#018, pumpernickel, 120210

company: L
conversation: Food, shoes and Denmark.


My Coffee Guide recommended this restaurant in Tin Hau (heaps far!) but I found another branch in Causeway Bay. In this case, I don't really know if the service or food would be similar to the one in Tin Hau but at least their signature bread should be, right?

The restaurant was not hard to find as we were walking in that general direction but the area did not seem particularly busy. The entrance was basically glass windows from floor to ceiling allowing you to looking inside, there was only one lady near the windowsill eating what seemed to be a yummy sandwich.

Once we entered, we were not greeted by anyone as the counter seemed busy. So we took a seat until someone came over with menus and water. The area was nice and spacious, those sitting near the window would have a good view of the streets, good for people-watching. The walls further inside were decorated with paintings of ladies (naked!) which were artsy and seemed to fit the layout of the restaurant. The whole placed seemed like another version of Delifrance before they changed their store layouts.

There was a glass case showcasing their breads and cakes which all seemed very appetising. My aunt had tried the bread before and she said that it was definitely something she recommended. After 8:30pm every night, the bread is 30% off.


The first thing I noticed when seated was that our table was kind of small. With my camera, notebook, menus and our glasses of water, it was hard not to knock anything over. Looking through the menu, the prices were slightly higher than we expected for a place so far from the main foodie streets as well as for bistro food items. The set lunches ranged from HKD$68 - $88 plus 10% including their soup of the day, a main and coffee or tea. There was pasta, sandwiches and cakes available but I was unable to get all the prices down before we ordered. Oops.

I had a pumpkin soup, a salmon, asparagus and mushroom cream pasta and a cappuccino, HKD$78. She had a mushroom soup, mixed vegetables pesto penne and a pomelo honey drink, HKD$68. Both had an additional 10% service charge.

There were only 4 set lunch meals which was a very limited choice in comparison to other places that we had eaten at. To have anything other than coffee, tea or an espresso beverage, you would have to add money which was annoying because we thought the meal was pricey already.

As our soups arrived we were given a bread basket. The long stick bread was surprisingly yummy with subtle hints of poppy seads and pepper. The other bun was more of a regular wheat bun which was nothing special. Our soups seemed kind of watery but were tasty.

I won't say much about the pasta, they were acceptable and extremely filling. Although my cream sauce was watery, L said her pesto sauce was very strong and flavourful.

Back to the drinks. A regular cappuccino would be HKD$25 on it's own without the meal. The cappuccino was made quickly so I was unable to listen to the barista frothing the milk. Overall, the foam was alright although a little less creamy than what I was expecting and the espresso seemed slightly watery (or is it just me?). It was not very bitter and hot enough but was just not creamy.

It's okay though, I enjoyed the entire meal and the brownie dessert we received after our meal was a surprise. It was a little sweet and we were both so full from the pasta that we couldn't finish it all.

Pumpernickel is slightly far away for those that may not venture out in search for restaurants. In this case, Pumpernickel may lose out on potential customers. We did see several people come to have lunch but not enough to fill the entire restaurant. The prices asked for their food items are slightly higher than I would have expected although the interior and atmosphere of the restaurant provide a comfortable environment for dining.

Knowing that the restaurant promotes their bread (hence the name), it was one of the highlights of our meal. Maybe if we had chosen the sandwiches or the omellette that had a huge piece of bread on it, it may have been a less heavy meal (for me).

I can't say much about the coffee as I was not able to observe their process but it was alright if a bit watery. This could have been because of the extraction of the espresso shot although regularly they should only be 25 seconds long. Frothing the milk to the right consistency would allow a creamier texture and possibly make it less watery.

Overall, I was extremely full even though I thought it was slightly pricey. Probably just another tick off my list rather than somewhere to go to again. Maybe next time I'll just buy their bread since their bread basket was quite yummy. Maybe a bread blog will be next? Haha.

address: Shop B, 13 Cleveland Street, Causeway Bay.
銅鑼灣 加寧街13號B舖地下
phone: 2576 1302

the explorer becomes a student, part 1

Today I ate lunch at Mackie Kitchen with L: I had a garden salad with pineapple followed by linguine with crab meat and asparagus in cream sauce and ended with an iced mint mocha (yum!). She had potato and leek soup followed by linguine with grilled shrimps in tomato sauce and ended with an iced caramel macchiato (yum!). Both HKD$69 +10%.

