Valentine Day Menu at Passionfood Cafe in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

My friend, Chi Ling the owner of Passionfood Café and Bakery invited me over to try out the Valentine Day menu at her restaurant.



Passionfood's Valentine Day menu is a special five course meal with dessert plus drinks at RM128++ per couple.

We started off with this leafy appetiser.



It was a challenge to photograph the Pumpkin Lover Salad appetizer :P I wasn't sure where to point the camera....

But, it was a sweet, happy start :D



The sweetness of the tender golden hue pumpkin flesh was nicely balanced with the savoury grainy toasted bread crumbs. This was a sweet starter to whet any love birds' appetites :D



Next followed the soup, named Clam-malicious in Love Nest. It was good old school clam chowder served in a large bowl of bread with a heart shaped cutout and it's flesh hollowed out :D 

Nothing malicious at all but very yummilicious in my opinion.



The creamy savoury clam chowder was made with fresh clams bought from the wet market. The calms were painstakingly washed and cleaned - there was not a trace of sand or grit. Just crunchy QQ-bite of fleshy clams.

I enjoyed scrapping the inside of the bread to dig out the bread saturated with clam chowder - the bread was delicious with nice cottony mouth feel.




The entrée named Lovely Apple Teriyaki Chicken Platter.



It's a large meaty tender chicken thigh marinated with savoury teriyaki sauce and nicely grilled.



The teriyaki chicken was paired with an imported pure chicken sausage which was lightly grilled. Bite into the juicy sausage, and gentle spice aroma runs up your nose. 



The chicken teriyaki and sausage were served with house made apple sauce, garlic oil potato mash, sautéed spinach and white button mushrooms. I especially love the crunchy sautéed spinach and mushrooms which were very well executed.  



The Truffle Seafood Squid Ink Pasta was the special black pasta cooked in garlic and olive oil, and then tossed with mussels, squid rings and shelled shrimps. The dish was the topped with aromatic truffles for a touch of class.



The squid ink pasta was done to a level of el dente which I liked - bouncy and with a certain stiffness at the core while the outside is tender.



I love the huge, meaty, succulent mussels.

After the chicken and pasta, we were treated to dessert.



The dessert named Love Cupid was a pair of hearts - a dark chocolate mousse paired with a white forest chocolate. Dancing around the sweet hearts were almonds and strawberries.

Passionfood's Valentine Day set comes with a Surprise Love Potion drink :D




Passionfood café's Valentine Day set is served at RM128++ per couple.

For reservations, call +607-331 5330.

Restaurant name: Passionfood Café and Bakery
Address: 14, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SS9N3
GPS: 1.481626,103.773679
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Monday to Thursday); 11:00am to 11:00pm (Friday); 10:00am to 11:00pm (Saturday); 10:00am to 10:00pm (Sunday) Closed on Tuesday
Non Halal (no pork, no lard)

Date visited: 16 Nov 2012, 12 Jun 2013, 10 Feb 2014

Johor Best Cakes - Patisserie Love Café and Bakery in Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru

I love chilling out with friends over a nice hot cappa coffee and cool cakes in air con comfort, away from our tropical heat and humidity.

Passionfood Cafe in Taman Pelangi is one of my favourite places in Johor Bahru to enjoy coffee and cakes. So I am happy when Chi Ling (Passionfood's boss) told me that she has opened a Passionfood sister cafe in Bukit Indah known as Patisserie Love. Yesterday, I was at Patisserie Love at Chi Ling's invitation.



I like Patisserie Love/ Passionfood for their thoughtfulness.



The set up at Patisserie Love is simple and nice - it makes me feel relaxed and comfortable the moment I stepped in. Nothing pretentious. Just inviting and easy going.

The cakes are the same as at Passionfood as they are made at the same Passionfood bakery. For Passionfood fans, quality and consistency are assured.

Chi Ling, Tyng and I shared the following cakes.


Green Tea Tiramisu RM8.50


Trio Cheese Cake is RM8.50


Chocolate Oreo Tart  RM7.90


Strawberry Souffle Cheese RM8.90


Strawberry Garden RM8.50



All the cakes were fresh and of just the right sweetness. I complemented them with this smooth bitter sweet latte.

If you haven't tried Passionfood/ Patisserie Love's cakes, now you have two locations to enjoy it :)



So if you are around the Bukit Indah area, swing by for a cosy coffee break at Patisserie Love with Passionfood's famous cakes and coffee.

It's a lovely little oasis.



