Lana cake is a tried and true tradition of chocolate cake that has been getting rave reviews everywhere and i finally got my hands on one of them at my grandmother's birthday recently when my aunt ordered one just for the occasion.
$75 for a 2kg Lana Cake - Weighing a hefty 2kg and fetching a price of $75, this takes the crown as the priciest cake i've ever had thus far. That is why i was quite surprised when the cake was cut open, it seemed extremely ordinary with no additional embellishments which i can identify with for the high price.
Even the exterior was rather normal looking, a few words with colored icing and cream and a smoothed and wavy chocolate fudge is all that you get. Nothing fancy at all.
The cake slice you see above best describes why i was surprised. A thin layer of chocolate fudge covers the sponge and its only....one thin layer of chocolate fudge with a whole load of sponge cake. I believe the shop charges these exorbitant prices based on the promise of using top grade chocolate on their cakes, which is probably why it is used so sparingly in this cake.
Now for the actual taste. First bites basically didn't impress. It tasted like something choc a bloc could have done and at a cheaper price too. Subsequent tastes did not change my impression. Sure, the cake is rich and the chocolate is definitely not your everyday chocolate but they sure could have added some chocolate mousse or something to make the cake a little more bang for the buck...but thats the first impression of course.
Then i took a second piece and chomped it down slower, which is when i realised then despite this being a chocolate fudge cake, it is surprisingly light and yet packed with taste from the chocolate fudge. This is probably the little difference that makes a big difference in the end.
Decent and strong, the simplicity of the cake belies a hidden promise of quality chocolate that will not present itself immediately. It takes time (and money) to understand why this cake is so sought after but once you do, it may be difficult to see other cakes in the same light. That said, the chocolate quality does shine out albeit a little slower than i would have liked. Try it yourself to judge.
ladyironchefsaid: how come u always ordering cakes one? strange i didn't notice this place when i went greenwood last time. they got smaller cakes? 27 Apr 2008 at 12:10 am
feizhusaid: Lana has been around since I was a kid. Used to get my birthday cake from them. But just bought a cake from them last yr and to my horror, the standard has plummeted :( 27 Apr 2008 at 12:21 am
Lucardiasaid: I believe you may be right. Its just not as good as i expected it to be. 27 Apr 2008 at 12:26 am
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This time, my parents bought the cake from yet another outlet of Four Leaves. As always, the cakes are of a certain standard and this being my own birthday cake. Its definitely something i don't take lightly.
$24 for 15 x 15 inch - By now, i'm sure everyone is more or less well acquainted with this brand of cake? Well, its a humble shop thats found in almost every shopping mall selling decent pastry but the main draw of the place is still going to be the cakes they have on store.
The Mango Tropicana is comes in a cheery yellow color with loads of mango mousse, sponge cake and bits of mango strewn meticulously within. I like the fact that its not too heavy on taste and instead, is a little sour. Somehow this gives me the impression that it is at least authentic and not just sugar coated for effect. The mango pieces themselves add a good dimension to the cake and is pleasing overall. The sugar can really be felt only on the sponge cake surprisingly, which is still airy, light and soft enough to warrant a try.
Can the cakes here do no wrong? I'm not sure about that but i've been introduced to alot of the more....high end cakes which i'll go along to try soon. More cakes coming on this cake filled weekend. Cheers!
Cakes, every single year is a chance to try as many cakes as is humanly possible. And yet again, its four leaves cake that we went to. This time, for my GF's birthday (hence the shape). I'll reiterate that i've so far not had a bad cake from them yet.
$26 for 15 inch cake - First off, i'm not a fan of heart shaped cakes, secondly, i'm also not a fan of strawberry cakes. With that out of the way, on to the cake and how it tastes.
Unlike the usual chocolate cakes i'm used to, this version of strawberry cake actually has a strong and slightly bitter taste in the mousse to my surprise. It also lacks a somewhat "girly" feeling which usually accompanies cakes of this flavor. In fact, the soft chocolate sponge is of a stronger and better caliber then most. What it does is it compliments the strawberry mousse to a satisfying degree.
The cake is also very soft and creamy without overwhelming such that seconds and thirds can be easily stomached.
As far as strawberry mousse cakes go, this is one of the better ones i've had. Yet again, Four Leaves has not disappointed me my expectations. A reasonably good cake for your loved ones and strawberry lovers alike.
What hasn't been said of this now famous prata stall? Maybe the fact that they have finally beaten off the prata stall next door who used to leech on their name to make a quick buck i suppose. Other then that, i've been eating at this place since my national service days and the food price has just continued to rise and excel in ways i can't imagine.
Prata Kosong (80 cents a piece) - What is a roti prata? Its basically flour, squashed to dough form and later twirled around like some pancake or circus act in the air before being put on a flat metal cooking stove and cooked to doneness depending on the chef. So essentially, its just flour, some eggs, some oil and a little skill.