As much as the food was filling, the drinks were yummy, the atmosphere was relaxing and accommodating (thanks for putting up with us for... Many hours...) and as much as I highly recommend this restaurant, this post today is about the first of two coffee classes I had.

Coffee Assembly was one of the first cafes I wanted to go to since I started this blog. Unfortunately, due to timing restraints, different opening days and it being so hidden, I was never able to go! But today was my lucky day because the lesson I had took place there.

The lesson was interesting, fun and very informative. We got to use different types of equipment to make coffee, learnt about the processing of coffee beans and I got to ask all my questions. My favourite part was learning how to foam milk properly to create latte art! Apart from scorching my fingers quite a bit, I realised what I was doing wrong and my screeching milk soon became silent! Although I may be able to make socially acceptable (for someone with kind of low standards) espresso coffee now, I know that I still have miles to go and I will keep practicing.

Our teacher, Felix. Also the owner of Coffee Assembly and Cafe Corridor (I knew I recognised him from somewhere). He was very patient, knowledgeable and experienced with coffee.

Coffee Assembly provides three levels of classes, I attended the third level that introduced and delved further into Italian coffee (espresso, cappuccino etc). If you are interested, I would recommend calling in early as spaces fill up quickly (I called during January to get slotted in for February). Prices vary per class, and despite what you might think is expensive - you should not put a price on education!

Here's a website for more information.

If you want to visit Coffee Assembly (which I hope to soon!), they only open from Thursday to Sunday as the remaining days are used for lessons.

address: Cockloft, No.6 Elgin Street, SOHO, Central.
中環蘇豪伊利近街6號閣樓
phone: 2858 8153

#012, mackie kitchen, 300110

company: L
conversation: Being duped, confidence, Foie Gras Burger and good eye mite.

This was another one of "My Coffee Guide" recommendations. Since L and I were meeting up with others later in the afternoon at Causeway Bay, I figured we could go on a coffee adventure. We trekked to an unknown part of the district but managed to find the store without any difficulties.

When we walked in, there was only one person inside eating, we were a little uncertain as to whether they were open or not but we were greeted by a waitress and told to sit wherever we pleased. I chose the window seat so that we'd get some natural light (it was a nice, sunny day) and although it was kind of awkward as people stared inside to our table, I think my pictures turned out pretty well!

The waitress handed us set lunch menus that ranged from linguine pasta to sandwiches, with an inclusive salad or soup, bread and coffee or tea, approximately HKD$58-$72 + 10% service charge. An additional $20 was required for desserts, but a la carte dessert cost an extra $30. L noticed that they change their lunch and dinner menus everyday and post the daily menus on their blog (free Wi-Fi ftw).

I think the word "cute" is very suitable for this store, I mean, just look at the hand embroidered fabric-cover of their drinks menu! When you first enter, there is a corner dedicated to free postcards and magazines by independent companies for you to take and read whilst eating. There is also a community bulletin board with pictures and business cards creating a very artsy feel.

Seating approximately 40, the layout is spacious and comfortable and we could have easily stayed there for more than a couple of hours just chatting and watching people walk by. We got there at 12:15pm but at around 1:20pm, the entire store was full. Although slightly hidden, the restaurant was surrounded by other cafes, burger joints and Chinese styled restaurants so competition was definitely there.


I had a cappuccino, regular, HKD$30 and a New York Cheesecake, HKD$30. She had a caramel macchiato, regular, HKD$35 and a homemade Crème Brulee with ice-cream, HKD$30. Both include 10% service charge.

This experience teaches us to read the fine-print! We had arrived during lunchtime but what we didn't know was that they had a minimum charge of $60 (+10%)! Whilst we ordered our coffees (unknowingly), the waitress left without any queries only to have the manager walk up letting us know about the minimum charge. At least we were in the mood to have something to eat or else I would have felt even worse. My apologies, L!

