CRIZ BON APPETITE

Before I start my post on the Sanrio Hello Kitty House in Bangkok, Thailand, let’s welcome the latest addition to the Hello Kitty family right in Malaysia. I’m sure those who had frequent Sunway Pyramid in Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, would have noticed a huge pink signage on the construction site next to Caffe Benne. Yup! Malaysia will be having its first Hello Kitty Gourmet Café right in the heart of Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall real soon. I’m sure due the limited space within the complex, the layout might not be the same as the rest of the cafes throughout the world. However, I would be sure that it would be pink everywhere with whatever corner filled with your beloved Hello Kitty decors. Don’t you love PINK now? LOL~ 😛

Recently, I paid a visit to the Sanrio Hello Kitty House at Siam Square One in Bangkok, Thailand. It was a unique multi-storey shop unit filled with lots of pink, love and cuteness at every possible corner within the premises. Why is it called Sanrio Hello Kitty House? It actually housed two levels of Hello Kitty Café and a basement level of Hello Kitty Shop and Hello Kitty Spa.

Let’s have a look at the respective floor of the Hello Kitty Cafe. The first floor comprised of the ordering counter where you can have glimpses all the cute desserts on display. There was also a take-away counter on the far right for your beverages and light snacks. The system here was somewhat like how you would order your items at Starbucks, eg. Order-Pay-Collect. For orders that would require some period of preparation time, you would be given a number and the staff would deliver to your table.

Though there were some dining areas at the first floor, the second floor itself was more spacious and basically just for dine-in with more selfie corners, pinkish chairs and lounge sofas for you to slumber in.

When you are so far away from home and at such a themed café, you would want to try the best items that they would offer. All price quoted is inclusive of 7% VAT. The Lemon Tart (THB280nett) display at the chiller caught my attention. Well, looks can be real deceiving. Sometimes, when we deemed an item to be photo-worthy, it might not appear to be tasty at all. That was what happened. The lemon tart set was horrendous! The lemon filling tasted rather fake and extremely sour. As for the crust, I would recommend you to request for a hammer and chisel. It was so rock hard that I might break the given pair of fork and knife. Those “chick pea” like pebbles were nothing more than some bland biscuits. If not for the chocolate sauce, I would just leave them aside. For that lovely looking mini mug with red mousse, it was just some tasteless cream with red coloring. As one of the most expensive desserts on the menu, it was one order that was barely consumable.

Thanks goodness the kitchen ad hoc prepared Ham & Cheese Sandwich (THB200nett) was at least edible. It was just two slices of “Hello Kitty” face shaped toasted bread with rolled ham and cheese, accompanied with some cheap greens with salad dressing. It was normal and nothing to shout about.

As for drinks, I ordered their recommended Kitty Smoothie (THB150nett) and Hello Kitty Mineral Water (THB30nett). Except for the bottled water, I really can’t figure out what I was drinking. It was like drinking a glass of syrup with some light hints of milk and strawberries. It was so sweet that I had to leave it after a few sips as it might juggle up my glucose level. I’m still wondering why the Thais like their drinks to be so artificially sweetened up.

Let’s leave the food and beverage woes away and check out the basement of the unit. The Hello Kitty Shop will be a merchandise heaven for those Hello Kitty enthusiasts as they have practically everything you ever dreamed of having here from little memorabilia to items such as T-shirt, bags, umbrellas, etc. I’ve to forewarn you that prices of the items are not cheap. They are original franchised items after all.

On the other hand, you would find the Hello Kitty Spa at the other further end of the basement level. This might not be the type of spa you would be expecting as it would basically cater to the feminine parties, kid inclusive.

The facilities would include nail services, lash extensions, waxing, face and body treatments plus massages. You can check out the prices below (click to enlarge for a better view).

Overall, Sanrio Hello Kitty House is quite a nice place to bring your family or dates for the first time experience but most people won’t be able to stay there for too long. The reason is that the never ending replaying of the theme song can drive anyone up the wall with madness. Can you imagine having the same few seconds theme song playing over and over again at the moment you step into the place until you leave? OMG! As for the food and beverage wise, I was expecting something more edible rather than loads of food and drinks with high level of sugar and coloring contents. I hope we don’t get these experiences at other franchised outlets in the near future.

Name: SANRIO HELLO KITTY HOUSE BANGKOK
Address: 388 Siam Square One Building, LG, 1st & 2nd Floor, Siam Square Soi (Alley) 7, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Contact: +662 115 1335
Business Hours: 10.00am-10.00pm
GPS: 13.744526, 100.533489

DIRECTIONS:

Take the BTS Sukhumvit Line and stop at BTS Siam Station. Use the Skywalk towards Exit 2 and walk downstairs all the way until you reach a junction. Turn into Siam Square Soi 4 and walk straight until the cross junction of Siam Square Soi 4/Siam Square Soi 7. The Sanrio Hello Kitty House is just at the corner unit.

