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2009-09-07
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Have you ever had the problem whereby you are unable to come up with restaurant suggestions when you have a list of want-to-try places at the back of your head? It happens to me all the time! I have so many places I wanted to try but whenever someone asks me to suggest a place, I would somehow be speechless. My friend asked me to suggest a place where we can sit and relax in the early afternoon and chat over a cup of coffee. I was speechless once again! Thanks to my friend, we ended up at VERO w
This place is definitely not a easy place to find due to its location but once you entered the cafe / restaurant, it was a totally different environment which I did not expect. The layout was very open, clean and BRIGHT. A minimalist decor in my opinion. The brightness is from the sun light shinning through the huge windows along the side. Its kitchen was of open kitchen style with pastry chefs busy working inside the chocolate and pastry workshop / studio. The various metal decorations were a nice touch, increasing the artistic feel of the whole atmosphere.
(1) Taro Earl Grey & Rosemary Cake
The cake on the right was the Taro Earl Grey cake. The Earl Grey flavored mousse was not too sweet but also lacked the flavor it needed. So where did the Taro go? Good question, the taro element was inside the cake. There were two pieces of chilled square taro in the middle of the cake which actually matched the flavors and texture of the cake very well. Thumbs up! As for the Rosemary cake, I only had one bit but it was very rich in rosemary flavors which I liked. A very interesting use of ingredient / flavor indeed.
(2) Espresso con Panna
I doubt it was due to the whipped cream but the espresso was not bitter but extremely acidic for some reasons. I tried the Lavazza blend before but it did not taste like that. I tried espresso con panna at other places as well nothing as acidic as this. I think it was due to the water temperature used to make the espresso, but then again it can be due to many other factors. Maybe the cream was the main reason? (Need your help on this one Babedolphin! haha, I know you love coffee and are quite knowledgeable on the subject as well.) The bottom line was that I did not enjoy the drink! Two thumbs down ! (Not my lucky day I bet, should have just ordered my usual double espresso)
(3) Muffins Tasting Menu
They were all warm and freshly baked. Since it was a tasting menu, each one has a unique flavor. Usually when you find one special ingredient being used on an item, it is very likely you will find the same ingredient being used on another item in the same cafe / restaurant. Same case applies here where you find a rosemary flavored muffins along with banana, chocolate, blueberries and dark chocolate. Another positive point of the muffins was that their center were all moist and soft, very nicely done. The rosemary one was indeed an interesting flavor and definitely worth a try.
(4) Spring / Summer Chocolate Collection
Just from the look of the chocolates, I think they were not as refined or delicate in terms of decoration when compared with chocolates from La Maison du Chocolat, Godiva or Wittamer. Maybe it was due to the TINY size of the pieces but still. The collection consisted of special flavors such as banana & mint, White forest, apple & thyme, mango & Kaffir line and Honey mustard. They were not too sweet which was good in my opinion. The most unique flavors in my opinion was the honey mustard because the taste really reminded me of the sauce!
(5) Cappuccino
I gave their coffee another chance because I had higher hopes for this place. Alright, the cappuccino was slightly better. The foam was creamy which I enjoyed but it was still weak of coffee flavors. I think another shot would be nice.
Likes:
* Decor / Atmosphere- great place to sit and relax (especially when the sun is out)
* Taro Earl Grey - interesting way to combine the taro with the cake.
* Muffins tasting menu - a nice combination of flavors, especially the rosemary
Dislikes
* Espresso con Panna - overly acidic (maybe due to the whipped cream?)
* More staff training is required - we had to repeat our orders for confirmation. (plus unfamiliar with the menu, including the chocolate collection)
Avg Spending: HKD 100 - 200 per person
Original Blog: http://jason-bonvivant.blogspot.com/2009/09/vero.html
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