When my cappuccino arrived, there was a very pleasant aroma of espresso and its presentation was clean and crisp. The foam was thick and of the right proportion, the bitterness was tolerable and the espresso seemed a little watery but still strong enough to pack a punch.

I feel that I am still very inexperienced with tasting different blends of coffee beans as well as different temperatures in roasting and when an extraction has been done well or not. Hopefully through time and experience, I'll be blogging about the stores' blends and beans, as well as having intellectual conversations about them with other coffee enthusiasts!

The foam was filled slightly higher than the rim to look a little like a souffle. I always thought people liked the extra foam given to them but as I was surfing online yesterday, I found someone that really disliked it! I can understand that the proportions are wrong and maybe (technically) eating air isn't what they wanted from an espresso coffee (especially at that price) but when I was younger and my parents ordered cappuccinos, I would always ask if I could eat the foam. So for me, the more foam there is, the better! As long as if there's still a good portion of coffee left to drink afterwards.

My New York Cheesecake was also very nicely presented with a swirl of whipped cream on the side. Although dense (good!), the centre of the cake was very crumbly, soft and fluffy. After finishing a good half of the already small cake, I felt quite full and heavy. The whipped cream was a whole other thing! I don't know if it was the chocolate powder lightly sprinkled on top or that it was a special recipe, but the whipped cream was a light, sweet and a heavenly accompliment to the cheesecake. I don't know if they make the cheesecake themselves, but whoever does, well done.

The creepy little bugger on the right is L's caramel macchiato. According to wikipedia, a caffè macchiato is basically an espresso stained with a teaspoon of milk dropped into the espresso (that is how I have been taught as well), so basically it should not be as large as L's one was but rather placed in a hard-boiled-egg-sized cup. However, as wiki continues, trends have begun changing the macchiato by having steamed milk stained with espresso instead, which makes more sense in this case. This then crosses closely to being a caffe latte but different. Whilst drinking, I looked over to another table and their iced macchiato seemed much nicer, darn.

L commented that even though she could smell the caramel and slightly taste it, the espresso coffee was still stronger and thus not as sweet. In contrast, I thought there was a good balance between caramel syrup and espresso. The caramel gave the beverage a deeper taste and as the espresso came present, it would continue to linger but not overpower.

Her crème brulee was also presented well. I liked the idea of putting the ice cream in a rock glass creating different heights and visual textures. Just like in the movie; Amélie, I enjoy cracking the caramelised sugar crust on top of crème brulees, or even watching them being cracked. The crack and subsequent fractures in the crust indicated an experienced chef, the brulee on the other hand was cold (intentional?) and thicker than what I am used to. An overall good dish.

Mackie Kitchen, is owned and run by manager James. I plucked up the courage to talk to him for a bit and ask him some questions, he was nice. He originally opened a bookstore 2 years ago called "Mackie Study" and when that closed, Mackie Kitchen was born. I am certainly not surprised that this store has lasted this long, the general environment and atmosphere allows one to relax and enjoy the company of others or a book without feeling pressured to leave.

Presentation is obviously very important to them. Looking at other tables, the dishes were well portioned and despite being full from the desserts, we felt peckish to try their lunches. If we weren't meeting up with others for lunch, I think we would have eaten there.

Although prices may be on the steeper side, for such a good environment, I can see how many people can keep visiting. From 2:30pm to 6pm there are tea sets available for $30, which would have suited us much more. I guess today was a bunch of lessons learnt! We received a $10 discount coupon for our next visit which is a good incentive but you have to eat more than $60 before you can use it. I hope to visit one more time before I leave. Join me?

address: 銅鑼灣加路連山道9號地鋪, Causeway Bay.
(Keep following Leighton Road until you get to Caroline Hill Road #9)
website: Mackie Kitchen / phone: 2808 0351

#010, first cup coffee, 230110

company: L
conversation: Guys, museums, Autumn's Concerto (Taiwanese Drama), giving up and getting lost.

