[Chengdu 成都] Lan’s Patisserie

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Lan’s Patisserie

Add: Shop 113, 1/F, Jingronghui Shopping Mall, Chengdu
Tel: (028) 6465 6619
Hours: 11am-10pm
Price: 120 RMB
Visited: Aug 2017

Lan’s Patisserie, a French style bakery in Chengdu, has been under fire since it opened earlier this year. Some people applaud it as “the best there is in Southwest China”, while others trash it for being “ridiculously overpriced”. Well, there’s no better way to find out than trying it myself…

一般說到成都,腦海裏冒出的不外乎是串串香、擔擔面、麻辣鍋之類的當地美食,不過這篇要介紹的,是看似和成都沒關係的法式甜點店。Lan’s Patisserie 自今年年初開店以來一直備受爭議 - 不少人稱贊它是西南區甜點界的標竿,更多人罵它貴的沒道理,連遠在上海的我都聽過一些故事,讓人十分好奇。正好它就開在這次入住的博舍酒店附近(確切地來說步行7分鍾),找了個下午來吃吃看。

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The design is sleek and stylish – geometric shapes, sharp lines, black and white contrast dotted with soft-colored HAY furniture…

Lan’s Patisserie 門面由簡約大方的幾何線條組成,黑白對比強烈,在時髦的太古里周邊仍顯的搶眼(我想應該是成都網紅們拍照最愛的地點之一吧)。室內在黑白背景上再添加了色彩可愛的 HAY 椅子們,好看。

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[Hangzhou 杭州] Random

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Random

Add: D6, #7 Fenghuang Shanjiao Road, Hangzhou
Tel: 0571-8711 8620
Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm (closed on Mon)
Price: ~100 RMB/person
Visited: Mar 2017

My last stop on this trip to Hangzhou was Random, a cafe / select shop located in an old neighborhood not too far from the city center. Its stylish shop front is quite a contrast from the ruggedness surrounding it, making it almost pop out from the background. Though it took a while to find, it was certainly worth the effort…

從東信和創園離開後直奔這次杭州行的最後一個目的地 - Random。穿過鳳凰城山腳下的老社區,拉著行李有點迷路有點狼狽,心裏碎碎念著幹嘛要這麽折騰,不過抵達這三層樓的漂亮小房子時立刻覺得 “呼,來了真好”。大片玻璃的摩登感在老社區裏顯得有點穿越,通透設計讓室內輕盈明亮。這裏藏地有些深,不是個會在無意中經過的地方,客人應該都是慕名而來的吧?

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I first heard about Random at last year’s Design Shanghai, when Random’s founders Norah and Oliver invited me to their pop-up cafe at the exhibition. Though it was just a temporary thing, the cafe made quite an impression, and I’ve been meaning to go visit their actual shop in Hangzhou ever since then.

認識 Random 的 Norah 和 Oliver 是在 2016 年的設計上海,他們當時在展場裏開了個咖啡館,雖然只是爲期四天的快閃店,不過做得相當用心,去過之後一直想著哪天要到他們杭州本店瞧瞧。

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[Kyoto] Kasagiya かさぎ屋

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かさぎ屋 Kasagiya

Add: 349 Masuyacho Higashiyamaku, Kyoto
Tel: 075-561-9562
Hours: 11am – 6pm
Price: 500-800 yen
Visited: Aug 2016

かさぎ屋 Kasagiya is a famous traditional Japanese dessert shop in Kyoto, but most people who don’t come looking for it would probably miss its low-key facade, tucked away in a corner on the Ninzenzaka. I overslept from my afternoon nap (oops) and by the time I reached there, it was only 10 minutes before their closing time (oh no!). I popped my head in as most of the guests were just leaving, giving the shop owner an apologetic look and inquired whether they were still serving. He seemed slightly hesitant initially, but seeing that I was alone (and obviously very eager), he gave an approving nod and ushered me in. Yesss.

二年坂上的かさぎ屋其實是個甜點名店,不過不知情的人應該會直接忽略掉它低調的門面吧。因爲午覺睡過頭的原因(羞),我抵達かさぎ屋時距離它關門只有10分鍾。探頭進去,店裏的客人都准備要離開了,老板有些爲難的跟我說,”我們快要關門了,沒關系嗎?啊,一個人啊…好的,那麽請進來吧“。噢,所謂的人品大爆發。

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Kasagiya was established in 1914, and for over a hundred years it’s been known for its artisanal, delicate Kyoto specialty desserts. The space is small, just enough to accommodate about 20 guests, and the nostalgic charm oozing out from every corner is quite mesmerizing.

かさぎ屋創立于1914年,是家曆史悠久的百年老店,一直以精心制作的京都特色甜品出名。空間不大,只能容納四、五組客人;店面雖然簡單,不過處處流露的歲月感非常迷人。

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Kasagiya is especially famed for its adzuki beans, cooked fresh everyday for over 3 hours in the traditional method until the beans are perfectly soft without losing its shape. The two desserts incorporating adzuki beans – the botamochi (made with sweet rice and sweet adzuki paste) and the Kyoto zenzai (adzuki bean soup with roasted mochi) seem to be the two most popular choices.

かさぎ屋最出名的似乎是他們每天用爐竈烹煮3小時以上的紅豆,用其做的三色荻餅和紅豆年糕湯都是人氣商品。

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[Shanghai] Godiva Cafe

Godiva Cafe

Add: Shop 106 No. 5 Alley 123 Xingye Lu, Xintiandi / 新天地兴业路123弄5号106号店
Tel: 5382 0715
Hours: 11am-midnight
Price: 55-65 RMB/cake, 45-55 RMB/drink
Visited: Jan 2011

Whisk and Hof dominated the chocolate dessert scene in Shanghai for a long while before Godiva came in with its first ever chocolate cafe concept store in the world. It seems like the cafe is already quite popular, as the spacious 2nd floor cafe area was completed filled up when I visited. Is this because of the prestige, the convenient location, or the actual offerings of the cafe?

The interior is nothing too impressive, but comfortable enough to sit through an afternoon.

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