Restaurant name: Patisserie Love Café and Bakery
Address: 28, Jalan Indah 15/3, Taman Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YtiR0
GPS: 1.480715,103.657926
Hours: 12:00 noon to 10:00pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 17 Sep 2013

Cakes and Coffee at Passionfood in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

I am quite familiar with Passionfood now, being invited by Chi Ling (the boss) for the third time. This time, Chi Ling wanted me to try her famous house baked cakes. I think Chi Ling's passion for baking is the passion in the name Passionfood :)



Coming to Passionfood reminds me of going to my friend's house during my childhood - my friend Ah Mun would bring out all his favourite toys and treasures to share and enjoy them together with me :)



Chi Ling brought out her favourite cakes (just like Ah Mun bringing out his favourite toys) and we enjoyed them together over a nice coffee and latte art which she made herself :) We had so much fun.



The first cake we had was the Chocolate Chestnut Truffle (RM8.90).  The cake contains dark cherry with brandy and an Oreo bottom.



The second was Passionfood's signature White Forest (RM 8.90) which was made of vanilla sponge with strawberry light cheese cream and has a white chocolate coater outside.



The dark chocolate log (RM7.50). No sugar added and has a chocolate cookie bottom.

 

The dark Cherry Cheesecake (RM7.90) with cookies bottom.



This is the Strawberry Paradise (RM12.90). The cake has a pie layer, baked almond cream layer, custard with strawberries and sponge cake topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries.



 
Passionfood's unique Bailey's-misu (RM9.90) was tiramisu with a Bailey's twist. As Bailey's is one of my fav before-bed liquors, I like this tiramisu very much.

 

Saving the best for last. The lastttt oneeeee.. Chi Ling's personal favourite Salted Caramel (RM 7.50) consists of chocolate brownie bottom, dark chocolate cake, almond flakes, salted caramel, dark chocolate mousse and dark chocolate ganache! So, complicated. For me it was "just eat lah!" yum, yum :)

Whenever I need to chill or have a tête-à-tête with friends, Passionfood would be one of  my top choices. Great cakes, good coffee in a clean, cheerful and comfortable setting.



Restaurant name: Passionfood Café and Bakery
Address: 14, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SS9N3

GPS: 1.481626,103.773679
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Monday to Thursday); 11:00am to 11:00pm (Friday); 10:00am to 11:00pm (Saturday); 10:00am to 10:00pm (Sunday) Closed on Tuesday
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 16 Nov 2012, 12 Jun 2013

Passionfood Café and Bakery in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

Chi Ling, the boss, invited me over to try out her new menu at Passionfood. This was my second visit to Passionfood at the invitation of Chi Ling, the owner. I was excited about this visit as I had a very good experience at Passionfood during my first visit.

Chi Ling is one of the new blood of Johor F and B entrepreneurs who are driven by passion. Chi Ling is a medical bioscience professional who couldn't resist dumping her white lab coat for her pink apron to pursue her passion for baking and cooking.

Oh, on that pink apron - pink is the theme of Passionfood, so you can see the feminine colour in their decor, furniture and even in their food.

I asked Chi Ling how the name Passionfood came about. Chi Ling said she was in Vietnam and the Vietnamese fruit passion fruit gave her the "ah ha moment". She liked the name because passion is what Passionfood Café and bakery is all about.

Creamy Ebiko Crab Meat Pasta RM18.90

First to arrive was the Creamy Ebiko Crab Meat Pasta. The thick el dente pasta was smothered in a homemade savoury white cabonara sauce with white wine and crab meat.

The tiny savoury ebiko (Japanese prawn eggs) popping in your mouth added an interesting mouth feel and flavour to the whole dish.

Cheese Chicken Burger RM17.90

Next was Passionfood's Cheese Chicken Burger. I heard my friend Bryan spoke highly of Passionfood's chicken burger before and was looking forward to try this.

The thick chicken patty was sitting of a bed of fresh tomato slices, cherry tomatoes and sauteed onions. The chicken patty is blanketed by a layer of soft melted cheese that flowed down the sides of the patty. And, everything is held together between Passionfood's own fluffy charcoal bun, made right here at the cafe from scratch.

This is no industrial mass produced patty at average hamburger joints. Passionfood's thick handmade patty is made with hand chopped chicken thigh and breast meat with some herbs and condiments mixed in. The meaty, tightly packed patty had little grease or fat. You will never find bits of bone or rubbery sinews in Passionfood's handmade patty. 

 

French fries with ketchup are always simply, special to me :P

Passionfood has many interesting drinks on their menu. This is the signature Passion Paradise (RM7.50) - passion fruit syrup with soda water and rainbow jelly.

