Grab Bread Bakery (GBB) @ Pandan Indah

I was first introduced to this new bakery (actually not new lah since they opened in December 2021) by the lady boss of a noodle shop I frequent on a weekly basis and that's because her daughter works there.  Some of her customers have tried the pastries and bread in that bakery and had positive things to say.

The lady boss couldn't tell me the name of the bakery (as she doesn't speak English) but I later learned from one of her customers that it's next to Victoria Bakery (which I know as this bakery has been around for a good 5 years, I think)  Since the bakery comes highly recommended, I might as well take a look-see.  

So, I made my first visit to Grab Bread Bakery (GBB) @ Pandan Indah one morning.  This bakery isn't new, the staff there told me that it has been around for a year already.  I don't frequent that street (so I wasn't aware) since I buy my baked goodies from Maison (formerly Fougasse, then Ficelli) and not Victoria Bakery (which is just next door to GBB).

This post is 5 months in the eating making...lol (as per the date stamp on the very first photo) to moderate sugary intake and allow myself or (at least) try to limit that indulgence to once a week (or once in 2 weeks). The first thing that caught my eye which I couldn't resist getting was the Banana Cake @ RM6.30 as it's among one of the few cakes I really like to eat.

A fair portion size for the price (about a 3.5 - 4 inch-square mini cake) which you can cut into 5 slices (approx. 2-inch in height).  Compared to commercially-produced banana cakes, it was a notch up as it had a pretty decent banana flavour which probably came from a combination of real bananas and banana essence. The tiny black specks (banana seeds) inside the cake is proof that some real bananas were used in the making.  It certainly tasted a lot better than those made from just artificial banana essence only.

It's a decent banana cake by such standards but not quite up to the the taste, quality and standard of a banana cake from (say) cafes where I had eaten them before coz they use lots of bananas (and you can definitely taste the difference with the real deal).

Still, it tastes loads better than those commercially-produced banana cakes and also better than some of those from bakeries.  I particularly like this one as the sweetness is light.  Now I know where I can get a fairly good slice of banana cake when I want one.

The Honey Marble Cake @ RM3.80 is a slice of cake about 4.5 x 3.5 inches (and slightly less than an inch in thickness) that was light and fluffy but I thought the texture was a bit too soft for a cake.  All things seemed well until I got to the cream layer in the centre! :O

Between swirls of cocoa in the marble cake, there was this centre layer of cream that was greyish in colour (possibly some kind of coffee cream?) but did not taste like coffee cream.  Instead, it had a very unpleasant, artificial, almost metallic, taste of I-dunno-what.  It was so off-putting that I had to scrape the cream away with my finger.  Even that was not enough, I had to cut away the part of the cake that came into contact with the cream.  That appalling smell even lingered on my finger after washing that I had to rewash my hands and apply sanitizer to get rid of that awful smell.  Stay clear of this one...you've been warned (unless something went horribly wrong on the day I bought it)! >.<

I finally got my hands on the Pandan Layer Cake @ RM10.80 after two unsuccessful trips.  This cake comes highly recommended by the same lady boss of a restaurant where I'm a regular.

This cake measures about L8 x W2.5 x H2.5 inch in size and you can slice them into six 1-inch thick pieces.  It had two layers of sponge cake with two layers of pandan custard and finished with a sprinkling of dessicated coconut on top.

The pandan custard has a jelly-like consistency that's similar to agar-agar while the sponge cake was light, airy and fluffy.  Again, this cake had very light sweetness which seems to be the standard norm for most of the cakes here which is good (I like that standard!).  The pandan layer cake was not too sweet and certainly ranks as one of the better ones I've eaten thus far. ^o^

I've always had a soft spot for cats and.....Cream Puffs (Original) @ RM6.80 (for 6 pcs) as I like that super airy, soft and almost melt-in-your-mouth texture of the choux pastry.  This one was light to eat but not as airy and the texture not as soft.  It was lightly cold from being kept chilled in their bakery display counter. There's even a sticker attached to advice consumers to keep it in the fridge and consume within 2 days as it contains no preservatives.

