#021, simplylife bread & wine, 180210

company: Dad, Mum and G
conversation: Chinese, cameras, inspiration and coffee.

I've walked by this restaurant plenty of times so this was not much of a coffee adventure rather than a desire to try it out. Having tried Simplylife Bakery Cafe in Festival Walk (Kowloon Tong) several years ago and recently witnessing its increased popularity (there is a line every time I walk by), my expectations were relatively high. Now, I have to admit that I already had a good impression of the restaurant due to an impromptu interview with the manager who was professional and friendly.

There are two parts to the store: a cafe/bakery using trays and take-away items and a restaurant with an a la carte menu and table service. As we were in the area during the afternoon, a full-on meal was not needed but rather a comfortable place to sit and have something small to eat.

Walking in to order, you were greeted by an actual bakery. Breads to your left, a wine cabinet to your right and sweet and savoury pastries in front of you. The varieties of danishes were endless; strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, apple, pear, chocolate, coffee, salmon and cheese, cinnamon, to name just a few on the top of my head, all HKD$14 each.

Also available were soups ($35), sandwiches ($32 - $42) and salads ($42 - $62). As you can see, even ordering a sandwich and juice ($28) or smoothie ($32) together could create an on-the-go lunch rather than sitting inside the restaurant.

Seating approximately 40 only just within the cafe area, we found it quite hard to find a table and seats as there were many people. The restaurant extended further from the entrance promising even more seats to provide spacious and comfortable seating for diners. There was not much need for any decoration on the walls to keep with their "simple" decor and especially since there was this spectacular view of the harbour and Kowloon-side with their panoramic ceiling-to-floor window allowing natural light.

I had a toffee latte, large, HKD$30 and a strawberry danish, HKD$14. Dad had a coffee with milk, large, HKD$28 and a chocolate danish, HKD$14. Mum had a cappuccino, large, HKD$30 with an apple danish, HKD$14. G had a peach tea, HKD$22.

Whilst I am all for saving the environment and using ceramic cups instead of paper ones, these paper cups were way too cute to turn away. Maybe it's just me but I thought it was a creative and fun twist to the regular font and original layout of other coffee stores.

As I was watching the barista froth the milk, he spilt a little on his hand, ouch. I remember reading a blog a while ago where this barista was telling stories of crazy customers: This one customer wanted their takeaway coffee to be a certain scalding temperature. After receiving it, they took a sip and threw it at the barista because it wasn't hot enough! Let it be known that the temperature was way above "hot", can you imagine the pain? Maybe we have to start thinking of some OH&S regulations regarding to the steaming of milk.

As morbid as it sounds, the barista's pain was our warm and yummy beverage. Lifting the plastic lid off my toffee latte was like Easter (next holiday) come early, the first whiff was full of toffee with a hint of espresso. Inspecting the froth resulted in a thin layer of foam which was creamy and thick. Hot to the touch, the toffee flavour was not overpowering of the espresso that was strong and pungent.

Maybe it was a cold day but I thought it was really, really good.

I returned a couple of days ago and had a caramel latte, it was not as good as the toffee as the caramel was a little strong but it was still creamy and velvety in texture.

My strawberry danish look pretty and tasted just as good. The pastry was light, fluffy and melted in your mouth. The strawberries on top were sweet and the little blob of cream cheese hidden inside was a nice surprise. Having tried a blueberry danish and chocolate danish on other visits, I can safely say that all their pastries consistently live up to standards and are so yummy that I am craving for one right now.

I smelt G's peach tea first before even reaching the table. Even though it was from a teabag, it smelt sweet and fruity. I imagined it would taste like Snapple... But it didn't. It tasted just like tea and even when G put sugar in, it just tasted like sweet tea. Oh well!


Both the cappuccino and regular coffee were hot and aromatic. Mum said that the cappuccino has been one of the better ones she's had in Hong Kong; a deep foam with a creamy espresso. Dad's regular coffee was strong and just as creamy even though I'm not really sure if they used steamed milk.

Simplylife Bread and Wine is a part of the Maxim's franchise which also includes Starbucks. I guess if you knew that when dining, comparisons would inevitably be made (as seen in a lot of reviews from Open Rice). There are many similarities between both coffee shops with the comfy couches, sandwiches and salads, but what makes Simplylife different is their pastries and focus on bread as well as their process in making coffee. Although with significantly less beverages to choose from, there is less stress on quantity as I assume they don't need to fulfill a quota and can fall back on revenue from the restaurant.

I guess I just haven't eaten a lot of good pastries as of yet, so this is definitely a recommendation from me. Seating is comfortable, prices are affordable and there is a range of food items and beverages to suit everyone. Since my initial visit, I have already returned twice. I guess that says quite a bit, hey?

