Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara

Croisserie Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara

Huong Tran and Monica Tindall

Croisserie Artisan Bakery, once a quaint neighborhood bakehouse, has taken on a refreshed lease of life with new management, a revamp of the menu, and an attractive renovation. Although appearing to be relatively small, this little gem churns out a big variety of both sweets and savouries that would make any French baker proud. It’s filled with delights guaranteed to make you feel warm and fuzzy, and as we soon discover, one visit is just not enough.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara

Although I consider myself quite localized food-wise, in my eight years in Kuala Lumpur I’ve always felt there was a bit of a gap in the market for great quality western and European style bread and pastries. I grew up eating French, Vietnamese and Australian breads every day – they were my staple, and as such I’m on a seemingly never-ending lookout for good bakeries. With this visit to Croisserie however, it might appear that my search is over.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Croissant and Coffee

As simple as a baguette is [RM5.50 small, RM7.80 large], a great baguette is pure joy, and the team at Croisserie have mastered this classic. The crust is rustic and crunchy, while the insides are soft and mildly spongy. The captivating aroma is not only a result of this sample being not long out of the oven, but also because the artisan bakers here ferment their own yeast rather than using the pre-packed variety. A smudge of French butter and… mmm. Also made with that same yeast starter are Croisserie’s fruit breads. The Rye, Fig, Cranberry and Flaxseed Loaf [RM19.80] is scrumptious, and we learn that the baker alternates ingredients daily so visiting on consecutive days will gift you with something new to try.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Baguette
Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Fig and Cranberry Loaf

Under the savoury family, the Salmon Quiche [RM13] is a standout. It’s packed generously with salmon and spinach, and encased in a thin crust buttery pastry. Formed in a round mold it would make a quick lunch with a bit of salad on the side, or an impressive starter for a more formal dinner. I can easily see myself returning and grabbing a number of these to take home.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Quiche

Marketing 101 states that every successful business should have a USP (Unique Selling Point), and the team at Croisserie have achieved this with their Croissants [RM3.50]. Kudos to their flaky buttery versions that crumble on the plate as you tear them apart. The brittle shell fragments with gentle prodding revealing a fluffy melty interior. Be prepared to get messy with these treasures.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Up Close with a Croissant

At this point I am excited to try the sweets. I am quite full, but it is universally known that the dessert stomach works independently. Before I embark on the sweet journey, a coffee is in order. I am relieved to see a “proper barista” and “proper machine” chug out a pretty decent Flat White and Latte.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Latte

The Chocolate Lava [RM3.50] is an innocently petite looking Danish pastry with a chocolate centre. Upon slicing however, (especially if you ask the staff to warm it up before serving), the gooey liquid spills onto the plate, and a flank of the buttery case dipped into the melted chocolate is just magic.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Chocolate Lava

The German Custard Tart looks like a Portuguese egg tart. The taste is similar but the texture is closer to a crème brulee. It is both soft and creamy. I think it’s genius how the baker has delicately balanced the crust with the custard, so that they complement one another rather than compete. Staying in Europe, the dainty Canelé, a small French pastry with a tender custard centre and thick caramelized shell, is the perfect size for popping whole in the mouth. Yum.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Moist Spongy Insides of the Canelé

I marvel when looking at the fine layers of Opera Cake. I once watched a challenge on Masterchef and the contestants had three hours to replicate one. I was surprised at how much effort went into it – the details are so intricate. To complete one, must be labour of love.  Croisserie’s version [RM13.50] is based on the traditional recipe of espresso, dark chocolate mousse, coffee butter cream, biscuit jaconde and a chocolate glaze. I eat this one slowly appreciating the work that has gone into crafting each stratum.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Opera Cake
Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Matcha Cake – Made Just As Elegantly as the Opera Cake

The pastry worthy of a standing ovation though goes to the Lemon Curd or Tarte Au Citron [RM12]. It’s tangy. It’s tasty. It’s oozy. It is authentic and reflective of what I am used to back home in Melbourne. At this point Monica (my fellow food loving Aussie) suggests they jar the lemon curd and sell it separately. I laugh because I have clear images of Mon just slabbing it on her toast or spooning it direct from the jar. This tart is really good. Empty plate is returned.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Lemon Curd Ooze

As the festive seasons bears upon us, Croisserie has geared up their kitchens to produce some treats to match the festivities. We spy a beautiful counter of gorgeous cakes and biscuits, and delight in sampling some slices of Stollen, a traditional German fruit bread. The loaf is packed with juicy raisins and nuts, and coated with marzipan crumble. It’s dense and rich, and so a small serving is plentiful.

Croisserie, Artisan Bakery, Plaza Damansara
Stollen

I know I sound like I loved everything. The truth is, as much I would have liked to, I couldn’t sample everything in store. In my opinion, the selections above are all winners. Until we meet again Croisserie, whether it’s to eat in or to take away, I will return again soon.

Reasons to visit: croissants, rustic breads, quiche, lemon tart, and a fine supply of Christmas treats (why do it yourself when you can get goodies of this quality right here?)

Croisserie Artisan Bakery By O’Coffee Club

14 Jalan Medan Setia 2
Plaza Damansara
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
+6 03 2011 3727
www.facebook.com/Croisserie
Open: Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm
Sunday and Public Holidays 9am to 6pm

14 Comments

  1. Monica, now this is a bakery and pastry place! The fig and cranberry loaf looks so good, and I love quiche. Never tried salmon quiche, and I have had Quiche Lorraine and spinach quiche and I love them. The lemon curd looks divine! Not sure if you have ever tried Robertson’s lemon curd in a jar, but it is very good and this photo here reminds me of it. Decadent! The coffee looks so nice, the I had to scroll past the opera cake, because just looking at it makes me want to reach out and grab a piece. LOL! 🙂

    As far as the quiche goes, since I love both salmon and quiche I am willing to bet I would love it! 🙂

    • The breads were so good that we both took some home with us. The salmon and spinach make a great combo. I’m guessing you’d like this one. Oh lemon curd… how I love lemon curd… funny you mention Robertson’s bottled version, as I was trying to convince the chef here that he should bottle his curd so we could buy some to take home. 🙂

  2. Oh my! Everything looks so perfect – wish we had such nice bakeries here. Can’t even find a really nice rich and buttery croissant anywhere. 🙁

    • The last few years has really seen an increase in western style bakeries in KL. In the past it was difficult to even find a hearty loaf of bread. Over the last couple of years however we seem to be spoilt for choice.

  3. Looks fantastic! Coffee shops are now in every corner but their baked goods are not always up to a scratch. This one looks like they’ve got an ace baking team!

    • Agreed! This spot does the baked goods well as a priority. Coffee is good, but the patisserie and bakery are even better.

  4. All looks super. Just love the look of the Opera Cake. Must make a salmon quiche soon. Lemon tart, yum!

    • The Opera Cake was delicious and I also appreciated the twist on it seen in the Matcha Cake. It’s been a while since I’ve made quiche. My mum has a recipe for an ‘impossible’ quiche – where you throw all the ingredients together and they naturally separate when cooking. Oh… lemon tart… yum!

  5. Opera cakes look like mille crepes?!
    I would love to try that match opera cake. 🙂
    Yummy and their croissants too.

    • Yes, the layers are so fine – it must take quite some skill (and time) to construct. Now do tell… are you a flaky buttery croissant person, or do you like the less flaky variety?

  6. Everything looks good but my favourite is still the simple flaky buttery Croissant with latte!

  7. I’m sure I’d like the flaky and buttery croissant, luscious opera cake and oozy lemon curd tart! 🙂 Must bookmark this place!

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