Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates and Patisserie (Vancouver)

On a sunny Thursday morning, a light breeze blew across my hotel room from the balcony which I left opened the night before. Waking up this way by the wind instead of annoying alarm tones certainly made a huge difference in term of my mood. It was certain a smile or a gentle grin on my face even without checking it with a mirror. Holding a cup of not-so-great machine brewed in-room coffee from Starbucks, standing out on the balcony under the warmth of the morning sunshine, I can't help myself but to feel rather lucky, happy, thankful, glad and ... very lucky? :) A picture is worth a thousand words but when it comes to joy and happiness, it can only be best described either by action or ... by the one's "glow". In any case, it brings me to yet another happy topic, chocolates! Some say Chocolate can help fight depression, some say it can be part of a wonderful diet plan and some say it can help lower your cholesterol. Forget it I say, as long as it makes you happy by eating a piece of chocolate or drinking a cup of hot chocolate, go for it!

Foodie Magazine - May 2011

“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” This quote by French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau is one of the key inspirations behind My Favorite Sweet Escape entry for May 2011's issue of Foodie Magazine. Many people spend majority of the day (and night) working hard in their cubicles, often over 10 hours or more. Somehow many consider this long working hours as the norm in Hong Kong but is this the case for improved productivity? A regular break from work would help you recharge and reset, a regular break with sweets would be even a better choice. Exactly how? Check it out <here> and enjoy your sweet break! 

Riquiqui Dessert Bar ~ Revisit - (Hong Kong)

It is no secret that I quite enjoy going to Riquiqui for desserts for various reasons. One being how it was all desserts, 3-course desserts meal to be exact. I covered it on this blog a while ago and I am blogging about it again because the menu changes every now and then, a very good reason for me to revisit. Alright, just yet another excuse to return but I can't blame myself for having a desserts craving ... every other day right? As I mentioned, guys can have a thing for desserts, just that not all would like to admit in most cases I presume. I am not afraid to admit my love for sweets ... and how my 3rd stomach is always on standby for desserts!

ANTIQUE Patisserie & Fine Chocolates (Revisited)

After hours of reading documents, replying emails and fixing presentations, I needed a break! I can of course head down to the nearest pub for a few drinks during Happy Hour but not today, I wanted to spend a few moments under a more quiet environment. I picked ANTIQUE near my office.



The Christmas tree has been setup and Christmas music was all around! It is indeed hard to find a place in Hong Kong with similar decor and atmosphere in my opinion. Not to mention the fireplace and the Christmas tree with all the ornaments hanging all over!



While looking for items to order, I spotted the Macarons tree! Why are all the Macarons being protected / guarded with some many soldiers? ... Fine! I will move along then.



Hello Gingerbread Man! I am sorry, I mean Chef Gingerbread Man, how are you doing and what's with the big smile on your face?? o o o ... you are looking at your friends over there ...



Ahh, how cute is that! Mr Snowman just made a new friend with Gingerbread Man Jr..



(1) Apple Pie Steamer
It was rather sweet, with hints of ginger / gingerbread flavors to it. Make sure you request it to be less sweet if you are not that into sweet. (Did I just use the word sweet 3 times in one sentence??) Although it was very sweet, I was happy with it because afterall, Christmas is coming soon and Christmas is all about love, loving each other, so the sweeter the love the better right?



(2) Pumpkin Cheesecake
It mainly consisted of pumpkin puree and cheeseeee. The little pumpkin on top was made out of Marzipan (almond paste and sugar) and sat comfortably on top of a pile of cornflakes I think. Not too sweet and not too cheesy to eat before my dinner.



Helloooooo Mr Snowman #2, what are you doing under the Christmas tree? O o o you are waiting for your Christmas gifts? Silly, boxing day is not here yet but very soon, very soon indeed!

Likes:

• Christmas Tree! Certainly makes you feel Christmas is around the corner!
• Pumpkin Cheesecake - strong cheese flavor and love the mushy texture of the cheesecake

Dislikes:

• Steamer a bit too sweet
• Lighting a bit too mild (but it is the same mild lighting that gives out the homely feeling the tea room.
  

Avg Spending: Below HKD 100 per person

ANTIQUE Patisserie & Fine Chocolates
Shop 2, G/F.,
46 Lyndhurst Terrace Soho, Central
Tel: 852 2542 2816
http://www.antiquepatisserie.com/


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VERO

Have you ever had the problem whereby you are unable to come up with restaurant suggestions when you have a list of want-to-try places at the back of your head? It happens to me all the time! I have so many places I wanted to try but whenever someone asks me to suggest a place, I would somehow be speechless. My friend asked me to suggest a place where we can sit and relax in the early afternoon and chat over a cup of coffee. I was speechless once again! Thanks to my friend, we ended up at VERO which was actually on my list but somehow slipped my mind ... must be too early in the morning ! ... HAHA.



This place is definitely not a easy place to find due to its location but once you entered the cafe / restaurant, it was a totally different environment which I did not expect. The layout was very open, clean and BRIGHT. A minimalist decor in my opinion. The brightness is from the sun light shinning through the huge windows along the side. Its kitchen was of open kitchen style with pastry chefs busy working inside the chocolate and pastry workshop / studio. The various metal decorations were a nice touch, increasing the artistic feel of the whole atmosphere.



