Provided by SAYS
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Situated in Menara Lien Hoe at Tropicana, The Lemon Tree is an estimated 1700-square foot cafe that breathes new life into the township.
Bring yourself into this vintage European setting on a hot day and draw on the Victorian inspired designs, from the dome-shaped ceiling to the tall window panels that go as high as the structure itself.
The most popular attraction of the cafe is their ginormous artificial lemon tree that has a sunroof right above it.
We recently paid a visit to the illustrious locale to decide if the flavours of The Lemon Tree are just as stellar as their cafe presentation.
Freshly baked by their own pastry chefs, each item is carefully crafted and sculpted to the vision of The Lemon Tree.
Striving hard to ensure a true level of consistency in quality and service, the display of available pastries at the entrance of The Lemon Tree is a great focal point to choose your favourite bites as you walk in through the door.
The first pastry we tasted was the Tiramisu Cruffin (RM8). Flaky and fresh, one bite into this cruffin oozes out smooth and generous tiramisu cream. The sprinkle of sugar adds a dash of sweetness to balance out the bold twang of the tiramisu.
This was followed up with the Pistachio Croissant (RM12), that was quite literally the size of a fist! Crispy to the eye with a delicate white chocolate dripping, this croissant is jam packed with a pistachio stuffing that has a rich and velvety consistency.
The next pastry served up was the humble Banana Nutella Danish (RM8). Warm on arrival, cut into this mini-loaf immediately and enjoy the moistness of the Nutella. One of the more rustic choices of the bunch, the attention to detail with the halved banana layered on the summit of the danish was a keen and appreciated touch.
We could hardly believe the size of the blueberries that stratified the Blueberry Danish (RM10). Glossy and delectable, they tasted as good as they looked. Though the berries were the clear visual appeal of the pastry, the buttery goodness of the danish itself melted in our mouths, almost elevating it to pastry of the day!
A gorgeous dessert indeed, we were gawking at the Tarte De Fraise (RM10) for a solid five minutes. Tender and golden, the pie crust falls apart perfectly when you nip into this dainty tart. With luscious scarlet red strawberries, this zesty treat was one of the fresher items on the menu.
The Lemon Napoleon (RM15) is quite accurately named, looking like a dessert straight out of Alice in Wonderland. Blitzing to the cut of the knife, the pairing of the pastry with lemon mousseline cream and lemon curd amplified the dessert without overwhelming it in citrus.
We’d probably give an award to whoever can pronounce this dish on their first try: Peach Mille Feuillie (RM18). A golden-russet brown, the mille feullie itself was airy and decadent. The champion of the pastry however, was the combination of cream cheese, vanilla and whipping cream, dashed with some blueberries and sliced peaches on top.
Unassuming on the outside, the French Butter Croissant (RM8) has a little surprise. The croissant itself is sweet and light, everything we expected. However, the edge can be seen in their signature lemon groove, which brings a surprise of tang and zest to those who may be fooled by its buttery appearance.
The drizzle cake is likely the most lemon-ey item you can get on the menu. This dessert is gratifying in the best way possible.
Be sure to pour ALL the lemon syrup over the cake before you dig into it, to hoist the colours of these flavours above and beyond its visual expectation.
Among all the pastries of the bunch, it was quite appropriate that the best one would go to the cake that seemingly represented the image and vibrancy of The Lemon Tree.
Serving up two different options of egg-ceptional organic omelettes, we had the privilege to try both of them. A yin-yang of sorts, each dish derived polar opposite flavours, though both were respectively delicious.
The Truffle & Portobello Mushroom omelette (RM26) was simple, yet impactful. In trying this dish, the flavours spoke for themselves with the pairing of the smokey, umami mushrooms, with the fluffy omelette.
A unique amalgamation however, was seen in the Feta Cheese & Pomegranate omelette (RM28). The firm exterior of the omelette was met with a creamy core at a slice. The tiny pieces of feta cheese added an element of salt, while the pomegranate seeds were the feature of freshness that harmonised the entire dish.
Lastly, we tackled the mega beast in the Morning Fuel (RM32) big breakfast. The dish consisted of their signature buttered croissant, a gourmet chicken sausage, portobello mushroom, organic scrambled eggs, a hash brown, cherry tomatoes, and a slice of avocado.
The ultimate big breakfast platter, this serving is definitely worth the price as a nourishing and nutritious start to your day.
If you’re looking for an ideal beverage to wash down these breakfast platters, try the Tangy Pear Honey-nade (RM16) and Lychee En Rose (RM16) coolers for a bubbly finish.
The best cooler however, would definitely go to the Fizzy Lemon Coffee (RM16) cooler. Staying on brand and being delicious all at the same time, this cooler is a great way to get your caffeine fix while enjoying a sweet end.
As an up-and-coming coffee house in Tropicana, their coffee and tea list were extensive and elaborate.
From espressos, piccolos, cappuccinos, and houjicha, we opted for their excellently brewed Hot Latte (RM13). With just the right ratio of coffee and milk, we implore you to try out The Lemon Tree’s coffee as a great substitution to your regular coffee franchises.
When it came to the teas, each item had a cool and mystifying name, from the Inner Peace (RM15) to Aquamarine Apple (RM15). We opted instead for their Ruby Red (RM15) tea, with caramel pieces and South African Rooibos which gave it an intense hue. Best described as soothing, warm your tummies with this comforting tea.
In speaking to Denice Chen, the Assistant Marketing Manager of The Lemon Tree, she let us in on the status of the service workers that work tirelessly for the success of the establishment.
“Most of our waiters are SPM graduates who have finished their exams and are working in the meantime before heading on to further their studies,” said Denice to this SAYS writer.
“It was a risk to take on inexperienced staff at first, but it was necessary to give young people an opportunity to build their resumes and gain experience under their belt before heading out into the world.”
Holding strong to this message, it is undeniable the goal of The Lemon Tree to strive harder for better service and quality is met even while providing a substantial occasion to build the minds of the youth in Malaysia.
Busy as can ever be in the three weeks since their grand opening, we suggest you get to The Lemon Tree bright and early to gain yourself a seat, and chomp down on any delicious items across their menu.
If it hasn’t been made clear yet, The Lemon Tree gets an absolute gold star from SAYS.
Address:
Ground Floor, Menara Lien Hoe,
8, Persiaran Tropicana, Tropicana,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Operating hours:
8am-6pm (Daily).