As part of the restaurant's grand opening promotions, five menu items were granted a 50% off discount. Of these five items, only two were devoid of the "spicy" description. The full menu was more extensive, spanning Red Carbonara Bossam and BBQ Cheese Jobkal, but the cash-only event operated on a limited selection.
Leftovers carried us through the week: While the bossam was great on the date of purchase, it grew tougher with each passing day. On the contrary, the jokbal grew tastier, attaining new depths of delectability. Reheating the slices rendered them positively tender, prompting instant dissolution.
Premium prices for mediocre quality - Saint Germain was essentially nothing more. I had entered the premises craving Cantonese classics such as the pineapple bun and cocktail bun, however the atrocious amounts steered us in the direction of alternatives, items slightly more distinct than the average Chinese bakery bite. The Cheddar Custard Bun, priced at $1.99, was interesting in concept with a savoury slice of crinkly cheddar atop a traditional custard bun, yet poorly executed with minimal filling and an unappealing, rigid profile.
Much like other Chinese bakeries, tax was exempted from purchases comprising of six items or more.
Attempting the Coffee Swiss Roll that other reviewers had remarked upon, we sourced disappointment in the too-sweet sponge base, sheer absence of cream, and distasteful deviation from uniformity. As if the specimens hadn't been lacking enough, the variation between slice thicknesses and diminutive presence of java was further off-putting.
More lenient actions were taken by the bubble tea shop on a weekday: neither masking protocols nor the maximum entry of four customers was enforced. With reference to my previous declaration, I retract the statement "(the interior) had the capacity to accommodate six, or even eight, patrons", for the gradually increasing numbers surrounding the cashier was quite the frightful sight.
I will admit that the steady stream of incoming customers was impressive given the cafe's steep prices.
1. Grape Jelly Cream Cheese - a lavender-tinted formula comprising of nothing more beyond no name cream cheese and homemade grape jelly.
Since tasting the first iteration of JustOneCookbook's Miso Butter Cookies, I had desperately wished to recreate my own. With a deficiency of miso, I readily substituted Korean soybean paste, otherwise known as doenjang. Miso is milder in comparison, as Nami notes, however the similarities remain: both are fermented forms of soybean with a wide variety of culinary uses.
By a slip of the hand - er, paper bag - I dumped in 30 g more sugar than specified, though this mishap eventually compensated for doenjang's innate savoury characteristics, resulting in a cookie combining the nuttiness of toasted sesame seeds and umami of soy. The edges were crisp, yet the interior a tad crumbly, in a way that allowed the complexity of flavours to shine through.
...or an attempt of it anyway. Originating from a desire for ice cream and convenient fridge positioning of heavy whipping cream, I took to my second JustOneCook recipe of the week, though failed to adhere to its steps in my haste.
5. Homemade Granola, because there are certain days where one opens his or her eyes with breakfast hankerings of crunchy oats and fruit (the latter I regrettably had none of).
In spite of the simple ingredient list, the formula yielded a surprisingly decadent result. Minimal effort was required, though a chill time of twenty to thirty minutes was recommended. The batch persevered in runniness, so I merely tossed in the towel and settled for brownies instead.
Since experimenting with the realm of kneading, proofing, and general back-breaking processes of breadmaking, I've come to rely on none other than Bake For Happy Kids. A self-trained bread connoisseur, her recipes have yet to fail me.
What did fail me though, was the Delay Cook Time setting of my oven, which failed to reach the specified temperature until halfway through (Oh teleconferences, how do I loathe thee.)
It was worth noting though, that some occupants of the bathroom did not sport masks and remained within, happily chatting away.