RATING:
Ambience: 9/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 6/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 5/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 6/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

By staying at The Key Bangkok Hotel where travelling via the two major mass transit systems has been real fun and convenient, I managed to explore quite a few interesting cafes within the Watthana district. Located nearby the BTS Thong Lo Station is a charming little hideaway establishment named Chico Interior Products & Café. If you are a cat lover, you would surely go goo-goo gaga over some of the free roaming cats within the premises. The bungalow-style shop may be hidden away from the main road but it was never short of visitors, especially those Japanese staying within the vicinity. Even their main website is all written in Japanese other than Thai or English. Isn’t that obvious? LOL~ 😛 If you love the serenity away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, this will be quite a nice place to spend some time sipping some beverages and gobbling down some of their nice homemade snacks and light meals.

On top of some tranquil moments with the furry felines, you can also spend some time mingling through some of their interior home products as well as personal gifts, not forgetting cat related items too. Some of their products may include Thai handicrafts, unique kitchen utensils, pillows, cushions, aromatherapy lamps, bamboo by-products, natural soaps, beewax candles, trinkets, wind chimes, stuffed toys, printed clothes and more.

Here are some photos of their cute cats, a mix of pedigrees and local shot hair felines. Even my cats had some edible gifts from the shop~ LOL~ 😛

Since it was already almost tea time, we had some light food and dessert over some hot beverages. I started off with a hot pot of Lavender Tea (THB100nett). With so much of eating spree for the last few days, it indeed relieved my eating tension and stress~ LOL~ 😛 Luckily they did not burn any lavender oil or I would be fast asleep under such a relaxing environment.

I also did try out their Hot Chocolate (THB80nett). It was filled with chocolate richness and the milk they used was also awesomely creamy. Wait! Why is there a fat cat having its sauna in my cup? Haha~ The latte art may look simple but based on the comment by an established 3D latte art master, it required lots of patience and steady hand to come out with this design. The hot beverage came with a cute cat shaped cookie as well.

As for a light meal, I ordered the Japanese Style Spaghetti (THB160nett). Wow~ I was impressed. The color may not look pleasant to the eyes but the taste was heavenly. It was just a simple spaghetti dish, stir fried with some pork slices, shitake and enoki mushrooms, zucchini and garnished with some bonito flakes but the gravy itself was pepped with rich earthly flavors. I could not stop myself from pussy licking the whole plate dry~ Meow~ 😛 For those who would want to get the best of the meal deal, I would advise you to drop by between 11.30am and 2.00pm as they have daily set lunch available, which would include a salad, a main dish (4 options such as Japanese Omu Rice, Japanese Style Spaghetti, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and Japanese Beef Curry with Rice) and a cup of hot beverage (+THB10 for iced beverages) at only THB185nett.

We were lucky on that day as they have Dessert of The Day which was the Hot Banana Pie served with Vanilla Ice Cream (THB55nett). The hot oozing banana combined with the fresh vanilla pod ice cream was so seductive. The sensation was beyond any earthly word.

Overall, I quite like this place due to the peaceful settings within a hidden greenery filled premises. I also like the fore-sight of the shop owner by allowing patrons to have a place to relax before continuing with their hectic lifestyle. Time will stand still here while you are immensely occupied with the many interesting and unique items you can bring home as souvenirs. At least you do not have to suffer the scorching heat from the scattered markets to have your shopping done. Everything will be inclusive of the necessary taxes.

Just a note to those shutterbugs: You may take some general shots of the shop but not on individual product as they would want their products to be exclusive to their patrons.

Name: CHICO INTERIOR PRODUCTS & CAFE
Address: 109 Sukhumvit Soi 53 (Paidee-Maidee), Khlong Tan-Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Contact: +662 258 6557
Business Hours: 9.30am-6.00pm (Closed Tuesday)
GPS: 13.732805, 100.579067

DIRECTIONS:

Take the BTS Sukhumvit Line and stop at BTS Thong Lo Station. Use the Skywalk towards Exit 1 and walk downstairs all the way until you reach a junction. Turn right into Sukhumvit Soi 53. Walk on for about 15 minutes, pass the newly opened Nippon Kai Market, until the second junction with a “Soi Renoo” road sign. Turn right into the small alley and you can see the Chico signboard right at the end. If you are tired of walking, you can always get a tuk-tuk or a motorbike taxi by telling them that you are going to Soi Renoo or Chico.

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 6/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7.5/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

If you think that all the surrounding 24 hours eateries are some of the venues convenient to kill your hunger at odd times of the day, then Barista @ Vistana Hotel Penang will be your next haunt. Either you are in a rush for a morning coffee boost, a quick breakfast or soothe your hunger in the middle of the night, you can also drop by at the Barista as it would be opened 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Whether you are a hotel guest or a walk-in customer, the little kiosk like Barista would have something to you convenience. The good news is all items are at nett price.