Biting (or tearing) into the cream puff, many would be very pleased to see it, not adequately filled but, abundantly filled with sweetened pastry (or whipped) cream and finished with a light dusting of confectioners' sugar.  Call me crazy but I would like it not to be so abundantly filled with cream (although some might say they dream of such cream) so that it'd be less sweet (I actually scooped out and discarded some of it). >_<

I suppose the sweetness of the cream puff was acceptable (seeing the amount of cream was in there) and would generally appeal to the masses of sweet-toothed people who love pastries and desserts for that very reason.  The cream puffs also come with a choice of chocolate-filled cream.

After tasting some cakes and pastries, I thought I should try out some of their buns as well starting with the BBQ Chicken Bun @ RM3.30.  The minced chicken inside is quite similar to the taste of BBQ minced pork buns. 

I thought the chicken filling ratio to bun was acceptable.  The cook on the chicken meat was also pretty tasty.  What was commendable was that the bun remained very soft and fluffy even when I ate it much later (even after half a day).

The Spicy Ikan Bilis Bun also @ RM3.30 was another surprising success.  You can find quite a few whole ikan bilis in the filling and together with the sweet onions, this ikan bilis recipe was adequately tasty, better than many I've eaten.

The key difference of this ikan bilis bun (with others) was the dusting of chilli powder on the surface of the bun which reinforced the spicy flavour a bit.  Overall, the flavour of the ikan bilis sambal was rather good and not spicy at all.

I got the Sardine Bun @ RM3.30 next as I'm a fan of sardines (I like both the canned variety as well as fresh ones although the latter isn't very common here).

Those you get stuffed inside a bun is, of course, canned sardines...and this one had very light spicinessness but a little sweeter.  Again, this one had a dusting of something (chilli flakes + dessicated coconut?) on top which made it extra delicious.

With the relative success of the three savoury buns I've had thus far, there was no hesitation to try yet another of the same nature, the Curry Potato Bun @ RM3.30.  Again, the (not spicy) curry potato filling ratio-to-bun as well as taste was acceptable.

For this one, instead of a dusting of chilli powder I found on the other two buns (ikan bilis and sardine), this one had like a fine crumb on top which was lightly crispy.  Sometimes, it's these small little touches that set it apart from other bakery's buns.

When it comes to savoury buns (other than spicy ones), there really aren't a lot of choices to pick those without cheese since many would come with cheese like this German Golden Cheese Bun @ RM4.80.  This one I was purely attracted by the visually long sausage which, to be fair (*roll eyes*), was extra long compared to other sausage buns I've had before...kekeke.

Let's just say I was greedy and the extra long (9-inch not foot-long) sausage was drawing me in.  Of course, the taste of the sausage is like any commercially produced sausage you'd expect.  As for the topping, it was a mixture of mayo, cheese and mustard. The latter ingredient was a surprise but, then again, sausage with mustard is a common (and proven) combo.  I still went ahead and got it anyway although I've a strong aversion to cheese and mustard...lol.  I was able to take as it wasn't anything strong tasting and the mayo actually masked it with some sweetness.

As much as I enjoy savoury buns, I also enjoy sweet buns and one that is hard to resist for me is where there's blueberry flavour involved as blueberry jam is one of my two favourites.  So, it isn't much of a surprise that I'd find myself getting the Twin Blueberry Bun @ RM3.80 at some point.

The bun has a filling of cream (that's not too much and not too sweet) and blueberry jam that's lightly sweet and nicely tart.  It's the tartness of the blueberry that made the bun very easy to eat and not cloying at all.

The other where resistance is futile is when kaya (or coconut jam) is involved especially these Kaya Soft Buns @ RM5 (for 4 pcs).  These pillowy soft buns were finished with a dusting of dry flakes (dessicated coconut perhaps?) on top.

The ratio of kaya filling to bun is perfect.  The kaya has a sufficient aroma of creamy santan and pandan and is nicely (but not overly) sweet (a kaya isn't a kaya if it's not sweet, right?).  In my mind I want to think it's not too sweet so that I can eat them with less guilt as I know this is one I'd like to eat repeatedly...lol.

As a coffee lover, it was pretty obvious that I'd want to get the Coffee Mexico Bun @ RM3 to try.  This one, however, wasn't buttery enough and the coffee taste was rather muted.  Certainly a far cry from the renowned Rotiboy's version. >.<

My Personal Opinion

There are still a lot more baked goods I've not tried but I'm pretty satisfied with some of the ones I did.  More importantly, I felt that the sweetness level of most of the cakes and buns here are within tolerable levels.

