Low Roof 로우루프 (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

Located directly across the street from the O’Sulloc Tea House, Low Roof (로우루프) is a café, bakery, and pastry shop all under one roof. The space spans three spacious floors, each with a slightly different theme.

The ground-floor bar area is a convenient spot for a quick sip of their signature beverages. The bakery section looked interesting, blending modern baking techniques with classic Korean flavors. Unfortunately, their standout chestnut cream croissant was nowhere to be found. Instead, the oversized Dirty Chocolate Au Pain immediately caught my eye. (No Dubai chocolate version, though.)

I decided to climb the stairs to check out the other floors.

Second floor: Some fabric seating and a shared table in the middle — it felt a bit like a kids’ playroom.

Third floor: More like a meeting space in a commercial building.

I didn’t get to see their traditional hanok backyard, which has made the place so famous, since it was already closed for the day.

After walking up the hill to Bukchon Hanok Village, I certainly wouldn’t mind a frosty drink. Perhaps with a slice of cake. 😜😜

Green tea latte (₩6,500) — The green tea flavor was very light; instead, it was extremely milky.

Sikhye rice mousse cake (₩9,200) — One of the café’s most unique desserts. A nice effort to blend Korean heritage with modern French pastry technique. 

The pastry was designed to mimic the elements of sikhye (traditional Korean sweet rice punch). A soft rice dacquoise base paired with a rice coulis, was topped nicely with a smooth cream made of rice and jocheong (traditional Korean brown rice syrup). Hidden inside was an unexpected core of sikhye jelly and persimmon cream. There was also rice in the syrup to give the dessert some extra texture.

All in all, not bad. But if I had to be picky, a bit of sharp acidity or a firm, crunchy base wouldn’t hurt.

I was really happy to snap a few photos at the Bukchon Hanok Village just before sunset.

Two quick desserts in a row, and I’m starting to realize I might not need dinner after all.

Food Rating: 6.1/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 175-2 Gahoe-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Anguk

Tel: +82 2-747-0709

Website: https://www.instagram.com/cafe_lowroof/?hl=en

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 8:00pm daily

Balance Pâtisserie 카페 발렁스 (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

Balance Patisserie (카페 발렁스) used to be one of my go-to dessert spots in Seongsu-dong (聖水洞) a couple of years ago but since their relocation to Anguk (安國), I have yet to find the chance to check their new digs out personally.

While I had no dinner planned for tonight, I was determined to spend the evening all in Anguk for some bakery café hopping. Won’t that be great if I could also cross Balance Patisserie off my bucket list?

Tucked away on the second floor of an unassuming building near Bukchon Hanok Village, Balance Patisserie is a popular artisanal French patisserie and dessert café, known for its meticulously crafted, French-inspired creations.

I was in for a shock as soon as I stepped through the doors. There were only two kinds of pastries left in the display case. Worse yet, I’ve tried both of them on my previous visits (Tumon and pistachio tart).

Getting my order done was a nightmare. The staff didn’t speak much English, and when my Apple Pay didn’t work at first, he just stood there without offering to help. Since everything was in Korean, I didn’t hesitate to ask him to get more involved in resolving the issue.

Thankfully, the payment eventually went through, and I was all set.

Tumon (₩10,400) — On top was a thin, sugar-dusted crisp, torched to a crème-brûlée-like caramelized finish. Right underneath it was a light, silky yet rich vanilla mousse, layered with deeply satisfying Darjeeling tea-infused ganache, a soft coconut biscuit joconde, and a base of toasted, caramelized macadamia nuts for a bit of crunch.

It was just as enjoyable and pleasing as I remembered from a few years ago, although the vanilla flavor was sadly a little less pronounced. That was the only difference I could recall.

I was hoping to try more of their creations, especially some of the newer ones from recent years, but unfortunately, there was nothing new available this afternoon.

Food Rating: 6.9/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 140-41 Gye-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Anguk

Tel: +82 2-2194-1234

Website: https://www.instagram.com/balance_patisserie

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 7:00pm (Wed - Sun)

Finesse Patisserie (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

We are having a pre-festival feast at mom's new place ahead of Mid-Autumn Festival tonight. Since I was in Admiralty this afternoon, I thought I knew exactly what to get everyone for dessert tonight.

A few months ago, I bought desserts from Finesse Patisserie and they had drawn raving reviews from my team especially the white fromage tart which had a few of us all fighting over it. So, I am getting some sweet treats there this afternoon so mom can be involved in the fighting as well.

