French – Eris Goes To

Best Places For Souffle Pancakes In The Klang Valley

November 4, 2019November 2, 2019Posted in FoodTagged dessert, dining, eats, Featured, food, food photography, French, French food, Japanese food, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, restaurant review, souffle, sweets4 Comments

What’s soft and bouncy and feels like pillows?

If you answered souffle and/or souffle pancakes, then you’d be right. The name itself is an indication to its cloud-like nature, with the French word ‘souffler‘ meaning ‘to blow’. While the dessert has been a hallmark of classical French cuisine, it was the Japanese who popularised the souffle pancake, a fluffy cross between a pancake and a souffle made by whipping meringue into the batter so that it puffs up.

In the Klang Valley, there are a number of places serving these delectable treats, and I’ve rounded up three that I think serve pretty good ones!

SOFFLE, SUNWAY PYRAMID

Sporting a minimalist interior with soft, subtle colours, hanging out in Soffle with friends over a dessert or two is just the pick-me-up one needs after a day out shopping. The cafe serves nine different varieties of souffle pancake, from the fruity Mango Cream and Strawberry Cream, to the creamier options of Oreo, Tiramisu or Belgian Chocolate. Their signature? Following the trend of putting tapioca pearls on everything, Soffle’s specialty is the Brown Sugar Pearl souffle pancake, which is poured over with a brown sugar sauce, boba and brown sugar syrup.

What we liked: Texture of chewy pearls paired extremely well with the soft, bouncy souffle pancake. Everything is made fresh in-house daily, from the pearls to the batter for the souffle. Come after lunch, as they might not have everything ready if you arrive around 11AM.

Also try: Soffle has a range of tea drinks, but go for the yoghurt ice cream – although it is not always available.

Soffle

F1.55B, First Floor, No.3. Jalan PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Phone: 03-7499 3900
Open: 10AM – 10PM

MOGE TEE, SS2

Moge Tee in SS2 specialises in fruit teas, but their souffle pancakes are also commendable. While they do have the usual flavours like Classic, Oreo, Tiramisu and bubble tea (duh), they’ve also got a pretty unique one called Sekkisei, which was created exclusively for a campaign with a skincare company. The Sekkisei is an Instagrammer’s wet dream and very pretty to look at, from the edible gold dust and flakes on top to the wooden board their souffle pancakes are served on. Tastewise, I feel that their souffle pancakes are a cut above the rest as well. Because they use cheese in the pancake + the sauce, there is a salty element to balance out the sweetness – kind of like salted caramel. The ice-cream that comes with the Sekkisei is made from tofu and very light, with a texture like sorbet, so you won’t feel like the dessert is too cloying.

The Tiramisu is a good one as well, but served with regular vanilla ice cream and a tiramisu biscuit.

What we liked: Nice balance of salty and sweet, cheesy, not cloying, beautiful presentation

Also try: Their wide range of fruit teas! Some of their bestsellers are the dragon fruit and cheese topped watermelon, avocado and the signature fruit tea. Refreshing, and pairs perfectly with the souffle pancakes.

Moge Tee

52, Jalan SS2/61, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 03-7865 6757
Open: 12PM – 1AM

HOSHINO COFFEE, MID VALLEY

Don’t fret – we haven’t left out the classics. If souffle pancakes are not your thing, go for the original at Hoshino Coffee @ Mid Valley. The brand is from Japan, specialising in coffee and desserts – but they serve Western and fusion (yoshoku) dishes as well.

The atmosphere is like a typical kissaten (coffee bar/restaurant) – it’s almost like you’re somewhere in downtown Tokyo! The cafe spans two floors, with the lower level boasting booths for privacy and a coffee ‘bar’ area, while the upstairs is more reminscent of a lounge with elegant leather sofas.

Hoshino serves three flavours – Vanilla, Chocolate and Matcha. Each one is made to order so expect a waiting time of at least 20 minutes. Souffles are notoriously hard to make (just watch any episode of Masterchef) but I can say that they’ve perfected the art here. The desserts came out beautifully, served in ramekins. Photo takers will have to act fast; the souffle starts sinking almost immediately. The texture is eggy like custard, and the dessert is meant to be mixed together with the sauce that comes with it – ie vanilla or chocolate sauce.