Thasevi's has been around a long long time, 48 years to be exact and they've been residing in Jalan Kayu since then. There used to be a competitor next to the stall but it has finally been beaten off. Both were fighting for the "Original Jalan Kayu Prata" title. Guess we now know who is the real one. However, with this exclusion, i can't help but notice that there's a cockiness instilled into the survivor that is ..... not pleasing at all. Rude and cocky describes it but i guess thats what winners do.
To the prata itself, their version is actually quite normal. I honestly can't find anything to justify why their prata is better then others. Maybe its the consistently small serving? Or the extremely oily and soft prata? No matter, what i'm saying is, its nothing special to me and i've had better. If my memory serves me right, the competitor that is now gone had crispier and more fragrant prata.
To its credit, Thesavi has reasonably tasty curry. Its all authentic and spicy stuff but there's a price to pay for them as well. Last i had, it was about $5 for the curry with a piece of chicken or mutton. This is a place you can easily spend $20 just eating something thats 400% to 600% less that amount.
The life saving thing about the place is that its 24 hours and people can come anytime. Other than that, its just average at best and seriously overpriced at worst. I wouldn't return since there are much better prata at decent prices with good service to round it all up.
Four seasons Durians made a name for themselves by pandering durians in creative new ways. Fancy a durian crepe? Or durian mochi? How does a durian cheese cake sound? Durian jam? Swiss roll? Dadar? Yes, you can find all that and more at this little place which has sinced been franchised to a few other places. AMK hub being one of them.
Well, basically, i was in the vicinity and had nothing else to do at the time plus the fact that there was an undeniable fragrance of durians in the air conditioned air that is difficult to ignore. Now, the time was 9.45pm when i got there and to my utter surprise, the queue was horrendously long. Waiting time was at least half an hour for your order and another 15 minutes to just get your hands on the delectable pancakes.
I'm also surprised that so many people were willing to pay $1.50 for each pancake when the cost price is obviously 300% below that at least. But in the end, i ended up paying the same amount anyway, so i'm a dork as well i suppose. I got my hands on 10 of these pancakes and paid another $3.50 for durian puffs for a box of 4. Needless to say, i'm probably not repeating this stunt again.
That is not to say the durian pancakes were not good tasting though. The durians in the pancake were grade A stuff. Sweet and a little firm despite obviously being prepared for some time before they were used. The pancakes were made fresh because that is the reason for waiting in line for that ridiculously long waiting time. Also, the pancakes were slightly crispy yet extremely soft to the bite. Its good enough to recommend. The puffs were pretty normal to me, with the exception of it being slightly bigger but still, hardly worth the price.
For a snack, i don't know how it can command a price as high as this and still get away with it. For my part, the only reason i bought was because i was stupid enough to stand in line for 15minutes before realising it cost $1.50 per piece. By then, not buying would mean i've stood in line for nothing. You know the feeling, between a rock and a hard place.
This, being durian, its totally up to preference on whether you really like the fruit or not. That said, i'm not paying the same price for it again because quite simply, buy your own load of durians, use ready mix pancake and you'll pretty much get the same taste at a much cheaper price and minus the waiting time to boot. Thats just what i think of course.
1=SGD 0.0587
$75 for a 2kg Lana Cake - Weighing a hefty 2kg and fetching a price of $75, this takes the crown as the priciest cake i've ever had thus far. That is why i was quite surprised when the cake was cut open, it seemed extremely ordinary with no additional embellishments which i can identify with for the high price.
Even the exterior was rather normal looking, a few words with colored icing and cream and a smoothed and wavy chocolate fudge is all that you get. Nothing fancy at all.
The cake slice you see above best describes why i was surprised. A thin layer of chocolate fudge covers the sponge and its only....one thin layer of chocolate fudge with a whole load of sponge cake. I believe the shop charges these exorbitant prices based on the promise of using top grade chocolate on their cakes, which is probably why it is used so sparingly in this cake.
Now for the actual taste. First bites basically didn't impress. It tasted like something choc a bloc could have done and at a cheaper price too. Subsequent tastes did not change my impression. Sure, the cake is rich and the chocolate is definitely not your everyday chocolate but they sure could have added some chocolate mousse or something to make the cake a little more bang for the buck...but thats the first impression of course.
Then i took a second piece and chomped it down slower, which is when i realised then despite this being a chocolate fudge cake, it is surprisingly light and yet packed with taste from the chocolate fudge. This is probably the little difference that makes a big difference in the end.
Decent and strong, the simplicity of the cake belies a hidden promise of quality chocolate that will not present itself immediately. It takes time (and money) to understand why this cake is so sought after but once you do, it may be difficult to see other cakes in the same light. That said, the chocolate quality does shine out albeit a little slower than i would have liked. Try it yourself to judge.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!how come u always ordering cakes one? strange i didn't notice this place when i went greenwood last time. they got smaller cakes?
27 Apr 2008 at 12:10 am
Lana has been around since I was a kid. Used to get my birthday cake from them. But just bought a cake from them last yr and to my horror, the standard has plummeted :(
27 Apr 2008 at 12:21 am
I believe you may be right. Its just not as good as i expected it to be.