**I would just like to point out that the interior of the 'cafe' was so dark that all my pictures ended up really fuzzy and dark. My apologies.**

Let's just say that if I were Christopher Columbus on a voyage to discover America... I probably wouldn't find it. Maybe it was a combination of tiredness, not reading the address right and even Open Rice giving me the wrong address; we walked an entire circle around buildings and crossing roads only to find ourselves back at square one when the coffee shop was hidden away on the next street the whole time.

L was the first to see the sign, whereas I just walked right past the store. In retrospect, I would have continued walking if she hadn't stopped me. It was so dark that it verged on the creepy side of things. But an explorer does not give up even if the place looks dodge, so I went in and accidentally thought a regular guest was the waiter... My bad. After being handed the menu, we decided the prices were fair enough (L's treat!) and then came the dilemma of sitting near the entrance where there were many smokers or sit near a suspiciously potential drug deal in the corner. Hmm...

The furniture was mis-matched and some of them were poorly kept. If the place hadn't been so sketchy, I think I would have appreciated it more. The bar looked readily stocked and everyone was ordering coffees so that must have been some indication towards the quality.

Whilst the menu was approximately 10 pages long, I realised they had made the "Hot Drinks" and "Cold Drinks" separate when they were essentially the same beverages. Although I did see something else that I had not noticed in other coffee shops: coffee drinks with alcohol. I only skimmed this section but an example was a latte with Baileys (an Irish cream based liqueur, yum). Whilst this raised the price quite a bit, this is an excellent combination. I can only imagine the creaminess of the Baileys working with the latte to create an extra layer of sweetness.

Breakfast food items as well as wraps and sandwiches were also available, we saw one of the employees make a wrap which smelt quite good.

I had a cappuccino, small, HKD$28. She had a mocha, small, HKD$32.

The drinks came relatively fast and they were hot. The barista understood what she was doing but the frothing of the milk was quite noisy and this was evident in the quality of the foam on my cappuccino.

Although it might not be obvious in the photo, but as I was taking photos, more and more bubbles appeared. This made me remember my cups of coffee (the few that I made) which had visible air bubbles and craters because I did not froth the milk enough. This does not take away from the taste of the cappuccino but nice froth makes the cappuccino more visually appealling. Usually I can just sprinkle lots and lots of chocolate powder on top to hide the imperfections.

With the first sip of the cappuccino, I noticed it was very strong. Like, very strong. It reminded me of S Square Cafe's espresso punch, but this was not sour. The great thing I realised about this coffee was that there was no aftertaste. Even as we left the cafe, I asked L if she had any sourness in her mouth, we both marvelled at the fact that whilst we could still slightly taste the espresso, it was a nice aftertaste and not something you needed to cover up with gum.

A mocha is basically a variation of a latte, except with a teaspoon of chocolate powder dissolved inside. Thus making it less bitter and strong. L's mocha was visually appealling and what surprised me was that when I tasted it, I could actually tell the difference between the espresso and chocolate! Although I did not regularly drink mochas before, when I did, I thought the espresso was so powerful that I could not taste any chocolate whatsoever.

In comparison to the cappuccino, the mocha was much sweeter (although my sweet tooth wasn't complaining) but still had a good balance with the coffee.

First Cup Coffee, the name, makes me think of ones first ever cup of coffee. Honestly, I don't remember mine, but I don't think it was anything special. I think this store was more of a bar than a coffee shop which disappointed me. If I was walking by, I might even cross the street because I felt intimidated to go in.

The wide entrance allows smokers to sit and smoke but causes the smoke to drift into the shop. The barista ended up sitting down at the bar and lighting up, so I would definitely not recommend this place to any non-smokers. It was unpleasant and I ended up smelling like smoke myself. With the wide entrance, the cold wind could easily come in, making our coffees lukewarm about halfway through. I understand that coffee starts getting cold the second you drink it but the lack of heating did not help.