Before GBB I used to get my baked goods from Maison but found that they tend to be a bit stiff and dry when eaten later (and Victoria's offerings didn't quite latch on to me either).  In the end, it's the pillowy soft texture of GBB's buns (even when eaten later) that will see me returning for more.  I've found a few favourites already like the pandan layer cake, kaya soft bun, banana cake, blueberry bun and spicy ikan bilis bun which I'm sure I'll be enjoying from time to time from my go-to bakery now.

This is a good addition to the bakeries we have in my neighbourhood as there aren't many of them besides Maison and Victoria.  The fact that they were brave enough to open an outlet right next door to another existing bakery (Victoria) tells me that they're confident that they can crush the competition be competitive...lol! ^_~

Grab Bread Bakery

13G Jalan Pandan Indah 4/33

Pandan Indah

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-4296 9186/014-351 2838

Ficelle Boulangerie & Patisserie (Baked Goods) @ Pandan Indah

I can still remember how popular Levain Boulangerie & Pattisserie first outlet in Imbi was when they first opened (I think it was about 10 years ago)...and they're still around to this day.  This French-style bakery and cafe was the cafe to visit then before they opened a string of other bakeries and cafes that includes Fougasse, Ficelli and Shakespeare.  Shakespeare has since closed and Fougasse has been renamed Ficelli.

I was fortunate enough to have a branch open in my neighbourhood back then (in 2012), Fougasse Boulangerie & Pattisserie, which I had blogged about in 2014 and 2015.  The place is now known as Ficelle Boulangerie & Pattisserie @ Pandan Indah.

Although I've stopped patronising the place for hot food here for a few years already (I suppose breakfast dishes are still ok if you don't have too high an expectation), it's still the bakery I go to for baked goods and sandwiches.  There are still no other bakeries here except for one or two smaller ones and if there were, they don't seem to last very long (and that's probably the reason for the longevity of this bakery).

My absolute favourite is the Tuna Corn Bun @ RM3 that's filled with decent tasting tuna flakes and corn.  Just having one of this (nah, two would be better) with a cup of coffee makes an ideal breakfast for me.

I like the burst of juices of the corn in my mouth when I bite into the soft and adequately tuna-filled bun.  I have this for breakfast quite often, sometimes for supper too when I'm naughty (I'd purposely buy an extra one and keep it for later). ^o^

Their Croissant @ RM2.90 is probably one of their most popular item here, flaky and crisp (it used to be even flakier before), airy and slightly buttery at the same time (some would prefer it to be more buttery, I suppose).  Better than some from well known bakeries even.

The Turkey Ham Croissant @ RM3.80 is just like their ultra crisp and flaky plain croissant, only this one has ham inside.

Another favourite is the Turkey Ham & Eggs Bun @ RM3.90 and this one is quite filling, so one is enough for a light breakfast or as something for coffee break (or tea time for non-coffee lovers). ^_*

The soft bun comes topped with mashed hard-boiled eggs (now why wouldn't that be a favourite of mine) with mayo and some small turkey slices inside.

The Mini Pumpkin Bread @ RM3, decorated with a few pumpkin seeds, is a soft roll filled with not too sweet pumpkin paste.

The Mashed Potato & Ham Bun @ RM3.40 is a soft bun with a slight crisp exterior encased with a generous amount of really soft mashed potatoes with pieces of ham in between.  If you like to eat mashed potatoes, you'll enjoy this bun.

The Mexican Bun @ RM3.50 is a coffee-flavoured bun studded with chocolate chips.  It didn't have enough of coffee flavour for me...and they don't taste anything like the coffee buns from Rotiboy (even though they too aren't as good as they used to be).

I buy the Octopus Bun @ RM2.90 just for the cuteness factor.  Taste wise, it's just a simple bun with a processed sausage inside that's cut to resemble octopus tentacles.