27 Apr 2008 at 12:26 am
$24 for 15 x 15 inch - By now, i'm sure everyone is more or less well acquainted with this brand of cake? Well, its a humble shop thats found in almost every shopping mall selling decent pastry but the main draw of the place is still going to be the cakes they have on store.
The Mango Tropicana is comes in a cheery yellow color with loads of mango mousse, sponge cake and bits of mango strewn meticulously within. I like the fact that its not too heavy on taste and instead, is a little sour. Somehow this gives me the impression that it is at least authentic and not just sugar coated for effect. The mango pieces themselves add a good dimension to the cake and is pleasing overall. The sugar can really be felt only on the sponge cake surprisingly, which is still airy, light and soft enough to warrant a try.
Can the cakes here do no wrong? I'm not sure about that but i've been introduced to alot of the more....high end cakes which i'll go along to try soon. More cakes coming on this cake filled weekend. Cheers!
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
$26 for 15 inch cake - First off, i'm not a fan of heart shaped cakes, secondly, i'm also not a fan of strawberry cakes. With that out of the way, on to the cake and how it tastes.
Unlike the usual chocolate cakes i'm used to, this version of strawberry cake actually has a strong and slightly bitter taste in the mousse to my surprise. It also lacks a somewhat "girly" feeling which usually accompanies cakes of this flavor. In fact, the soft chocolate sponge is of a stronger and better caliber then most. What it does is it compliments the strawberry mousse to a satisfying degree.
The cake is also very soft and creamy without overwhelming such that seconds and thirds can be easily stomached.
As far as strawberry mousse cakes go, this is one of the better ones i've had. Yet again, Four Leaves has not disappointed me my expectations. A reasonably good cake for your loved ones and strawberry lovers alike.
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Prata Kosong (80 cents a piece) -
What is a roti prata? Its basically flour, squashed to dough form and later twirled around like some pancake or circus act in the air before being put on a flat metal cooking stove and cooked to doneness depending on the chef. So essentially, its just flour, some eggs, some oil and a little skill.
Thasevi's has been around a long long time, 48 years to be exact and they've been residing in Jalan Kayu since then. There used to be a competitor next to the stall but it has finally been beaten off. Both were fighting for the "Original Jalan Kayu Prata" title. Guess we now know who is the real one. However, with this exclusion, i can't help but notice that there's a cockiness instilled into the survivor that is ..... not pleasing at all. Rude and cocky describes it but i guess thats what winners do.
To the prata itself, their version is actually quite normal. I honestly can't find anything to justify why their prata is better then others. Maybe its the consistently small serving? Or the extremely oily and soft prata? No matter, what i'm saying is, its nothing special to me and i've had better. If my memory serves me right, the competitor that is now gone had crispier and more fragrant prata.
To its credit, Thesavi has reasonably tasty curry. Its all authentic and spicy stuff but there's a price to pay for them as well. Last i had, it was about $5 for the curry with a piece of chicken or mutton. This is a place you can easily spend $20 just eating something thats 400% to 600% less that amount.
The life saving thing about the place is that its 24 hours and people can come anytime. Other than that, its just average at best and seriously overpriced at worst. I wouldn't return since there are much better prata at decent prices with good service to round it all up.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!hahah. i tot this place very famous for prata? over-rated?
26 Apr 2008 at 4:01 pm
Agreed that the service was bad. All of them have the "couldnt be bothered look"
26 Apr 2008 at 8:21 pm
Yeah, maybe its time for a reality check.
28 Apr 2008 at 11:30 pm
Well, basically, i was in the vicinity and had nothing else to do at the time plus the fact that there was an undeniable fragrance of durians in the air conditioned air that is difficult to ignore. Now, the time was 9.45pm when i got there and to my utter surprise, the queue was horrendously long. Waiting time was at least half an hour for your order and another 15 minutes to just get your hands on the delectable pancakes.
I'm also surprised that so many people were willing to pay $1.50 for each pancake when the cost price is obviously 300% below that at least. But in the end, i ended up paying the same amount anyway, so i'm a dork as well i suppose. I got my hands on 10 of these pancakes and paid another $3.50 for durian puffs for a box of 4. Needless to say, i'm probably not repeating this stunt again.
That is not to say the durian pancakes were not good tasting though. The durians in the pancake were grade A stuff. Sweet and a little firm despite obviously being prepared for some time before they were used. The pancakes were made fresh because that is the reason for waiting in line for that ridiculously long waiting time. Also, the pancakes were slightly crispy yet extremely soft to the bite. Its good enough to recommend. The puffs were pretty normal to me, with the exception of it being slightly bigger but still, hardly worth the price.
For a snack, i don't know how it can command a price as high as this and still get away with it. For my part, the only reason i bought was because i was stupid enough to stand in line for 15minutes before realising it cost $1.50 per piece. By then, not buying would mean i've stood in line for nothing. You know the feeling, between a rock and a hard place.
This, being durian, its totally up to preference on whether you really like the fruit or not. That said, i'm not paying the same price for it again because quite simply, buy your own load of durians, use ready mix pancake and you'll pretty much get the same taste at a much cheaper price and minus the waiting time to boot. Thats just what i think of course.
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