Tarte au fromage blanc (焗白芝士撻) ($72) — The simple-looking cheese tart has a thick, crunchy tart shell baked to perfectly crisp, golden finish.

What sets this cheese tart apart from the competition is the combination of two distinct layers inside. On the bottom is a light, airy, smooth cream cheese, topped nicely with an aromatic vanilla chantilly cream almost equally light. Those two layers, along with the lovely crunch from the shell, come together for a deeply satisfying dessert with different textures and levels of sweetness.

Pandan Coco (斑蘭 · 椰子) ($75) — My team members are all fans of pandan, so this is a no-brainer. 

This dessert features coconut whipped ganache, shredded coconut, pineapple compote, and kaya confiture on top of a crispy pandan tart shell. The standout part for me is the kaya jam as it ties everything together beautifully.

It was our first officially gathering at Mom’s new place. Hearing how comfortable she felt here really put a smile on my face. After all, I was the one who’s been urging her to move closer to me so this plan has to work out, for better or worse.

Food Rating: 7.4/10

Price: $$$$

Address: Shop B2, G/F, 9-11, St Francis Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Wanchai

Website: https://finesse-patisserie.com/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 7:00pm (Wed - Sat), 12:00pm - 6:00pm (Sun)

Bistrot's Suzette (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

After spending two weeks in Europe (mostly France), I thought I wouldn’t be having another French or modern European meal anytime soon.

Located in the recently opened Cullinan Sky Mall in Kai Tak, Bistrot’s Suzette is a French bistro in collaboration with consultant chef Tiff Lo (former owner-chef at the acclaimed French bistro Jean May in Wanchai) offering honest, hearty French comfort food in a casual, relaxed setting.

I chose a seat a few steps from the bar to watch the kitchen staff at work behind the scenes.

Egg mimosa with smoked salmon (法式魔鬼蛋配煙三文魚) — Their set lunch is usually a two or three course affair. I decided to drop a few bucks more for an egg mimosa to start off the meal.

The egg was topped neatly with smoked salmon, mayonnaise, dill and capers.

Roasted chicken supreme with creamy mushroom sauce (法式燒雞胸配蘑菇忌廉汁) — The portion was a little small for a main dish.

It looked like a chicken leg (from a spring chicken) rather than the chicken breast listed on the menu.

But I thought the mushroom sauce was well executed, with a good depth of flavor. Not bad.

We had way too many desserts during our time in Europe so I decided to skip a sweet ending this afternoon. Instead, it was time to head back to work.

Food Rating: 6.1/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop G02, G/F, Cullinan Sky Mall, 10 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, Kowloon City, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Kai Tak

Tel: +852 3188-8896

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm daily  

Regent Hotel Cake Shop (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

Jelloman’s birthday is coming up soon, so I’ve been on the lookout for a birthday cake for her as part of the celebration. This is always going to be a tough call, since we’ve already exhausted most of the cake options over the years.

The Regent Hotel Cake Shop came to mind after I stumbled upon its small but refined selection of pastries on social media. I thought it was worth trying for this occasion.

They are only offering a handful of birthday cake options including honeycomb cake, strawberry Charlotte cake, Peruvian chocolate cake, and different flavors of mille-feuille.

Honeycomb cake ($368) — One of the more popular creations here.

This wasn’t a sophisticatedly designed cake. The delicate layer of pecan sponge was hugged by some deeply aromatic longan honey mousse, supposedly to create a palate-soothing experience.

I thought the heart and soul of the cake — the organic longan honey harvested from a local farm in Hong Kong’s New Territories, would provide the highly distinct, floral sweetness to elevate the pillowy sponge. But those floral flavors never stood out as planned. Yes, there was sweetness (honey) and a lemony note (citrus coulis) to pair with the sponge, but it still wasn’t quite enough to satisfy the more discerning palates.

Texture-wise, there was also something sorely missing — something crisp or crunchy to add contrast to the soft, fluffy textures.

Food Rating: 6.1/10

Price: $$$$

Address: 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: East Tsim Sha Tsui / Tsim Sha Tsui

Tel: +852 2721-1211

Website: https://regenthkshop.com/collections/cake

L’Oignon (Strasbourg, FRANCE) ★★★★☆

When we returned to Strasbourg after a full day of activities in Colmar, it was already a little after 7 pm, leaving us very little time to explore the city’s historic centre. I thought, if there’s a place to soak up Strasbourg’s medieval charm with our remaining time here, it has to be Petite France.