Let’s look at their All Day Menu to get an idea on what you could get at Barista. You can click to enlarge to photo for a better view.

For those healthy diners, you can go for their Healthy2Go Set (RM13.00 per set) which would include an energy bar, fruit of the day, a piece of Danish pastry, your choice of yoghurt and your choice of coffee, tea or juice.

On the other hand, they also have the Local2Go Set (RM13.00 per set) which would include your choice of local dish (Nasi Lemak or Mee Siam), a piece of Curry Puff and your choice of coffee, tea or juice. I quite like the flavors of the Chicken Curry as it had a touch of the Nyonya Curry Kapitan.

There are also options for Sandwiches (RM11.00 each), namely Egg Mayo (Wholemeal Bread with Egg Salad and Lettuce), Roman Chicken Caesar (Wholemeal Bread with Grilled Chicken, Cheese, Lettuce and Caesar Dressing), Creamy Tuna (Croissant with Tuna, Lettuce and Mayonnaise), Classic Corned Beef (Ciabatta Bread with Corned Beef, Rocket, Lettuce, Gherkins and Mayonnaise) and Crunchy Wrap (Vegetarian – Flour Tortilla with Mixed Lettuce, Beans, Aubergine and Carrots). For beef lovers, you should try out their Classic Corned Beef as the kitchen had prepared the filling rather nicely without the overpowering beefy taste.

For a lighter palate, you could always opt for their Salads selections such as their Mixed Green Salad (RM10.00), Thai Papaya Salad (RM10.00), Soba Noodles Salad (RM10.00) or their Rojak Buah (RM8.00). I quite like the Rojak Buah which consisted of tropical fruits such as Guava, Water Apple, Mango, Starfruits and Pineapple, all cut into a bit too small bite sizes. I won’t mind too if they could come out with another option with added vegetables such as jicama (sengkuang) and cucumber as the accompanied rojak sauce was quite compatible to those hawkers’ version to ease my rojak craving.

Alternatively, there are also the Quickies if you are in a hurry such as catching a flight or rushing to a meeting. The choices include Yoghurt (RM2.50), Muffin (RM3.50), Danish Pastry (RM3.50), Energy Bar (RM5.00), Instant Nissin Noodles (RM8.00), Mee Siam (RM10.00) and Nasi Lemak (RM10.00).

As for your coffee or tea booster, there are many options as shown in the menu above. Basically, they are serving BonTea and BonCafe, 100% Arabica Coffee beans hailing from Central & South America and Africa, medium roasted with a slight sourness. I tried the Espresso (RM6.00) which was infused with rich, bittersweet and slightly sour characteristics of an Italian espresso. On the other hand, their Caramel Cappuccino (RM10.00) had a rounded mouth-feel with a slight nuttiness and bittersweet aftertaste. For a not so sweet option, you should try out their Vanilla Cappuccino (RM10.00) which I quite like for its creamy yet mild sweetness taste.

You can also try out their Signature Crushes (RM11.00 each) such as Vibes (Watermelon, Lychee and Orange), Verve (Tropical Mix, Mango and Banana) and Value (Apple, Lychee, Lime, Carrot and Cucumber). Somehow, I quite like the Verve Crush as it had that creaminess of my choice.

We also tried out their Frappe (RM10.00 each), namely Vanilla and Chocolate. I kind of like the Vanilla version here.

They do serve Smoothies (RM10.00 each) as well. We tried the Mixed Berries, Mango and Mix & Match. Well, I’m a berries lover, so you know which one was my favorite~ 😛

On top of that, there are also other options of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks for you to choose.

Who knows you might end up having a sip of their Cabernet Sauvignon (RM18.00 per glass or RM80.00 per bottle) while having a short meeting over there?

Overall, the dishes served here belonged to the fast food category as almost everything would be heated up with a microwave. The only drawback would be the dryness of the food in certain dishes. I guessed the staff has yet to learn how to master the usage of the microwave. Ideally, half a mug of hot water should be placed inside the microwave while heating up the food as this process would help in maintaining the moisture within the food.

The Barista is located right after you enter the hotel lobby of Vistana Hotel Penang along Jalan Bukit Gambir. It has a long table in front with more sitting places at the bar counter. There are a few cubicles with nice sofa for your quick meeting and light internet usages. You can either park your car right at the side and go in to grab your food or park your car in the basement which would require you to get a token from the receptionist to scan your way out.

Name: BARISTA @ VISTANA HOTEL PENANG
Address: 213 Jalan Bukit Gambir, 11950 Bukit Jambul, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604- 646 8000
Business Hours: 24 hours
GPS: 5.336334, 100.291527

RATING:
Ambience: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7.5/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)