The Matcha will appeal to those who like a hint of bitterness to balance out the sugary sweetness of the souffle.

What we liked: Perfectly baked souffles! Eggy and custardy.

Also try: The coffee, which is an Arabica blend. Not for those who like strong coffees, the coffee here is pretty mild.

Hoshino Coffee

27.G, Ground Floor, The Boulevard, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
Open: 8AM – 10PM

French Pastries @ Cafes Richard, Sky Avenue Genting

February 15, 2017April 4, 2017Posted in Food, Malaysia, TravelTagged Cafes Richard, coffee, dining, Featured, fine dining, food, French, Genting Highlands, Malaysia, Sky Avenue3 Comments

The trend among youths today is to hangout at ‘cool’ spots – and the newly opened Cafes Richard at Sky Avenue, Resorts World Genting seems set to be one of them. A top coffee roaster in France, this is the brand’s first venture in Malaysia and its first cafe-cum-brasserie concept. As part of a media trip, I got to try out their tea-time ‘box’ set – a unique drawer that opens up to beautiful bite-sized pastries on each level. 🙂

Dainty creme brulees and chocolate eclairs, sinful cheesecakes and fruit tarts, sweet milky macarons, fluffy mushroom pops, salmon and cream cheese and cream and berry cornets were just some of the items in the box set. Good enough for three people, even!

Aside from tea, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and there’s also a bar inside serving alcoholic drinks. At night there’s live entertainment at the lounge area so you can get up to five different experiences at the cafe, depending on your time of visit! 🙂

sdr — Chemex Method Ethiopian Moka Yrgacheffe with Roasted French Duck with Orange Sauce

Children’s Dream Mocktail with Salad Nicoise

Flower Coffee Soda drink with Salade Lyonnaise

Grilled Australian Beef Sirlion with Sumatera Orang Utan Syphon Technique

Spaghetti with Braised Escargot and Cream Sauce & Classic French Onion Soup with Lime Blossom Organic Tea.

*Photos not watermarked are courtesy of Resorts World Genting

CAFES RICHARD

Level 1, SkyAvenue, Resorts World Genting, 69000 Genting Highland Resort, Pahang, Malaysia

Phone: +60 3-6105 9197

Business hours: 10AM–12AM

http://www.cafesrichard.com

Colmar Tropicale French Village, Bukit Tinggi Pahang

August 4, 2016August 4, 2016Posted in Malaysia, TravelTagged attractions, Berjaya Group, Bukit Tinggi, Colmar Tropicale, family, French, fun, holiday, Malaysia, Pahang, photography, places to visit, travel, vacation1 Comment

My mum had cataract surgery a few weeks ago. She’s been feeling cooped up in the house, so we took her for a short getaway to the hills of Pahang. Our first stop was Colmar Tropicale French Village in Bukit Tinggi, which is about an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur. It’s a perfect place to visit over the weekend, since it’s quite close to the city, but far enough to be a relaxing retreat.

Owned by hospitality and entertainment conglomerate Berjaya Group, the Colmar Tropicale is a small enclave on top of the hill fashioned after a ‘French’ village. The moats have mallards and ducks, as well as black and white swans. There is a spa near the village, and the buildings are made to look like old castles and turrets.

Despite being quite high up in the hills, the place was sunny and warm – not much different from KL. By the time we got to the village, I was hot and sweaty. Global warming has not been kind on Malaysia’s mountains and hills. I think it’s partly due to deforestation and rapid development. It’s not so bad in Bukit Tinggi, since the resort is run by one private company, but in places like Cameron Highlands, a lot of land is being cleared by companies cashing in on the tourism and agricultural boom. More hotels, more farms, more ‘gardens’. A lot of news exposes have been done on illegal logging and the rape of the hills, but as usual, money wins in the end..

But I digress.

