, it wasn’t too dense and pasty like the Angelina Mont Blanc. I’m still wondering if I got a bad one…cus that one was seriously almost inedible. :( There were lots of chestnut bits as well, which provided textural difference. On the whole, the cake is not too sweet (makes sense as a Japanese style cake); on the other hand, the generosity of the chestnut filling made the cake very satisfying. The only gripe I have is that the green tea mousse on top was too thin and tasteless; I guess it’s really just there for decoration.…Read More

I have to admit I've never paid much attention to Breadtalk, as it always seemed like an overpriced version of Maxim's. I guess we pay for the brand's airfare from Singapore? Lol! But one day, while passing by the Ma On Shan branch, this Blackforest Roll enticed me. I was really craving something chocolatey and creamy, and the swiss rolls from local bakeries were either too small and without enough cream (Arome Bakery), or too local with dense cake and oily cream. Don't get me wrong...I do enjoy the local kind of swiss roll every now and then, but I was really craving the more Japanese style, moist, sponge, whipped creamy roll.This roll from Breadtalk certainly hit the spot. The cake was very moist and spongy with an acceptable chocolate taste, helped by the chocolate flakes on top. There was a LOT of chocolate cream inside, which tasted like...uh...chocolate whipped cream. Although not high quality milky whipped cream, it wasn't the oily mouthfeel Chinese-style cream either. So yum. There were also generous pieces of marinated sweet cherries, which totally beats the jellies local bakeries used. I hoped for rum-soaked cherries, but for local standards, this was more than alright.The apple tart was also from Breadtalk. I've been meaning to to try this for a long time, but always hesitated as it looked really light with a sponge cake base, and I might not like it. I got it this time thinking that in case I didn't like it, I'd still have the roll. It turned out to be okay. As it turns out, there was a tart crust as well, albeit very thin and underbaked, being the same color as the spongecake. That's why I never noticed it. The apples are still crunchy and a bit dried out; it was covered by a dusting of cinnamon. The spongecake was moist, but on the oily side. With reheating in the oven to crisp up the tart base, the tart wasn't too bad. However, I don't think I'll be shelling out $8 for it again anytime soon....I'd rather go have a McDonald's apple pie, or even pay a little more for a Pie & Tart apple pie which is a million times better.…Read More

I've been eyeing the under construction shop forever...and finally, after along and agonizing wait, it's open! I'm sure everyone knows Tuttimelon well from their location at The One in TST. With the new branch in Shatin, this is the first chain froyo store that has opened in the Shatin area. On the day that I visited, it was its first day of operations. The tutti-girls were nicely handing out samples. Tuttimelon operates on a self-serve basis (which I love because I can control how little or how MUCH I want). There were several flavours available that day: Original Tart, Honeydew Melon, Lychee, Strawberry, and Mango. I had a bit of each, then proceeded to the toppings counter which was very well stocked with fresh fruits, cereals, cookies, and syrups. As it was their first day of opening, everything was very fresh. As for the environment...this store doesn't have seats like the one at The One (lol) but that's alright...froyos are portable anyways. I chose oreo chunks, graham cracker crumbs, mochi (of several different flavours!), mangoes, and granola. They also had a dark green tutti spoon which is exclusive to this location! I love how their spoons are so well made...makes them collectible. As always, Tuttimelon yogurts are very well flavoured and I was satisfied. :) A minor peeve this time was that it melted a bit quickly, which may be due to the fact that it's still in its baby stages of operation and needs to smooth some kinks out! Hopefully it'll be firmer the next time I visit (which will be very very soon). Hope their chocolate flavour and almond roca toppings will come to this store soon!…Read More