Overall, whether you want to buy these pastries to takeaway or have them whilst enjoying the view, you will be pleasantly surprised. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) is something I got from this experience: focusing on quality and doing a few things perfectly can sometimes go a very long way. Well done.

address: IFC (International Financial Centre), Store 1081, Central.
中環港景街1號國際金融中心商場2期 1樓1081號舖
(They also have outlets in Festival Walk and Tai Koo)
phone: 2234 7356

#020, fuel espresso, 140210

company: Dad, Mum and G
conversation: Macau, taking photos and coffee.

Before heading over to my relative's place for a Chinese New Year dinner with quite a bit of time to spare, a coffee adventure happened. Although within IFC (International Financial Centre), I only had a store number as reference and after weaving our way through the mall, we eventually stumbled upon a little quiet corner on the third floor.


Whilst looking at the drinks menu and their prices, something on the counter caught my eye. It was My Coffee Guide! What are the odds. Turns out Fuel Espresso is actually the first store recommended in the book. Seating is extended out into the mall to allow people-watching and maximise space. We looked for a place to sit, but even with approximately 32 seats (including bar stools further inside), they were all paired off, forcing us to have to move a table closer to create a four-seater.

With a small variety of beverages listed on their blackboard, they cover the basics in espresso coffee with hot and cold options available ranging from HKD$24 - $44. Cakes and cookies are also available for $16 - $25, indicating that this store specialises mostly in drinks rather than expanding into the food department (I guess that's what Soho is for).

The overall layout allowed patrons to order at a counter and have the staff deliver the drinks upon them being made. The sleek design and wall arrangements made the whole store look and feel stylish and modern. Even the staff looked really cool and trendy with their glass-less glasses and gelled hair, but they were nice and not intimidating at all.

The wall in the picture below was aligned with paper cups, water bottles and their tea selection. To serve the tea, I observed that they used antique teacups and pots and even had the tea leaf strainers.


Mum and I had a cappuccino, regular, HKD$36. Dad had a latte, regular, HKD$36. G had an iced chocolate, HKD$44.

On first inspection of the menu, I was quite surprised at the prices. As a student, prices like these make me hesitant to order (ahem, S Square Cafe). IFC (1 and 2) houses a mall, cinema and is Hong Kong's tallest office building with 88 floors. Gazillion-dollar-dealing business people working around the area or within the building must not think much about a 36 dollar coffee.

The cappuccinos and latte were made first and looked very promising. Whilst watching the barista froth, he may have put a bit too much milk in the jug causing some to splash and almost spill before he turned off the steam wand. When milk is heated or steamed, it expands as air is incorporated and the fat molecules help to keep them in place. So when initially steaming milk, room must be accounted for in the milk jug. But the result was a creamy froth and a good lookin' cappuccino.

What is different with this cappuccino is that instead of using chocolate powder, they use chocolate flakes. This creates a thin layer of melted chocolate on the surface, adding another flavour to the strong espresso. Although I enjoyed the chocolate dimension, my Mum did think it was a bit too sweet.

Whilst the froth was creamy, the chocolate was sweet, the espresso very aromatic and strong. The only thing that pulled it away from being a good cup of coffee was the fact that it was not hot enough. Boo. I think this was because while the barista was frothing the milk, he turned off the steam-wand too soon so as to not spill any more. This caused the milk to have a nice consistency but it did not have enough time to heat up to a good temperature. What a shame.

The latte was in a glass proportioned nicely. I found out from Felix that using a glass for lattes is an Australian (Sydney?) custom and it is only for aesthetic purposes with no difference to using ceramic. Question answered.

G's iced chocolate had a scoop of vanilla ice cream hidden inside. Yum. It was thick and had a strong taste of dark chocolate although she complained that it was slightly powdery. Like many of the thick iced beverages I have seen lately, I'm guessing this one was filling and heavy.

Fuel Espresso appears to be a more "up-and-go" type of coffee shop for the regular business person before going to work or attending a meeting. And whilst I imagined men and women in suits signing contracts and making deals, I could also see people chatting and reading books. There was a slow trickle of people even though stores were closed and no one was working. Mornings at this place must be super crazy busy!

Seating here is not exactly comfortable, the carpeted area was quite dirty (maybe a baby or kid sat here before we arrived) and the price was way above the usual espresso drink I have seen around that are of the same quality. If only the cappuccino was hotter I would have been able to overlook all of those flaws and recommend it to people and possibly even return.

There are certainly other coffee shops in IFC mall, and I'm betting they are not to be missed. But the consistency of the milk and the creaminess of the espresso is only found in well-trained barista skills and you will be sure to find it here (fingers crossed it is hot when you try it).

address: International Financial Centre, Shop 3023, Central.
中環港景街1號國際金融中心3023號舖
phone: 2295 3815

#006, mo-ikken cafe, 170110

company: Dad, Mum, G and D
conversation: Breakfast, the food and coffee.

