KEN HUNTS FOOD: Kantan Cafe/ Kafe (簡単) @ Campbell Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Kantan Cafe/ Kafe (簡単) @ Campbell Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Tucked within one of the heritage houses, Kantan Cafe/ Kafe (簡単) is the third cafe opened along Campbell Street. The cafe's predecessor is Macaron Cafe, previously located on level 6 of Gurney Plaza Penang. Under the same management but with new revamped menu, Kantan Cafe/ Kafe (簡単) rolls out their simple series of freshly baked Bagels, Pizzas and some in-house Pastries and Cakes. As compared to many of its competitors, their menu is quite extensive with many reasonably priced choices covering Mains, Snacks, Desserts and Beverages. Despite fully air-conditioned, the place can be a little too dark for gathering though. Kantan Cafe/ Kafe (簡単) can be found few shops away from Moustache Houze and Sugar Honey along the same road.

Satiate your cravings for Chocolate Cake at Kantan Cafe with their Chocolate Earl Grey Cake (Rm 5) which comes with a substantial portion. Dusted with Icing Sugar, the cake was perfectly balanced in terms of sweetness. It was dense with a discernible aroma of the Earl Grey Tea; however, the cake did not score well in texture as it was too dry and crumbly to my liking. I thought the cake lacked of depth and can be monotonous after a bite or two; it would be better if the Chef is able to add in a more layered dimension or interesting twist to the otherwise, predictable flavors. The cake, however, is good for sharing though.

Intrigued by its presentation, I just could not resist myself from ordering their Cranberry Almond Bar (Rm 2.50). It should be fairly easy to imagine both the texture and flavor. Imagine: Cornflakes coated with Melted Chocolate with some Dried Cranberries sandwiching in between. It tasted almost similar as that- crunchy, sweet but not overly so, with a touch of Dried Cranberries. A good complement to a cup of Coffee.

The savory we had was their Cream Cheese Bagel (Rm 5.50). Freshly baked everyday, their Bagels are freshly made in house and to my surprise, it actually came in quite a substantial portion. The poppy seeds encrusted Muffin was heated and had its crunchiness well-maintained on the crust and fluffy for the base. However, I thought the spread of Cream Cheese was insufficient, as though I was having some ordinary savory bread. Nothing out of the ordinary but not too bad if you are looking for something filling.