I love mochi-like snacks, whether from Japan, China or any other Asian country. It delighted me to find out that Chinese Go Go has opened a branch in Shatin! However, it seemed a bit empty the few times I've been there...hope they won't close down soon :( I love their idea of combining Chinese 糯米磁 with new and exciting flavours. They also carry other traditional snacks such as 大菜糕, 缽仔糕， and Chinese-dessert style pancakes. Their mochi are apparently handmade fresh everyday, which beats pre-packaged ones found in the supermarket as well!The desserts they sell at the shop are kept covered in a fridge. This, I think, makes them more hygenic than those 糯米磁 or Chinese snack stalls in wetmarkets with bugs flying around (but I still buy from them sometimes lol...my sweet tooth disregards anything hindering me from satisfying it)I had many different mochi on several occasions. They are $5/one and $13/three:Mango Tofu This is one of their limited editions, only available on Saturdays I believe. It's also one of my favourite flavours. The tofu taste comes out quite strong, and the mango adds another dimension to it.Tofu The tofu-ness is same as the Mango Tofu one, but this one tastes cleaner.Banana Chocolate I actually really like this one. The chocolate isn't too liquidy or gel-like...it was like the texture of unrefrigerated Nutella. And who can go wrong with banana and chocolate? Sesame A traditional flavour...very strong sesame taste. Might be a bit bitter to those liking sweet sesame paste. I quite liked it though as I like the roasty flavour of black sesame. The kinako powder on the outside also suited it nicely.Papaya Milk This was one flavour I didn't enjoy. There was no milky taste whatsoever. The papaya was sweet enough, but I was expecting some melding of flavours. Instead, it was just papaya and some goopy substance inside the mochi which added nothing to the enjoyment.九層糕 MMmmm...I really liked the texture of this thing! I've had this from some stalls in wetmarkets, but this one tasted more delicate and refreshing. It tasted strongly of cane sugar, which I love. Not always available, so get it while you can! The skin on all of them was similar with a glutinous-y, floury taste while not being too sweet, which I love They also have some mochi with dessicated coconut on the outside, but I LOATHE dessicated coconut, so I love how they have a myriad of flavours WITHOUT the coconut coating. The proportion of fillings to skin was just right as well (in comparison, I've had many wetmarket mochis with hit-and-miss skins). I REALLY REALLY hope this place doesn't close down!! The aunt working there is super nice too...but I feel bad for her as it seems like not many people visit the shop :( The packaging for the snacks are super cute too...with pastel colours. Honestly I think it's a great business idea...don't know why it hasn't been popular!…Read More

Wow I realize I have a hugeeeeeeeeeeee backlog of reviews I need to write because I've been incredibly busy+lazy for a while. This was eaten back in November, when Patisserie Yamakawa just opened for a while and there was still lots of hype & media about it. Being the dessert lover that I am, obviously I had to go check it out. This shop is famous for using ingredients imported from Japan, like their eggs, flour, etc, and their specialty is apparently matcha products as they use different concentrations (bitterness?) of matcha for different kinds of desserts depending on whether a light or intense flavour is desired. They also heavily advertised their light-textured swiss rolls and Mont Blancs, which further emphasized their Japanese identity.Before arriving at the shop, I actually couldn't decide whether I wanted to order a Mango Roll or a Matcha Red Bean Roll (why not both, you ask? well...I do try to keep my figure while enjoying sweets at the same time everything in moderation!); I usually like to taste the blandest, most original flavour of something first before venturing towards more exotic flavours. You can always taste the quality of something better when it's unadulterated. However, when I arrived, the shopkeeper was informing a crowd that the matcha red bean roll was just sold out and the next batch would be ready in half an hour. Not being able to resist fresh-out-of-the-oven goodies, obviously my decision was made for me right there. A walk through City Super and half an hour later with a handful of groceries in tow, I headed over to the patisserie counter to pick up my roll. All the aunties crowding around the counter with me half an hour ago had already picked up theirs, and mine was the last piece - yet again. Oh, they also have an open kitchen, so you can see your goodies being made in real time. When demand was still high a few months ago, the chefs were constantly rolling and rolling and rolling cakes! Don't know about now though. The cake was packed nicely in a paper box and nice bag and I headed home with my treasure.I refrigerated it for a while before tasting it, as I enjoy my cream very cold. Nevertheless, the cold did not affect its light texture. As mentioned before, this shop markets its rolls as very fluffy, and you can definitely feel it's airiness and sponginess as you fork a bite. Compare this to the Hong Kong style swiss roll, which is much denser and with less "bounce". I actually like both kinds...sometimes I want light and fluffy, sometimes I want dense and eggy. The egg taste was not prominent in this cake, the matcha flavour being quite pronounced (but without bitter notes). I really enjoyed the moistness of the cake...it was like eating a just-wrung sponge.The cream was of a more creamy whipped-cream type rather than a butter-cream like filling in the Hong Kong style roll. I like this milky-tasting cream a lot, and I wish they could put more in it. Same with the red beans...there were only 2-3 pieces in the ENTIRE roll! I guess since they import it from Japan as they so blatantly publicize, they cannot afford to put more? lol anyhow the lack of fillings made the cake a bit boring as it's called a matcha RED BEAN roll after all.The cake is huge...eating the whole thing made me very full (and satisfied). Would I want to eat it again? Well, I have to say it's quite enjoyable, but nothing that really WOWs me. I haven't been compelled to go back to try it's other offerings as well (no cravings at all =S rare for a dessert freak like me), which include various typical Japanese-style cakes with OK-presentation. I guess it's the lack of originality and personality which has prevented a cult following despite its heavy publicity when it first opened? Even its Openrice reviews are scarce. Perhaps its lack of a seating area also contributes to its mediocre popularity as a dessert store (but there IS the food court seating area...). Anyways, hope they survive and won't die out like the last in-house dessert store CitySuper had! …Read More

