Urban Bakery @ 銅鑼灣 - 痴痴為你(牛角包)等, 值得嗎? / Wait for 20 minutes as to buy a Croissant?

Urban Bakery @ 銅鑼灣 – 痴痴為你(牛角包)等, 值得嗎?

今天是本人第一次逛銅鑼灣希慎廣場的Jasons . Food & Living, 見到條長長人龍排隊等 Urban bakery 新鲜出爐的牛角包, 原本想轉身就走, 但因久聞此bakery的大名, 而且身邊朋友毎個都話好味, 好奇的我就去排隊, 想買番果試下.

Urban Bakery

排左20分鐘終於排到我, 有理冇理都買個原味同杏仁牛角包, 在price tag上有”AOC”的法國認證, 有此title的故然是保證…但我想..將此放在香港就好像是一位出身名門的人在銀光燈下被人利用作marketing似的. 哀乎  !? 難道其他麵包店出爐的牛角包, 沒有”AOC”就等於沒有保證? 唔好味?

Plain Croissant HK$11.7 each

Plain Croissant 

無疑原味牛角包的牛油很香, 又有外脆內軟的酥皮, 很香口.  另一款的杏仁牛角包包面有很多的杏仁和砂糖, 每口了牛油香外又有甜味, 的確很誘人.  不過, 其實在歐洲 (或在香港) 牛角包是很普通的食物,歐洲人每天都有會買來吃的早餐 (在香港也有此機會買來作早餐), 街角的麵包師傳(歐洲和香港)都很會做到很好味,  咁點解這普通平民化又好食的食物, 落在Urban bakery 手上,為何會這麼好賣而要又賣到$12 - $ 13一個(街角的麵包店可能只需$6- $ 7一個, 味道可能一樣好味)? 是因為有”AOC”? 有大財團back up就一定有水準? 有marketing & promotion? 有羊群效應? 有人云亦云?

Almond Croissant ~ HK$13.5 each

Almond Croissant 

我問我自己, 如果以上的提問中只要有一個答案是Yes, 那我想我的味蕾跟腦神經應該给市場化了…哀乎  !?

結論： E間舖可以一試，然後不用再試

續篇: 平靚正的牛角包 (Link)

再續篇: 

May 4 - Will you wait for 20 minutes as to buy a Croissant?

Yes, will you wait for 20 minutes as to buy a croissant in the Urban bakery of Jasons Supermarket in Hysan Shopping Mall, Causeway Bay? Well, I just did it on yesterday. 

So was it taste good? Yes, it tasted good but it is not worth to wait so long for it? Actually, the bread was so common in the World and I bet you will buy it for your breakfast in the weekday. Then why we need to wait for it? Furthermore, the price tag of that croissant is around HK$ 12 each. So is it worth to buy it? For me, it’s a “Yes and No”. “Yes” as it’s worth as it tastes good; “No” as I didn’t want to line up so long and indirectly helped the shop for promotion.

Although the croissant has “AOC” (Concours du Meilleur Croissant au Beurre AOC Charantes-Poitou a.k.a The Best Butter Croissant Competition), is it really worth that price and wait for that long? It is your call.

Cheers!

Conclusion: You can go there and have a try, but one time is enough

Extended reading: Mushroom Bakery @ Sai Kung (Link)

Extended reading again: Sai Kung Cafe & Bakery @ Sai Kung (Link)

85℃ @ 太子 - 咸的85℃? / Sea Salt Green Tea in 85c

85℃ @ 太子 - 咸的85℃?

路經太子荔枝角道見到85℃, 想吃台灣食物的心癮又走出來, 所以二話不說的走入去買有杯海岩綠茶.

之前在台北或香港飲海岩綠茶時, 都會感受到一種層次感, 先是有咸味,  然後有茶味, 最後就是甘香味, 但不知為何, 今次這杯就少了咸味, 中間都依然有茶味, 再飮到底時就只有甜味, 沒甘香味.

Sea Salt Green Tea

也許只是有一丁點失手, 才出現這情况. 希望下次再買海岩綠茶時, 水準可以有之前的好!

結論： E間舖可以一試，然後再試

Sea Salt Green Tea @ 85℃, Prince Edward

Have you even think of putting some sea salt in green tea? Actually this kind of drink was first being popular in Taiwan and then the shop (85℃) bought it to Hong Kong last year as to develop new market. The taste of this drink is very good and when you take first couple sips, you can taste the sea salt. And when you drink again and again, you can taste the green tea in the middle. So, are you interested to have a sip of Sea Salt Green Tea.

Although, this green tea tastes good, this time my cup was not that good. Unluckily I could not taste the sea salt in my first couple sips and I thought my drink was too sweet, too!

Anyway, I am willing to give them benefit of doubt and sure I will buy the Sea Salt Green Tea in 85℃ again as to see they have improved the quality or not.