The Honey French Toast @ RM3.80 is a sizeable round loaf of bread with honey, not too sweet but also not too good quality honey. >_<

I also buy the Raisin Roll (3 pcs) @ RM4.30 and Butter Roll (3 pcs) @ RM2.90 quite frequently as they're aren't sweet and can be kept (for a few days)...but they may be too airy and not buttery enough for some.  I would eat them with an extra spread of butter (or jam) though for more flavour.

Besides, their sandwiches (chicken ham & egg or tuna & ham) is a breakfast staple for me.  Good on the go and great with a cup of hot coffee.

My Personal Opinion

I like simple buns like these, not elaborate ones with too much cream or sugar, so it's a super convenient place for me to get my hands on some baked goods and sandwiches for a light breakfast as there's no other bakery option here really.

Their baked goods and pastries are average at best.  If I have at my disposal some better bakeries here, this probably wouldn't be my pick.....but beggars can't be choosers....this will have to do for now until a nicer one comes along in my neighbourhood (and that's probably the main reason why they've lasted so long). ^_~

Ficelle Boulangerie & Patisserie
No 25G Jalan Pandan Indah 4/6A
Pandan Indah
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-4280 0618

Lavender Bakery (Cakes) @ Pavilion

I'm a regular at Lavender Bakery @ Pavilion as it's one of my favourite and usual spots to buy pastries and bread whenever I'm at the mall (there's now one nearer me in MyTown Shopping Centre which I wasn't even aware of).

If I find myself at this mall, I'd almost always stop by to get myself some bread (like egg loaf, soft raisin ball, mini brioche buns, wheat buns and wholewheat bread) to make egg or bacon sandwiches, garlic bread or just having it with plain butter for my breakfasts.

It was on one of these trips here that I came across slices of banana cake at the cashier counter.  So, I got a slice @ RM1.40 a slice to try and liked it immediately.  The cashier told me that the banana cake is not something that's on their permanent menu.  After trying it, I thought it was quite nice...and hoped that it would make it to their permanent menu.

So, I was happy to see whole banana cakes on their shelves when I visited Pavilion some weeks later.  Glad that they've decided to put it on their permanent menu! ;)

The Banana Cake retails @ only RM11.90 for a whole whopping cake...that is an amazing price indeed (especially so when a piece of cake can cost even more than that these days).  It comes in a nice packaging too with a cute see-through banana cut-out...how apt! ^_~

It had a fair amount of banana flavour but without that artificial taste of banana essence.  More importantly, it wasn't all that sweet which is why I liked it.  Would I have liked a more intense banana flavour?  Sure.

This is a cross-section of the banana cake...which I managed to cut into 12 slices.

It may not be among some of the best banana cakes I've eaten but it's certainly decent in taste, more so if you take the price into consideration.  Where else can you get a whole cake for the price of a slice! O_o  I can't have any complaints.

Another cake I saw available was the Marble Butter Cake @ RM16.90 for a whole cake.  I got one too and it came in the same type of packaging.  The packaging makes it perfect as a gift to bring to say a makan party or simply gift it to someone.

The cake was nicely fluffy and soft, just like the banana cake, but missing a bit of that buttery, cocoa-chocolaty flavour.  Although if I wanted a marble cake, the first one that comes to mind would be the one from Yut Kee (RM18 now) but the last time I bought this, it tasted denser than I remembered it to be. :(

Here's a cross-section of the marble butter cake...one of twelve slices.

Each cake isn't very big...it measures only about 6 x 2 inches but is still a sizeable cake considering the price paid.

Well, if you happen to be in Pavilion, these cakes are good buys for their amazing prices.  They're great as contributions to say a makan party, a kid's birthday or a child's school event/activity as they're presentable and easy on the wallet too (why slave over the oven to bake your own when you can just buy one off the shelf....*wink wink*!).

Otherwise, it's also ideal for your own consumption, especially if you're one (like me) who doesn't like cakes with lots of cloying cream and icing and prefer simple cakes like these.  Like life's simplest pleasures, a classic, simple piece of cake complemented with a cup of coffee is sheer enjoyment :)

Other whole cake flavours on offer include chocolate, walnut butter (RM19.90, the most expensive) and pandan chiffon (RM9.30, their least expensive cake).  I think they sell them by slices too as I saw them cutting and packing the banana cake into slices (now RM1.50 a slice).  Why bother to bake your own when you can get one from as little as RM9.30...haha! ;D