Today was actually my 2nd time visiting this store already! The last time was on Christmas Day. I have to admit that I made a special trip to Causeway Bay just to try their frozen yogurt this time, as I only managed to try their scones last week. The store is located right across from President Theatre, which makes it an ideal spot for moviegoers to visit for a quick snack before/after a movie (and an ideal spot to attract these customers!). The store basically offers 3 things: frozen yogurt, raisin scones, and cheese scones. The first time I passed by, I was offered a generous sample sample of the frozen yogurt and the raisin scone. The shopkeepers (I assume they're the owners as they were very diligent in noting the needs of every customer) introduced all their offerings with a big smile and an enthusiastic attitude. As on Christmas I wanted something buttery and "漏", I ordered 3 cheese scones as the minimum order is 3 scones (on afterthought, I should have ordered 2 cheese scones and 1 raisin scone for some variety!). The scones are quite small, around the size of a saltine. However, since they are soooo flaky and buttery, 3 was more than enough. They were a bit warm, and I think would be better if they were even hotter. Although the innards were very very flaky and buttery and good, I wished the crust was a bit more crunchier, but that's just me. I love crunch. Overall, I think their scones are even better than some hotels' (then again, the small size and warmth makes them more palatable). Today, I went back for a taste of their froyo as I couldn't get my mind off it after having a sample on my first visit. When I arrived today, as with last time, there was a shopkeeper handing out samples of theor products. However, this time there was a whole group of reporters interviewing one of the lady shopkeepers (another owner I guess). In fact, due to the small doorway, I couldn't even get into the shop and I had to place my order standing outside with the shopkeeper who was handing out samples taking my order. I didn't mind, though, as I came specifically to CWB for their froyo and I wasn't going to leave without it I ordered the regular size, which includes one topping, in addition to the complimentary house crumbs (which I guess is free because of their new opening?). Their toppings look soooo tempting, in large chunks instead of tiny crumbles (in particular the oreos and the digestive biscuits!). I've already tried the house crumbs from the sample, and it was sort of like crumbs of a cinnamon-y ginger snap cookie. I seriously wanted to try alllllllllllll the toppings cus they all looked so tempting, but I ended up choosing mochi because I wanted something 清清地 in these 2 weeks of gluttony. The shopkeeper politely gave me my order and apologized for the media frenzy at their shop.Now back to the actual froyo. It was smooth and firm, with an obvious yogurty tang. However, it was not as tart as some other froyos I've had (i.e. in the Central area). I think it was smoother than others I've had though. I also liked the plastic cup it came in, which is easier to hold compared to the short paper bowls some other shops offer. The house crumbs are uncontrollably addictive, and the mochis were mildly sweet, soft, and chewy. The yogurt wasn't filled with air in the middle like many other shops, and left me satisfied after polishing off a small size. There were enough toppings to last me through the whole cup as well. I hope they'll offer new flavours in the future. I'll definitely be back to try their raisin scones and more toppings (reaaaaaaally want to try the digestive chunks and oreo chunks with their yogurt). P.S. No photos as I forgot to bring my camera the first time, and the 2nd time my hands were too cold to take photos lol...…Read More

