The Loaf

After Marche, we headed to the much talked-about Pavilion and were pleasantly surprised to find many unoccupied parking spaces! (It was around 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon.)

Despite the endless selection of eateries (which ranges from first-timer cafes to famous chain restaurants) at the Pavilion, the 2 most celebrated ones were definitely J.CO Donuts & Coffee and The Loaf.

Since time was limited, we decided not to join in the infinite queue to get the donuts and headed to The Loaf instead.

Though the queue was not as long as J.CO's, this compact bakery was also doing quite a brisk business. Despite the simple interior design, the arrangements of pastries and cookies were very "appetising" (to me at least). The usage of cardboard trays to place the bread added sophistication to the whole experience.

Despite all these and the background of this bakery, the main question still remains: Were the food good?

Since the stomach was still hard at work, we decided to have mercy on it by selecting just a few freshly baked buns. Just to confirm what the hype was all about.

The Fuwa Fuwa Toast or French Toast (RM3) which was lightly dusted with icing sugar tasted rather bland. The egg (and I presume milk) coating did not provide sufficient aroma and taste to the toast. I've always preferred my toast thin and crispy. The Loaf's version was thick and chewy. Freshness aside, the combination of thick and bland toast was not attractive.

We also had the Chicken Ham and Cheese Bun (RM4.80), which tasted rather ordinary. The ham was firm and flavourful but the cheese (which is an important component here) did not enhance the flavour of the bun. For the price, I was expecting higher (or at least more flavourful) grade of cheese.

Lastly, the Caramel Walnut Bun (RM3.60). When I chose this, I was expecting a burst of caramel and walnut flavours as I take my first bite but I was wrong. The ensemble tasted rather bland and the amount of crushed walnuts in the bun was unimpressive. It's not difficult to make the bun tasty. Just add more caramel and walnuts. Less is not always more.

Including a bottle of San Pellegrino (RM10) and a cup of coffee (RM4.80), the bill came up to RM27.51. Yes, there's no typo error here.

I realised the texture of the bread was different from the rest. It was more chewy. I'm not sure if it was the high quality flour or different technique used to make the bread, but for the price, I would expect more flavourful creations, to say the least. In the meantime, I will stick to my chicken floss bun with wasabi mayonnaise.

The Loaf
Lot 3.13.00 and 4.12.02
Level 384 Pavilion,
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-2145036/3037