(1) Taro Earl Grey & Rosemary Cake
The cake on the right was the Taro Earl Grey cake. The Earl Grey flavored mousse was not too sweet but also lacked the flavor it needed. So where did the Taro go? Good question, the taro element was inside the cake. There were two pieces of chilled square taro in the middle of the cake which actually matched the flavors and texture of the cake very well. Thumbs up! As for the Rosemary cake, I only had one bit but it was very rich in rosemary flavors which I liked. A very interesting use of ingredient / flavor indeed.



(2) Espresso con Panna
I doubt it was due to the whipped cream but the espresso was not bitter but extremely acidic for some reasons. I tried the Lavazza blend before but it did not taste like that. I tried espresso con panna at other places as well nothing as acidic as this. I think it was due to the water temperature used to make the espresso, but then again it can be due to many other factors. Maybe the cream was the main reason? (Need your help on this one Babedolphin! haha, I know you love coffee and are quite knowledgeable on the subject as well.) The bottom line was that I did not enjoy the drink! Two thumbs down ! (Not my lucky day I bet, should have just ordered my usual double espresso)



(3) Muffins Tasting Menu
They were all warm and freshly baked. Since it was a tasting menu, each one has a unique flavor. Usually when you find one special ingredient being used on an item, it is very likely you will find the same ingredient being used on another item in the same cafe / restaurant. Same case applies here where you find a rosemary flavored muffins along with banana, chocolate, blueberries and dark chocolate. Another positive point of the muffins was that their center were all moist and soft, very nicely done. The rosemary one was indeed an interesting flavor and definitely worth a try.




(4) Spring / Summer Chocolate Collection
Just from the look of the chocolates, I think they were not as refined or delicate in terms of decoration when compared with chocolates from La Maison du Chocolat, Godiva or Wittamer. Maybe it was due to the TINY size of the pieces but still. The collection consisted of special flavors such as banana & mint, White forest, apple & thyme, mango & Kaffir line and Honey mustard. They were not too sweet which was good in my opinion. The most unique flavors in my opinion was the honey mustard because the taste really reminded me of the sauce!



(5) Cappuccino
I gave their coffee another chance because I had higher hopes for this place. Alright, the cappuccino was slightly better. The foam was creamy which I enjoyed but it was still weak of coffee flavors. I think another shot would be nice.

Likes:

• Decor / Atmosphere- great place to sit and relax (especially when the sun is out)
  
• Taro Earl Grey - interesting way to combine the taro with the cake.
• Muffins tasting menu - a nice combination of flavors, especially the rosemary

Dislikes

• Espresso con Panna - overly acidic (maybe due to the whipped cream?)
  
• More staff training is required - we had to repeat our orders for confirmation. (plus unfamiliar with the menu, including the chocolate collection)

Avg Spending: HKD 100 - 200 per person

VERO
1/F, Fenwick Pier,
1 Lung King Street,Wan Chai
Tel: 2559 5882
http://www.verochocolates.com/


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ANTIQUE Patisserie & Fine Chocolates

I have been to this boutique cake shop on Lyndhurst Terrace often enough over the past year to consider it an ideal hideaway for me to kill time in the evening before dinner appointments nearby. This evening was no difference especially with today's rainy weather, there was just nowhere worth going. I call it a hideaway because it is rather difficult to find a quiet and peaceful café near that area where you can just sit and stay away from the noisy traffics outside. Other alternatives? Of course! Try Starbucks or Pacific Coffee Company nearby which are usually packed with people who are either (1) seemingly studying with their ipods on while typing frantically on their ever tiny laptops replying instant messages with a grin, or (2) explaining to a 20-something young couples across the table about their financial futures or retirement objectives which I personally considered very private matters.

Antique uses the Victorian décor theme for its tea room with fireplace along the wall. Based on my observations, most customers would opt for the Victoria style sofa instead of the normal tables they offer. They do look very comfortable but both the coffee table and sofa are a bit too low in height for my liking. It is rather difficult to reach for my drink or eat my cake. Anyhow, it has been raining for the past few days including today so I opted for something bright and colorful this time, something I haven’t tried before.

I ordered the cake Spring Time and a pot of Blue Mountain tea. The tea is light in nature but it has a very subtle vanilla aroma to it which I am not too fond of myself. But if you are a fan of vanilla, give it a try. As for the cake, I picked Spring Time because of its name and colors. It is the combination of different colored mini macaroons on top on the chocolate coating that attracted my attention.

As for the cake itself, the thick chocolate crust base is rather difficult to break away with a simple fork, but once you broke free of it you are in, you find a yellow custard in the center which I think its lemon flavor because of its citrus taste. The taste and texture of mixing the chocolate coating / syrup with the lemon custard insider (along with abit of the very hard chocolate crust) was rather refreshing I think. The mini macaroons are less chewy and less rich compared with those of original size. Try to eat it with the mini macaroons as well for a different texture. My other favorites from Antique are the Earl Grey Mousse and for cheesecake lovers, the Signature Cheesecake.

CENTRAL - TEA ROOM
Shop 2, G/F Oriental Crystal Commerical Building
46 Lyndhurst Terrace
Tel: 852-2542-2816

QUARRY BAY
Jusco Department Store
Ground Floor.
Tel: 852-2907-2908

http://www.antiquepatisserie.com/