I love this shop's sweets so much that I can never resist when walking pass! When I saw that there's a new flavour around half a month ago, I didn't even have to think twice before making a purchase. The service was OK as I asked them about the new flavour. I confirmed the fact that they're made locally and not shipped over from Japan. Although people seem to have Japanophilia and automatically think the ones from Japan are better....I find that the HK ones are fresher, chewier, and moister. Each to his or her own. I also want to say that the staff at this Shatin branch are much friendlier than the ones at the TST branch...I've had a bad experience there but I'll leave this review's focus to the Shatin branch.On to the actual product itself...I bought the Sakura Mochi. it was packed in a plastic box which I assume kept it from being squished. Most other flavours are packed in simple plastic bags. I understood why as I opened the box...the texture of the mochi was kind of pliable and did not bounce back to its original shape when squished. In fact, I think this can be attributable to the lower moisture content of this sakura mochi. Also, this mochi was the kind made with little grains of rice rather than the one made with the glutinous rice powder (which is much sticker). This sakura mochi seems even a little dryer than their normal rice mochis. You can see the little grains of rice used to make it clearly, so the surface is bumpy rather than smooth. It was light pink in colour (I assume it's from the sakura petals?) and it was wrapped on the outside with a salted sakura leaf (I think). It smelled verrrrrrrryyyy fragrant. The taste of the outer layer was more subtle than I expected. It had some floral notes, but most of the taste was from the salted leaf, which provided a nice contrast to the sweet mochi. It kind of tasted like shiso...in a more flowery way. You can also taste the grains used to make the mochi, so it tasted kind of like sweet glutinous rice. Inside, it was filled with lots and lots and lots of Japanese red beans...:) I hate the Chinese kind of red bean paste (like the ones found in mooncakes and stuff...I think it has lard? It's completely smooth and really dense...ugh). City Super's products withhttp://www.openrice.com/Images/Forum_icons/tongue.gif Japanese red beans which you can actually CHEW never fail to satisfy me (their obanyakis and breads also have wonderful red beans). As you can see from my picture, it was packed with lots of plump red beans which tasted just sweet enough for this mochi (some people may find it too sweet I guess...but for me, I think it matches the rather light tasting outer layer). As I said, the outer layer was dryer than normal, but that dryness matched the clean taste. This dryness probably means that it can't be kept more than a day though..or else it'll become rock hard.All in all, an enjoyable snack as with their other mochis. But I think I still prefer their other flavours like sesame and kinako! Oh by the way, they have a stamp card which allows you to get one mochi free after you collect 10 stamps. It's not that hard when their mochis are so addictive! …Read More

It so happened that I needed to venture to Tsimshatsui for a little errand...and it so happened that I arrived a bit early. What a great chance to visit one of the places which I have not yet explored in TST! After a bit of internal struggle between Debailleul and Coco, I chose the latter as I wanted to check out the hip decor. Impeccable service started the moment I walked through the front door. Two doormen directed me to Coco promptly. I must admit I was taken aback by the surroundings. It looked like a counter plunked in the corner of a great hall randomly. Nevertheless, I approached the counter and the lady there greeted me sincerely. I was actually craving something dense, something like brownie cheesecake. Their cake choices that day included a Napolean, a raspberry mousse, a green tea-coconut concoction, an orange chocolate terrine, and a lemon ganache tart. After some pondering, I chose the terrine even though I didn't quite like the combination of chocolate/orange. However, it fitted my craving for something dense and chocolatey. I wanted to try the raspberry mousse cake too, but I guess I'll save it for another visit. I also ordered a chamomile tea. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of comfy seats. All there were was a round communal table with bar stools and a small coffee table in the corner with cyber-looking chairs. I quite like enjoying cakes in big plushy sofas in hotel lobbies, so the dark environment and less than comfortable chairs did not satisfy me. Oh well, I chose the coffee table anyways. Not long after, the server brought me my cake and tea, and helped me steep my teabag as well.Then I took a bite of my cake. WOW...the chocolate flavour was INTENSE and very very dense. There also was a thin layer of sponge on the bottom of the cake with a raspberry-ish sauce. The sponge was negligible though and it felt like I was just eating a dense chocolate brick. And what a surprise when I found out that inside the green chocolate domes on top was orange jelly and MARSHMALLOW! Yum yum...after a few bites, the chocolate flavour did get a bit too cloying though and I had to cut through the sweetness with a bit of tea. Also, there was not much orange taste within the cake (which suited me fine). It was at this point that I found a bug in my tea =[ The server promptly changed it though, but gave me no apology, which was a bit unprofessional. What makes it worse is that since my cake is dark, and the lobby is dark as well, it would be hard to see if a bug flew on my cake! =S Overall, I enjoyed the cake's tastes and looks. The flavours could have been a bit more creative, but I do agree that the other choices might have fitted the creativity bill better. What they can improve on is better service (I do understand that it's just a lobby coffee shop...but still...it's a hotel after all), perhaps more choices available at one time (it was hard to choose!), and comfyer seats. I'll be back!…Read More