Colmar Tropicale is small, with two rows of quaint-looking French-themed buildings, a watchtower and a ‘drawbridge’. The hotels are inspired by medieval designs, with suits of armour, wooden counters and charming old-style paintings decorating its walls.

At first glance, it does look like a charming little French village -colorful windows and tiled, slanting roofs. And then you have the ‘ketupat’ light decorations from Hari Raya that have yet to be taken down.. 😛

There are some chic cafes, French restaurants and bakeries scattered all around the area. But typical of tourist traps, everything is super pricey.

A ‘wishing well’ which I did not throw any coins into lol.

There seemed to be some team building/treasure hunt going on, as groups of people wearing the same type of T-Shirts were seen racing around the place, pointing and looking at maps.

Tucked at the end of the street is a small funfair-like area with game booths where visitors can try to win stuffed doll prizes.

View from halfway up the watchtower at the far end of the street. It’s about five storeys high and offers nice views of the valley below.

View from the top.

There is not a load of things to see or do here, but it’s good to stop by for an hour or two. Also, pretty photos! If you’re around the area, there are other attractions like an Adventure Park, Japanese garden (we’ll be headed there next!), mini zoo and a temple which you can complete within the day.

Visitors to the Bukit Tinggi resort have to pay an entrance fee, which is RM13 per pax. Entrance to the Colmar is included, as is a visit to the Japanese Garden/Botanical Garden. Not sure about other attractions; you may have to pay separate fees.

French Food in KL @ 2OX Bistro and Bar, The Row

May 31, 2016February 21, 2021Posted in FoodTagged 2OX, beef oyster blade, creme brulee, dining, fine dining, food, French, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, places to eat, The Row1 Comment

You don’t have to go to France: let France come to you. At 2OX Bistro and Bar along The Row@Jalan Doraisamy, KL, one can find authentic staples common in every French household – just like how Maman used to make them.

Head chef Thierry Le Baut, who has over 16 years of experience in cooking French cuisine and has been in Malaysia for the last three years, explained that there was no ‘fusion’ or tweaking of flavours to suit local tastes. If you’re having a rilette or a pate here in 20X, rest assured that it’ll taste the same as it does in France. This is probably one of the reasons why the resto is so popular with expats.

When we came by for lunch, the place was quite empty. Clean and comfy, the decor was modern but cosy, with a bar area and a skylight which allowed sunlight to filter in.

Chef Thierry was super friendly, and we talked about his travels around the world, learning about the cuisines in each country. He says he was inspired by his mother’s cooking when coming up with the menu for 2OX.

For appetisers, we started off with the Pate de Maman (RM40) or Mother’s Pate. Presented on a wooden board, there was a thick slab of pate – a mix of minced meat, fat, liver and herbs such as onion, garlic and parsley. The mix of fat and lean gave it an amazing texture and flavour that was both juicy and salty,perfectly complemented by the sour, tangy pickles and crunchy crackers.

The Duck Rilette (RM38) came in a little glass jar, and sides similar to the pate, namely crackers, salad and pickled items. This was, Thierry professed, one of his favourite dishes. Hard to make, since it requires the meat to be cured, salted, cooked over low heat, shredded and raked before blending. The duck was mixed with pork for a fatter, melt-in-the-mouth taste that melted on our tongues.

This.

This is everything. You’d think : salad? psh. But this was in a class of its own.

Dubbed Toasted Goat’s Cheese with Tomatoes and Walnuts (RM38), the dish was made up of fresh spinach leaves topped with two slabs of slightly-melted goat cheese. Unlike conventional cow cheese, these had a sweeter and stronger flavour with a creamy, tart aftertaste. The walnuts and ham lent it extra texture and flavour. Definitely get this if you’re at 2OX!

The Fusilli Pasta with Rocket Salad, Tomatoes, Peanuts and Pesto (RM22) felt wholesome, as there were slices of tomato, peanuts and creamy pesto sauce. Felt that it needed a bit more salt though.