Petite France (or Little France) is easily the most picturesque quarter of Strasbourg, located on the southwestern edge of the city’s central island. Best known for its fairytale-like atmosphere, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is highlighted by its winding canals, cobblestone streets, wooden bridges, and beautifully preserved 17th-century half-timbered houses.

We did our best to soak up the storybook vibe by visiting a few sunset viewpoints and aimlessly wandering around the main thoroughfare. Before we knew it, half an hour had flown by right into dinner time.

This was when we arrived at our dinner destination — L’Oignon, a local institution celebrated for its warm, cozy atmosphere and excellent Alsatian cuisine. We all thought it would be silly to pass up the chance to sit on the lovely outdoor terrace right along the narrow cobblestone streets and immerse ourselves in the area’s historic charm.

Alsatian snails (6 pcs, €12) — Little nugget specifically asked for these, so as expected, he ended up finishing them all.

As usual, the snails were baked with parsley butter. I just wish there had been more left (before this guy finished it all) so I could have used it as a dip for the bread.

French tarte tatin of caramelized shallots (€11) — I mistakenly thought this was the traditional French onion soup (the restaurant's signature dish), but it turned out to be something different. On top of the caramelized shallots was a pool of cream cheese with herbs. It had most of the elements of an onion soup, but without the delicious broth.

Traditional sauerkraut with five kinds of meat and sausages (€22) — With Strasbourg situated so close to the German border, it came as no surprise that the restaurants here boast some of the most amazing “homestyle” German dishes.

I didn’t exactly count how many different kinds there were, but it definitely included pork belly, knuckle, and sausage… and these were really, really tender and succulent.

Alsatian chicken supreme (€22) — The chicken fillets were pretty tender and were nicely complemented by a creamy oyster mushroom sauce.

Some roasted potatoes as a side dish.

Choosing to sit on the terrace was the best decision we have made in a while. To enjoy front-row seats to the neighborhood’s half-timbered houses, weeping willows, and the gentle reflection of historic architecture on the water, it was priceless.

And honestly, the night scene only got better as the evening went on. (Photo touched up with AI.)

Food Rating: 6.8/10

Price: €€€

Address: 4 Rue des Moulins, 67000 Strasbourg, France

Tel: +33 (0)3 8816-5981

Website: http://www.restaurantloignon.fr/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 2:00pm (Mon - Thu), 12:00pm - 3:00pm (Fri - Sat), 12:00pm - 4:00pm (Sun), 7:00pm - 10:00pm daily

L'Atelier de Yann (Colmar, FRANCE) ★★★★☆

I have tagged two dessert spots in Colmar on the map as “must-do” for this afternoon. After a pretty long lunch at Bord’eau Restaurant, I managed to quickly cross the first one off my list (Patisserie Gilg) before heading over to the second. Luckily, Colmar isn’t a very big town, so I was able to arrive within a few minutes.

I was supposed to meet up with my team there, but they were nowhere to be found. I guess I would just go in on my own.

L’Atelier de Yann is an upscale artisanal pastry shop, chocolatier, and tea salon located in the historic centre of Colmar. Founded by pastry chef Yann Navarro, the famed dessert spot features an indoor tea salon and an outdoor garden. Some online reviewers also raved about its gorgeous view of the nearby Saint-Martin Collegiate Church.

After seeing all the beautifully presented pastries inside the display counter, I was even more impressed. So I quickly got in line to be served. 

Like little kids in front of a candy shop, my eyes stared wide-eyed at the colorful treats inside, almost jumping up and down with joy.

Nirvana (€8) — I decided to sit down and indulge on a quick afternoon tea.

One of the signature pastries created by Chef Navarro, designed especially for chocolate and hazelnut lovers. 

This decadent, texture-rich dessert features a base of soft, moist hazelnut biscuit, paired with a crunchy praline crust. In the middle is a rich, velvety milk chocolate mousse, finished with a smooth chocolate coating mixed with toasted, grilled hazelnuts for a satisfying crunch.

The real surprise here was the hidden crunchy chocolate pearls embedded inside, adding an extra dimension to every bite.

I’m glad I got to cross both Patisserie Gilg and L’Atelier de Yann off my bucket list today. We’ll take it easy with the remaining minutes we have in Colmar, and next on our agenda — dinner at Petite France in Strasbourg.

Food Rating: 7.3/10

Price: €€€

Address: 11 Place de la Cathédrale, 68000 Colmar, France

Tel: +33 (0)3 8920-0100

Website: http://www.atelier-de-yann.com/

Opening Hours: 9:00am - 6:00pm (Tue - Sat)