I arrived here after I wandered some ways from TST and couldn't get back to the KCR station. Seeing that there was a Starbucks, I was tired, and remembering that I still hadn't tried their holiday offerings from Christmas, I stepped in for a little coffee break before heading home.I had the Berries Log Cake, as I missed out on it last year as well. The cake's name is quite deceiving. In fact, the only berry that was part of the cake was the raspberry on top. The rest of the cake can be described as a slightly dry swiss roll with chocolate cream and a thin ganache layer on top. Nevertheless, it kept me satisfied until dinner. I still prefer, surprisingly, the "chocolate towel cake" from Circle K though!Another note is that this Starbucks is quite quiet, a nice contrast from the overcrowded Starbucks found in many other places in Hong Kong. The baristas there are also very friendly and quick in cleaning up!…Read More

So recently, this new store has been rising through the ranks of Openrice. With a sweet tooth like mine, how can I resist giving this new store a try? In fact, I've bought a dozen for my friend as a birthday present a week or two ago, but I haven't had a chance to try it myself yet as everytime I'm near Sogo, I happened to be bloated from a very full dinner already.Until one day after a very early lunch, I happened to be walking around the Sogo area during the afternoon. Trying to think of something to satisfy my sweet tooth, my mind immediately jumped to Mochi Cream. When I got there, there was a long line-up as usual. I waited impatiently, as I already had a flavour to try in mind. "One Apple Pie Flavour please!" I blurted out when it finally got to my turn. The transaction was brisk but polite. I was surprised that the sales did not ask me to wait a while before biting into the ice cold mochi, but through experience I always wait a while before devouring a frozen, rock hard dessert. After a brief walk through Sogo and pushing through the crowds, I bit into my prize. My teeth merely scoured the surface of the filling, and what I got in my first bite was just the soft, snowy skin. I was surprised that it could maintain its softness and chewiness after being in a cold environment. It was a good start. Biting further in, I had a taste of the creamy filling. I thought this filling could use a bit more taste. However, this was remedied by the satisfyingly sweet apple jam inside, reminiscent of apple pies from a certain fast food store. The crunch from the pie pieces provided a nice textural contrast, but again, was lacking in taste. I love apple pie, and I love mochi, so the flavours are a delight to my palate.Overall, I think the mochi is alright. It's a very different experience from the traditional mochi, which has a way thicker skin so it's more satisfying. On the other hand, it's a bit heavier than ice cream mochi. The different flavours are very enticing, and I can't wait to try them all!…Read More

Don't know why they changed the name to Green Bakery...is it because they're no longer under the Japanese Little Mermaid?Nonetheless, the pastries are as good as usual. Had a croquant, and it was sweet and crunchy and satisfying as usual. The free samples of scones were a welcome treat as well!…Read More

Another tiring day of shopping calls for some refreshment! This time I chose PCC instead of my usual Starbucks as...well...simply because I'm lazy and didn't want to walk all the way over to Starbucks which was near the cinema. First, I checked out what holiday specials there were. The Toffee Nut Caramel Latte enticed me, so I ordered a decaf nonfat Toffee Nut Caramel Latte. I didn't want a buzz this afternoon! Service was great, everything was done with a smile and a thanks. The drink itself was just the right temperature. However, the espresso taste was a little weak. I understand that it's decaf and this may weaken the espresso flavour, but *bux's decaf seems stronger to me. All in all, it was warm and comforting and just a TAD too sweet, but expected as it has TOFFEE and CARAMEL in its name. Probably back to the green goddess for me though.…Read More

Godiva's Dark Chocolate Chocolixir is really heaven in a cup! A must-have for chocolate lovers. It's made of top quality chocolate blended with ice, but the chocolate is sooooo thick and creamy that you won't even sense the ice there, which is different from *bucks' Frappe!I usually have it without cream as I think the cream dilutes the thick chocolatey taste. YUMYUM~ …Read More

It's hard to resist the smell of Mrs. Field's when you walk past it! I had a pumpkin white chocolate pecan cookie this time. This cookie is a bit different from their other cookies, as it is more cakey than chewy. Mrs. Field's never fails to satisfy my cookie cravings. The cookie was sweet, but not cloyingly and tastelessly sweet. It had a little hint of cinnamon, perfect with the pumpkin taste. There weren't too many pecans, just enough to provide a textural difference, and as I don't like nuts too much, this was perfect. The white chocolate also added a little touch of indulgence to the cookie.Thank god for Mrs. Field's in HK, as most of the other cookie shops in HK only make butter, crispy cookies, not American style chewy cookies, which I prefer!Mrs. Field's, I love you!…Read More