Archives for posts with tag: cafe

After a great 3- course meal at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, I did not expect that I could eat another dessert an hour later, until I walked past Kula.

Kula were clever- they left a basket full of waffle cones outside for people to try. They looked yummy! I felt peckish instantly. As soon as I looked up, I saw a curious rotary waffle making machine inside. That was it- I was hooked. I picked up a waffle piece and went in to watch. (What a better way to eat and watch people making waffles at the same time?)

It was therapeutic to watch the lady making the waffle cones. She was skillful and the rhythm of her hand movements was like a mini-performance. She could finish 6 waffle cones in 4 minutes! I had no idea what Swedish waffles are but for the first time, the waffle cones made me want to try the ice-cream! (normally it is the other way round!). Continue reading about the waffles and ice-cream, with special video >>

Tags cafe, cone, ice- cream, kula, London, review, Swedish, waffle

Categories Food & Drink, my good book

Hidden architectural gem: Toilet for Queen Victoria (behind a modern cafe door) you can actually use!

By winkypedia

March 21, 2011 //

This toilet was built for Queen Victoria to use when she visited the Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum gained its current name in 1899, when she laid the foundation stone of a new building designed to give the Museum a grand façade and main entrance, in memory of the enthusiastic support Prince Albert had given to its foundation.

Unlike most museum pieces that can only be seen, you can actually walk in and use the (mixed) toilet! All this is hidden behind a modern door (see photo below). Ever since I worked my first toilet design package, I have a passion about toilets. I get excited about modern mirrored ones at Nopi and I feel lucky that I discovered an old one like this. I can share the ‘toilet experience’ with the Queen. Continue reading >>

Tags Albert, cafe, London, Queen Victoria, review, toilet

Categories architecture, Art & Design, Food & Drink, my good book

My favourite French Toast- Hong Kong Cafe Style

By winkypedia

January 24, 2011 //

French Toast is one my favourite Hong Kong Cafe food. It was inspired by the French pain perdu. The Hong Kong version is to use a thick slice of white bread, soak it in beaten egg mix for a few minutes until it gets ‘saturated’, and then deep fry it till golden. The finished ‘toast’ is then served with butter and golden syrup. They complement each other very well.

I know this dish has even more calories than my other favourite, pineapple bun with butter. But it is very tasty!

As a fast moving city where every minute counts, Hong Kong loses a lot of cafe which makes French toast the good old way now. Most cafe ‘cheats’ by putting peanut butter between 2 thin slices of bread Continue reading >>

Tags butter, cafe, Fench toast, golden syrup, Hong Kong, London, peanut butter, review

Categories Food & Drink, my good book

Pineapple bun with butter 菠蘿油

By winkypedia

January 22, 2011 //

Pineapple bun with butter 菠蘿包 is one of my favourite Hong Kong Cafe foods. Interestingly, pineapple bun 菠蘿油 actually contains no pineapple. It got its name thanks to its distinctive crust, which consists of a thin layer of sweet crumble that ‘dissolves’ in your mouth. They crumble layer on top of the bun is usually in the shape of a little dome. The bun looks like a pineapple, hence its name.

Pineapple bun is yummy on its own. But I simply cannot resist putting a slice of cold butter inside a freshly baked warm pineapple bun. I love having a bite just before the before the butter melts completely. The contrast in texture, taste and temperature is sensational! Continue reading >>

Tags butter, cafe, 菠蘿包, 菠蘿油, Hong Kong, pineapple bun, pork chop, review

Categories Food & Drink, my good book

My great hot chocolate discovery

By winkypedia

October 30, 2010 //

I tried a couple of times but failed to find anything interesting for lunch at Apostrophe. (their sandwiches are quite dull) To my surprise, I discovered last week that they serve amazing hot chocolate, which reminded me of the one I had in a lovely small cafe in L’Aquila, Italy about 13 years ago. I have not been able to find one like it in London since.

The chocolate has an attractive dark brown sheen and lovely aroma. It has a good balance of sweetness, bitterness and creaminess. I enjoy the sensation when the thick (but not heavy) warm chocolate gently flows into my mouth. It is smooth and velvety. It is as cosy and soothing as getting into a nice warm thick duvet in a cold winter night.

Tags cafe, chocolate, hot chocolate, indulgence, London, review, smooth, thick

Categories Food & Drink, my good book