If you live in Hong Kong, you will not be a stranger towards the term 茶餐廳 (English literal translation: tea meal room). The food provided here in Mo-Ikken Cafe is similar to that of a 茶餐廳 but with a higher price tag to account for the more comfortable seating and the presentation of the dishes. The restaurant is well-lit, decorated with ceiling fans and spacious seating. Staff greet you just as you enter, and although it is not extraordinary service they are efficient and friendly.

Having been to this cafe several times for breakfast and lunch, I had a good impression of their breakfast items but not so much for lunch. The problem with eating breakfast here is that it ends at 11:30am. Having to get dressed and travel to this cafe is a tough ordeal in the morning since I have been very lazy lately. Although lunch is inclusive of soup and a drink, it is nothing special. The regular dishes include baked rice and/or spaghetti, fried rice and curry with rice. If possible, we usually try to avoid coming in later than 11am to make sure we can have breakfast.

Their Horlicks were a good indication of their skills in frothing milk (yum) and after realising that they advertised their cappuccinos as a recommendation and with their impressive bar and steamer on display, I decided to try it this time.


I had a Ice & Fire Pineapple Style Bread (HKD$15) and a cappuccino, regular, HKD$22. Everyone else had a breakfast meal, HKD$26 - $29.

Breakfasts are a set with an additional coffee or tea with extra charges according to the type of drink you want to change it to. Unfortunately, espresso drinks are not included and have to be ordered separately. Consisting of the typical Chinese breakfasts (macaroni pasta, sandwiches and Chinese noodles) there are also sets that include scrambled or fried eggs with your choice of proteins (ham, bacon, sausages), there is even a healthy option of oats.

Altogether, it is a very hearty meal and the previous times I had breakfast here, I was full until dinner (didn't finish most of the stuff as well).

I did not really understand the Ice & Fire Pineapple Style Bread. Was the slice of butter (too much) the "ice" part and the fact that the bread had been pan-fried the "fire" part? I assume so, considering I found nothing else special about it. Although filling, the butter and oil from frying the bread made me feel very heavy and ew.

Back on to the main point: the cappuccino. Sorry, let me rephrase: what cappuccino? Whilst watching the manager (she was wearing a different coloured shirt) making the espresso, I realised there was no coffee grinder and that she was directly tamping (previously?) ground coffee into the group handle and fitting into the machine. I wait a couple of seconds expecting the espresso to slowly stream out, but saw nothing.

When I pulled shots (the little times I did) at work, everyone kept reminding me to start the extraction within 3-seconds of putting the group handle into the machine. This is because any time spent longer in the machine would cause the ground coffee to burn and make the espresso bitter.

You can imagine my horror and confusion when I did not see any espresso streaming out of the handle. The manager then began to froth the milk. This was a reminder to me of exactly how much I still need to learn as the screeching of the milk and steamer brought me back to the times when I was on the verge of tears just trying to get my milk to begin a whirlpool. She attempted to steam the milk twice before pulling the espresso shot and then serving the cappuccino to me.

The above picture shows the difference in the espresso coffee (right) and regular Hong Kong style coffee (left). Apart from the presentation, I did not see any difference. Suffice to say, I was very disappointed. Despite the lack of froth and chocolate powder on top, I was surprised to find that the coffee itself was smooth and velvety. I was expecting incredibly bitter coffee but found that even without sugar, the coffee was still drinkable and did not taste burnt at all. Why? What happened??? I'm confused!

The Mo-Ikken Cafe, in Chinese is called 又一間餐室, meaning "just another restaurant store", plays on the fact that there are so many similar cafes and restaurants around. Although many of the other stores do not require a 10% service charge, they do not provide any particular any service to warrant such charge. However, one of the great things is that with the level of service received in Mo-Ikken Cafe and their presentation, they do not include a 10% service charge with the meal as well. Score.

Paying $22 for a cup of coffee similar to the filtered one included with the meal was a huge disappointment especially with it being highly recommended. Even though it tasted fine, the lack of foam and presentation (there was coffee spilt on the sides) was just, not good.

Rarely ever empty during breakfast, lunch or even afternoon tea. This is definitely just another one of those restaurants... But different as well. I would return, for breakfast and their Horlicks and stocking tea. But not for their espresso coffees.

address: Shop G08 ,1 Po Lun Street,Manhattan Hill Plaza, Lai Chi Kok.
荔枝角寶輪街1號曼克頓山商場(曼坊)G08舖地下
phone: 2886 8778