Coffee Alley, Chung Hsiao E. Road, Taipei

The coffee culture and western cuisine have been growing rapidly in Taipei but I really can't appreciate this kind of food and drink places.  Apparently the menu and the deco. resembles The Classified.  I'd prefer the classic style of Taiwanese tea house.  This coffee alley has been a talk of town in HK with long lines.  After I tried this one in Taipei, I found it very disappointing.  The coffee is too milky and their signature berry frosty drink too sweet (and the funny thing the shop waitress warned me of this drink being very sour as it's a berry).  The waffle isn't good either - the inside isn't done well and the outside is just a look as if it was quite crispy.  It wasn't at all.  I'd just go back to those classic Taiwanese restaurants.

Harrod's Cafe, KLCC, KualaLumpur

This shop has been in KLCC for quite a long time.  Somehow I didn't try it, until this time that I found KLCC much too crowded for me to find a quiet place for a drink.  To certain people, they may feel that some shops with nice deco. and a prestigious name may mean "pricey".  That isn't the case often.  The drink and cake in this outlet are at the same price of Starbucks or CBTL.  Got an iced mocha which was blended with a choco ice cream.  It's quite rich to me though the ice cream is not bad.  Then we tried an English tea cake.  A bit too sweet to me and overwhelmed the fine English tea leaves flavour.  After all, what I want is a quiet place from the hectic and busy KLCC mall.

Cafe Kantary, Khao Lak Town, SW Thailand

This is a cafe outlet in the Khao Lak town center area, from Kantary group (Cape Hotel and serviced apt.) with hotels such as Cape Panwa hotel in Phuket, Cape Nidhra in Hua Hin, Cape House in Langsuan BKK, Kantary hotel in Khao Lak...etc.
At this visit to this cafe, I tried their iced mocha which is surprisingly good (a right balance of coffee and cocoa and yet it's not too sweet).  Their cakes and ice cream are not bad either.  Highly recommended for those who look for a nice place for a coffee and a sweet.

Chocolab, Sofitel So, Sathorn/Rama 4 joint BKK

Just as its name, everything in the shop is all chocolate in such an intrigued decoration.  Feels like being in another wonderland.  Got an iced mocha.  Pretty good.  I can say it's a very heavy cocoa mass and the hot choco. is even a double recipe of a classic hot choco. drink (normally the classic recipe is double thickness of quite many common choco. drink, i.e. this one is quadruple of the common one).  You can dilute it into 4 portions if you want a common one - very economical.  After so many years I had a big pimple after a few sip of this drink.  It told how rich and original of this choco. drink.
P.S. the shop quoted a famous line from "Forrest Gump" - Life is like a box of Chocolate (you never know what you are gonna get.).

Dean & Deluca, Chongnonsi BKK

 Wasn't into this place much on the last few visits, either on their drinks or cakes.  After all, I'd still like to visit this place due to its deco. and high ceiling.  Their mocha and coffee have improved pretty much.  Got a small bite from the turkey plate and decided to get a whole portion the other day.  Turned out the 2nd try wasn't as good as the first one.  Quite salty and dried and the mashed potato wasn't good.  Quite a bumpy ride for their food quality.  The rainbow cake is only good for a look.  The cheese cake is average.  The bagel is somehow a bit too sweet.

Mr. Jones Orphanage, soi 13 Thonglor, BKK

 Finally we could get a table for this crowded shop.  It's quite fun to check around but the cakes and desserts were another story.  The cakes were either too chewy or dry or tangy.  The tea was very bland.  The better one were the avocado shake and iced mocha.  The chairs are good as a display.  So overall, this place should be a museum rather than a dessert shop.  After all, it's quite fun to go in and check around.