I must confess to being quite partial to Tun's Bread, even if the prices are in my view, somewhat undemocratic.
My last venture there racked up a bill of RM21 for 1 Escargot, (Cranberry Roll) 1 Magazine (Pain au Chocolat), 1 Pepite Coconut (Coconut Cream Pastry) and 1 Moon (Brioche). Owch.
The problem we have in this country when it comes to deciding if something is expensive and worth paying for, or just plain expensive, is that often we're making the decision in a sort of gastronomic vacuum. Tun's Bread is expensive when compared to say, DeliFrance or even any of your standard mall bread shops like Breadtalk or King's.
But obviously, we are not comparing Rotiboy with Rotiboy here.
The Loaf's Magazine (effectively, their Pain Au Chocolat) is miles above in pastry quality, chocolate quality and taste, compared to what you would eat at DeliFrance (if one even contemplates eating Delifrance pastries except out of desperation). So really, I suppose, it's unfair to expect Rotiboy prices, for a non-Rotiboy standard product.
Magazine aka Pain Au Chocolat - chocolatey, buttery, flaky AND with bite! Not quite your typical Pain Au Chocolat in that sense, but certainly, a unique take on the pastry basic.
But still one can't help but flinch at the price. RM21 for 4 pieces of bread is a lot of moolah to lay out. But I realised that you really can't eat that much of the bread, perhaps because it really is so rich and dense, that you're satisfied with say, two pieces rather than the four air-breads you'd be able to throw back from a routine bakery.
Moon aka Brioche - the hint of orange peel takes it to a new level, like marmalade in your bread, without the squidgyness.
I have been asked what is the difference between Tun's Bread and what's on sale in the standard bakery. Certainly the workmanship and skill that goes into making these breads provides some measure of justification to the heftier price tag. And the high price is also probably justified by the fact that you're eating an obviously richer dough (eggier, more buttery, soft without feeling like its full of air, like many of the local breads, meaning better quality flour is used) and hopefully no improver tossed in. It is very good bread. I suppose Malaysian simply balk at the idea of paying so much for bread, in the way perhaps we'd just not be able to justify RM15 char kuay teow.
One of my favourites is the Pepite Coconut (RM3.80) and I also like the An Pan Cream (also in the region of RM3.80). The Moon Brioche (RM3.80) is also quite good. Alas, the coffee is a serious let down (clearly, we not yet ready for Kedai Kopi Tun M), which makes a case for opting to go take-away and grabbing your caffeine from the Illy next door or popping to La Bodega for your coffee and pastry. Shame because the ambiance at The Loaf is just the place for a pre shopping tete-a-tete or just a break in between marathon retail therapy.
And if you have trouble finding it (as the map at Pavillion is somewhat, useless) - just look for Coach and follow your nose...