Another must-have is the house signature dish – Beef Oyster Blade (RM88). Cooked for seven hours in low temperature, the meat was so tender it literally fell apart with just a gentle slice from the knife; and the meat melted inside the mouth like butter.

The Chicken a La Basquaise (RM55): huge portion enough for two, served piping hot with tender meat and veggies, soaking in its own juices

To wrap up the meal, we went for desserts, and they were equally as good as the earlier dishes. The Lemon Tart Meringue Everinne (RM15) had a nice fluffy layer on top with swirls of brown coming out of the sweet, snowy white meringue, while the bottom was a base of sour lemon curd. When scooping both up in the same spoonful, one can feel the sweet and sour dancing on your tastebuds.

My personal favourite was the Dark Chocolate Mousse (RM15) because it wasn’t too sweet as chocolate desserts are apt to be. Thick, rich and creamy, it also had a smattering of crunchy chopped nuts on top.

Last but definitely not least, a French classic: the Creme Brulee (RM15).Torched to create a crinkly caramelised crust on top, the creme brulee was soft, bouncy and full of eggy flavour at the bottom.

We thoroughly enjoyed our food and the experience at 2OX. Might be a bit hard on your pocket as the mains are all RM50++ and above, but I think it would be a great place for celebrations or just to indulge in some real French food once in awhile. There is also a three course set meal for RM88+. Service is prompt, professional and it gives you the feeling of fine dining at relatively affordable prices.

2OX FRENCH BISTRO AND BAR
56, The Row, Jalan Doraisamy,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2692 2233
Business hours: 12pm – 12am (daily)

Review: French Cuisine @ Bienvenue, Putra Prima Puchong

May 29, 2015May 9, 2020Posted in FoodTagged Bienvenue, cuisine, dining, eating, food, French, Malaysia, Puchong, restaurant reviewLeave a comment

[UPDATE] This restaurant is now permanently closed.

I freaked out when I read that a new French cafe was open, like 3 minutes away from my house. FINALLY! Finally, a classy place where I can surf on my laptop and drink fancy coffee and hangout without driving 30 minutes all the way to Setiawalk.

Or so I thought.

S and I decided to drop by at Bienvenue in Taman Putra Prima, Puchong. I found out about it through someone’s FB post, which was mostly food pictures. They looked great and seemed tasty, so I was looking forward to it.

The sad reality? The decor is really basic. I’d like to think it”s because they just opened.. but they have nothing except tables and chairs and an open air kitchen. There was no air conditioning, and I was sweating bullets after five minutes in the poorly ventilated interior. Sweat was literally pouring off my thighs onto the wooden seat so much so that if I got up it would have looked like I peed. .___.

The drinks are rather limited, but the food is apparently prepared by a famous chef.

My eyes nearly popped out at the prices. They are easily The Ship or some high-end Western restaurant prices: not what I expected from a place with no air cond lol. Spaghetti goes for about RM18, which is at least RM2-3 more expensive than most cafes.

Too hot not to have cold drinks. Freshly squeezed orange juice and watermelon juice. Thank goodness they are not the concentrate variety, but real pulp. (RM4)

Had a snack to share – fries (RM3). To be fair I think the portion was quite sizable, but they were just regular, crispy fries.

Also to share – Pork Medallion (RM28)

I know. I was wondering myself why I ordered something so expensive but I thought since we were there, might as well try it. Tastewise, it was very good! The pork is grilled with just the right balance of lean meat and fat which melts in your mouth. It comes served on a bed of vegetables which were also cooked just right without being too hard or soggy. The sauce is savoury with a buttery, garlicky taste. It was one of the better pork dishes that I’ve tried.

Alas, the portion was barely enough for one, let alone two people. Or maybe I just eat a lot.

Didn’t hang out long because it was so hot. They should think about installing an air conditioning unit soon..

Overall I liked the service (friendly) and food. But I think many of the items were at least 20% more expensive than food out there and I m just not willing to pay that much for an establishment where I can’t eat in comfort.

BIENVENUE

Jalan PP2/5, Taman Putra Prima

47100 Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia

Opening hours: Mon – Sun (530pm – 10pm)