Despite boasting coffee in their name, the interior definitely says otherwise. It is not some place I would return to even though the graffiti seemed cool and the coffee was not half-bad. It obviously means something when L and I were discussing further plans to eat at a restaurant nearby and then re-visit Crema instead.

address: G/F, Chevalier Bldg. Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui (look for Prat Avenue).
尖沙咀漆咸道南45-51號其士大廈地下C及D舖
phone: 2316-7793

#002, crema, 080110

company: L
conversation: Too busy playing with my iPod Touch, facebooking (or lack thereof), invisible rope, university and life.

This was the first time that I had no idea where I was going. With a badly drawn map on a post-it note, the store's address and their phone number, I was walking (hopefully) in the right direction. Good thing L knew her way around so I think I might've taken her the long way if we had followed my directions. Once entering the store, the service was a little confusing. We assumed it was self-service because the layout was similar to any commercial coffee shop. For example: the handoff counter and condiments bar were clearly visible for self-service, but instead we were greeted by a waitress/barista (she made our drinks) who gave us menus and pointed to a table for us to sit.

The was a buzz in the atmosphere with quite a few coming in and out whilst we were there. We stayed for about an hour and a bit but I think one good thing about these cafes are that they don't give off any indication that they want you to leave (even though they might), they are designed to allow customers to stay, sit and chat for as long as they want. Quite a lot of the patrons were business people as it was a weekday that came in to have meetings or just grab something on-the-go. Seating was relatively spacious and comfortable, and with free Wi-Fi, I think I would've spent a lot longer in the cafe if only I didn't have to go.

I had a cappuccino, medium, HKD$30. She had a hot chocolate, medium, HKD$27.

Both of us had no idea what sizes the cups were even after spying on the couple next to us who had two different sized cups and the other table having another two different sizes, so we decided on a medium since it was the one in the middle (it seemed safe at the time).

But when the waitress placed our drinks on the table, I was amazed at the size of the cup! Almost as big as a rice bowl, the hot chocolate and cappuccino was filled right to the rim with two packets of brown sugar and a teaspoon on the side. I think the first words coming out of my mouth were: "Far out." Or at least it was something along the lines of exclaiming the monstrosity of the size. (Picture on below shows the size comparison to my iPod Touch).

I do remember my Mum being nostalgic and telling me about her trips to Rome andParis and how their coffee was SO big that it felt like you were drinking out of a mixing bowl. In a way, I might've felt the same here.

After inspecting the depth of the foam (cappuccinos have 1/3 espresso, 1/3 milk and 1/3 foam) and taking lots of photos of the cute bear on top (bonus points, if you ask me), my first impression was that the coffee was not as hot as what I'm used to. I'm a little bit of a wuss so scorching hot coffee = nono, but this was still a little bit cooler than I what I was expecting (although, it might've been the amount of time I took taking the photos, but I digress).

The consistency of the milk and foam was amazing though... Smooth and rich. The sweetness of the coffee was something else I wasn't expecting, I don't think it was the brown sugar that I had put in, but there was only a hint of the bitterness I usually tasted in coffees.

The hot chocolate was very much similar to ones from McCafe (which is a very good thing, I adore McCafe's hot chocolate) with just the right amount of sweetness and velvety milk.

Crema is the name for that thin layer of cream (technically oil that comes from the coffee beans during extraction) that forms after pulling a shot of espresso. Pull a shot too long and you can potentially destroy a perfect cup of espresso, with no crema, boo. Very often I am afraid of pulling my shots for too long so I end up staring at the coffee machine and watch as the dark brown espresso streams out of the group handle like runny honey and stop when the colour appears lighter (or approximately after 25 to 30 seconds). At least I think that's what I'm supposed to do!

Although not as intimate as Soulmate Coffee, Crema is larger in size and portions. With a greater variety of items on the menu, they provide tea sets as well as lunch and dinner options. The travelling distance was certainly further than I had expected, but if I am in the neighbourhood again, I don't think I would mind enjoying a cup of coffee and mooching off their Wi-Fi.

address: Shop G36, G/F, Peninsula Centre, 67 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
尖沙咀麼地道67號半島中心地下G36號舖
phone: 2369 0338
credit: The Espresso Guy