The Mango Tango (RM7.50). Mango syrup with soda water and mango puree.

I will be coming back soon to try Passionfood's cakes and pastries from Chi Ling's passion for baking.



Restaurant name: Passionfood Café and Bakery
Address: 14, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SS9N3

GPS: 1.481626,103.773679
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Monday to Thursday); 11:00am to 11:00pm (Friday); 10:00am to 11:00pm (Saturday); 10:00am to 10:00pm (Sunday) Closed on Tuesday
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 16 Nov 2012, 12 Jun 2013

Return to Johor Kaki home page.

Passionfood Café and Bakery in Taman Pelangi in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

The first impression when stepping into Passionfood Café and Bakery was the bright and cheery decor that automatically made me feel relaxed and happy. We were then greeted by the cheerful staff  - a welcome that felt warm and sincere, certainly unlike the cold, robotic greetings we sometimes get in other places.

Our first time here, Chi Ling one of the owners invited us to try Passion Food's Forest Mushroom Soup, Caesar Salad, Eggs Benedict, Escargot, Le Mushroom Burger, and Smoked Duck Pasta.

Smoked duck pasta with broccoli RM20.90

The Smoked Duck Pasta got the three of us lip smacking right away :)

That juicy tender slice of smoked duck was loaded with savoury and subtly gamey flavour. It was beautiful, beautiful - the kind of dish that we stumble upon only once in a long, long while, and never forget it. Truly memorable moment, that first bite into that aromatic slice of smoked duck and the pleasure to our taste buds as I chewed slowly to savour it. 

The el dente spaghetti tossed in that creamy, smooth sauce was superb. Henny, one of the owners, shared with us that melted fat from the smoked duck was added in the sauce.... no wonder this spaghetti was so irresistible to all three of us. Passionfood's Smoked Duck Pasta is definitely a Must Try.

The Forest Mushroom Soup had lots of itsy bits of chopped soft bouncy fresh mushrooms in the thick creamy broth.

Forest mushroom soup RM7.90

Mushroom soup made with fresh ingredients is always such a nice way to start a meal :)

Escargot in garlic butter herb RM15.90 per half dozen

We shared half a dozen escargot which is pretty much an acquired taste.

Prepared by Henny and served in stylish authentic French fashion.

The snails' flesh were removed and sauteed in garlic and butter sauce, and then stuffed back into the shell for serving. Escargot is a Must Try, if nothing else, to get to know this quintessentially French dish done the same way the French does it.

Caesar salad RM12.90

Nice and simple Caesar Salad. Fresh lettuce and cherry tomatoes garnished with cheese, creamy salad dressing, and sprinkled with crunchy croutons.

Le Mushroom burger RM20.90

 

We shared the Le Mushroom burger. The beef patty was thick, juicy and tender. The patty was laid on a bed of fresh leafy lettuce and blanketed with a slice of cheese which in turn was topped with a heap of caramelised onions and sauteed mushrooms. Personally, I am not a fan of mushrooms but I am sure that the mushroomy aroma and flavours of this burger would make any mushroom lover swoon. 

 

The crispy French fries that came with the Le Mushroom burger were lovely.

Eggs Benedict RM13.90

Passionfood's Eggs Benedict was another of our favourites. The poached eggs were done perfectly. I just love to watch those syrupy egg yolks ozz and glide much like the way molten lava flows down a hill slope.

Chewing the fougasse bread, turkey ham and poached egg together with the buttery sauce created a mouthful of smoky, eggy blend that all three of us raved about.  

To wash the whole lot down, I had this tall lychee drink which is the most popular drink on Passionfood's beverage list. Likeable and pleasant though I am not quite sure how to describe the flavour except that it's a blend of sweet and tangy. Give it a try, if you want to know :)

Besides French cuisine, Passionfood Café and Bakery is equally famous for their cakes and pastries. We were completely stuffed and had another appointment to go to - this just means that we must come back to try those enticing colourful cakes that I was eyeing in the chilled displays.

My friends who knew about Passionfood long before me, asked me, "What took you so long to discover this gem in JB?" Well, it's never too late :) Shall make up for that by returning more often :) 

The distinctive white and pink PASSIONFOOD signboard

Restaurant name: Passionfood Café and Bakery
Address: 14, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SS9N3
GPS: 1.481626,103.773679
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Monday to Thursday); 11:00am to 11:00pm (Friday); 10:00am to 11:00pm (Saturday); 10:00am to 10:00pm (Sunday) Closed on Tuesday
Non Halal (no pork, no lard)

Date visited: 16 Nov 2012, 12 Jun 2013