Holly Brown @ 尖沙咀 - Let’s TANGO with Coffee and Gelato

Holly Brown @ 尖沙咀 – Let’s TANGO with Coffee and Gelato

禮拜日無嘢做, 就出尖沙咀行吓街, 行到 K-11 的Holly Brown 時, 被店裏面的香濃咖啡味吸引住, 走入去 order 左Holly Brown Tango (咖啡 + Gelato) 同 Rock on Vanilla (Gelato).

Holly Brown Tango 的Espresso好香好濃, 再配上雲尼拿Gelato, 成杯咖啡立即滑上加滑, 而且咖啡是熱的, 雲尼拿Gelato是凍的, 一凍一熱, 好”冰火”! 正!

Tango

再黎就係Rock on Vanilla Gelato, 材料有花生醬, 杏仁, 朱古力brownie 再炒雲尼拿Gelato。 因為Gelato是零空氣的低脂雪糕, 所以口感香滑實淨, 甜甜黏黏.

Rock on Vanilla Gelato

點都好, 咖啡加Gelato, 人生一大快事, 妙!

結論： E間舖可以一試，然後再試

Let’s TANGO with Coffee and Gelato @ K-11 Mall, TST  

What’s good to have a cup of coffee and gelato at Sunday afternoon? Today I passed by K-11 shopping mall in TST and got attracted by the smell of coffee from Holly Brown cafe. So I decided to buy a cup of TANGO and a scoop of Rock on Vanilla in there as to chill out.

First of all, TANGO is the Espresso mixed with vanilla gelato. The Espresso was so rich and when it mixed with vanilla gelato, the texture became so soft and smooth! Although coffee and gelato are two different things, but when they combine together, it just becomes a perfect match!

Tango

Rock on Vanilla Gelato

Then the Rock on Vanilla was the vanilla gelato came with peanut butter, almond and chocolate brownie. No doubt, the gelato was so good. When you eat it, you can feel different tastes in your mouth.  It is hard to find this kind of gelato in Italy and I guess this kind of innovative combination can only be found in Hong Kong. So, you should go there and have a try when you are in Hong Kong. 

Holly Brown café (link) has couple branches in Hong Kong, and there should be one in the busy commence and shopping areas. So, don’t miss it! 

蘇黎世的新發現 / Explore something good in Zurich

Apr 20, 2013 - 蘇黎世的新發現

在蘇黎世試了很美味的瑞士餐, thanks so much for Michelle & her family! the food is so tasty!

有raclette, 又有 truffle ravioli, 再有黑毛豬 Parma ham, 最後再加 home made dessert 同一杯牛奶汽水, 由 7pm 食到 12pm...真的不得了!

Enoteca Barberini Ristorante @ 羅馬 - Barberini Metro站附近的 Ristorante / Another nice Ristorante near Barberini Metro Station in Roma

Enoteca Barberini Ristorante @ 羅馬 - Barberini Metro站附近的 Ristorante

April 16, 2013

這天用了大半天遊覧梵諦崗同西班牙廣場, 其實都已經攰到無胃口食飯, 但係又不想錯過羅馬的美食, 最終在 Barberini Metro 站憑直覺走入一間名謂 Enoteca Barberini Ristorante (link) 的餐廳吃晚餐.

Enoteca Barberini Ristorante

首先先order左支Acqua, 沒有什麽特別, 不是很大支但都要$4 EUR, Thanks!

然後再order一碟牛油果沙律 Insalata Avocado, 材料新鮮, 有好多芝士, 粟米粒同牛油果, 正!

牛油果沙律 Insalata Avocado

跟住上枱的係 Tonnarelli cacio e pepe Pasta, 這款pasta的材料很簡單, 只有芝士 (Tonnarelli Cheess), 胡椒粉同意粉, 但出奇地當這三種配料加起一齊, 果種香味會係口同舌度好有層次的走出來. 但可惜在香港不是很容易找到這款pasta, what a pity! 如果你有機會到羅馬, 記緊要試下!

Tonnarelli cacio e pepe Pasta

April 16, 2013 - Another nice Ristorante near Barberini Metro Station

After visiting Vatican and Piazza di Spagna, I was already very tired and no appetite to eat anything. However, I would feel guilty if I could not try the delicious food in Rome, and so, without  any serious planning and thinking, me and my wife just picked a restaurant called Enoteca Barberini Ristorante (link) around Barberini Metro Station and had our dinner.

As usual, we ordered a bottle of water and as it is nothing special, I just skip it.

Then we ordered Insalata Avocado salad and it was full of cheese, corn, avocado and other vegetable. The avocado and vegetable were so fresh and sweet. So, if you go to there for lunch / dinner, it is worth to order this salad or other salad for a try!

After we finished the salad, I ordered Tonnarelli cacio e pepe for a try. Actually, the ingredients of this pasta were very simple, it only had Tonnarelli Cheess, Pepper and, of coarse the pasta. But after all of them cooked together, it became a very delicious dish. When I ate it, my tongue could taste the pepper, then the cheese and finally the mixture of pepper and cheese with the al dente pasta. So luckily I could have this pasta in Roma as it is hard to find this kind of pasta in Hong Kong. If you travel to Roma next time, please don't forget to try the Tonnarelli cacio e pepe.

Cheers!