Giovane Cafe is a popular spot located near Waterfront. They serve up a menu of breakfast and lunch items, as well as good variety of pastries and cakes. They are probably best known for their Sugar Buns, which are like a cross between a donut and a bun, and are filled with a variety of custards. I had their Matcha Sugar Bun, Malt Chocolate Cake Bar, Pineapple Coconut Ube, Chocolate El Sol, and Almond Croissant.
Matcha Sugar Bun ($5):
4/5
This was like a cross between a donut and a bun; it consisted of a thin layer of dough and was stuffed with a matcha cream filling, and was also dusted with some matcha. The amount of filling was very generous; it was literally oozing out of the bun as I bit into it. It was not overly sweet, and had a really great fragrance of matcha, and also a great bit of bitterness from the matcha on top.
Malt Chocolate Cake Bar ($8):
4/5
This was like an ice cream pop, except in cake form. It contained a chocolate mousse, a jelly, and some crunchy parts inside, and was coated with a layer of milk chocolate. The mousse was sweet, creamy and rich, the crunchy bits provided a nice texture, while the jelly lent a tang to offset the sweetness.
Pineapple Coconut Ube ($6):
4/5
The cake contained a crunchy layer on the bottom that seemed to have some coconut flavour, as well as white chocolate. The layer of jelly on top provided a great tanginess, which balanced well with the layers of ube and white chocolate, which was quite sweet.
Chocolate El Sol ($8):
4/5
This consisted of a chocolate cake that’s topped with a thick chocolate mousse, and surrounded by a thin piece of dark chocolate. The chocolate was bittersweet. It was a tad stale, but not too waxy. The chocolate mousse and cake had a nice bittersweet flavour; the cake also contained some crunchy parts. Even though it wasn’t very large, it was quite rich.
Almond Croissant ($4.25):
N/A
My mom had this. She really enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed my visit to Giovane Cafe. The sugar bun was very good, as were all of the cakes. The prices are a bit on the higher side, but I think their quality makes them worthwhile. All in all, this is a cafe that I think is definitely worth a visit.
Summary:
Food: 4/5
Price: 3.5/5
Service: N/A
Overall: 3.5/5
Recommendations: Sugar Buns, Cakes
