/ Reviews / Bakery
Not So Sweet
by Tom Lee
on Friday, May 06, 2011 12:00 AM
First appearances are promising at La Brioche in SiNan Mansions. It isn't flashy but it does have all the trappings of a wholesome bakery, with appetizing rolls, baguettes and loaves spread out in the window. The first warning sign is the absent smell of fresh bread.
Unlike the inviting display of desserts, food presentation is generally bland. Fans of arugula may appreciate its copiousness in the Black Truffle and Arugula Salad (RMB48), but it's hard to look at the heap of leaves, flaked with a few slices of parmesan, and salivate with anticipation. Ham, Cheese and Avocado Croissant (RMB38) is just as uninspiring; the avocado is clearly not fresh, streaked as it is with brown, oxidized flesh.
Most of the staff are, to put it kindly, new to the service industry. When it comes time to change a not unpalatable Pumpkin Soup (RMB38) for a sandwich, the waitress stands by, inanely smiling, waiting patiently for the customer to remove the bowl so she has space to place the plate, never for a moment considering that it might have been wiser if she'd removed the former before bringing out the latter. Similarly poor skills are evident at the counter, where simply asking for a particular dessert, in either English or Chinese, provokes a bewildered response. A few finger jabs remedy this particular problem.
There's still hope, however, because that inviting display of desserts has yet to be sampled. Miniature macaroons (RMB10 a piece), in particular, seem to feature prominently in the display case. One bite into the little biscuits, however, confirms them as pleasantly chewy but slightly stale, with no other flavor than the pervading sweetness of sugar, regardless if the description reads "sesame" or "lemon".
Perhaps it's better on the weekends, when a steady stream of foot traffic means foods aren't left out half the day before consumption. Perhaps it's just that essential freshness that is missing from La Brioche which makes it so unappealing as a dining choice. But there's only so much mileage to be got from "benefit of the doubt".
Promising from the outside, it only takes a few mouthfuls to eradicate the pleasant illusion.
