By Aiman Azri
Stroll into this new independent bakery-cafe and you'll immediately spot a vibrant showcase of premium bread and pastries, cakes and creative desserts, buoyed by a fun coffee-serving concept. It's clear that Christine's is committed to its craft, with a team of bakers who take inspiration from fine-tuned European and Asian influences. It's the ideal stop in the Bandar Sunway neighbourhood for patrons who enjoy fresh-from-the-oven, warm-to-the-bite indulgences.
If you’re here for a balanced, nourishing meal, start with the Things on Toast, a series of open sandwiches with playful toppings that reveal the capabilities of Christine's kitchen.
There's a toast for practically every palate: If you enjoy the deep umami of Japanese flavours, try the Torched Salmon (RM 11), with smoked salmon and a wobbly-yolked egg layered with teriyaki sauce, Japanese mayo and black pepper. Prefer something with an Italian inflection? The Truffle Mushroom Cheese (RM 9) opts for oyster and button mushrooms with cheese, onions and truffle oil on a richly savoury garlic butter toast.
And if you're after some modern Malaysian creativity, the Nasi Lemak Toast (RM 9) is a satisfying ensemble of spicy anchovy sambal, roasted onions, groundnuts, cucumber and egg that further proves how the accompaniments of nasi lemak can be coupled successfully with bread.
Bread isn’t merely bread at Christine’s; it can be transformed into bowls too, bearing imaginative fillings in the cafe's Brunch In Bread selection. Each bread bowl is substantial enough to be shared by two.
We're fans of the tomato-based Shakshuka Baked Bratwurst & Eggs (RM 18), a bread lover's interpretation of the popular baked eggs preparation, with the thick, crusty bread bowl concealing a treasure chest of chicken bratwurst, mushrooms, spinach and onions beneath the golden-hued egg in a pool of pomodoro sauce.
You'll even find a Caesar Salad bowl among the offerings, but if you have a sweet tooth, the best bet's the Chocolate Banoffee, lusciously decadent with lots of marshmallows, bananas, creamy chocolate and a surprising amount of almonds (RM 20).
The crowd-pleasing charm continues with the ice cream sandwiches - the heart-shaped Christine’s Girl (RM 9) comes with your choice of the cafe's own-made signature ice cream, in smooth, lively flavours that leap from peanut butter and jelly to blueberry cheesecake, hojicha to teh tarik, Valrhona chocolate to café latte. The ideal treat for kids and for the young at heart.
The Portuguese Egg Tarts (RM 3.40 each / RM 11.90 for four) are the cafe's pride, with moist custard cores encased in crisp crusts, altogether delicate in flavour.
Other options are wide-ranging, from danishes stuffed with sausages to buns studded with raisins, and other concoctions constructed with American walnuts, Japanese red beans, Australian dried cranberries, Taiwanese dried apricots, Malaysian pandan kaya, and New Zealand Manuka honey.
Cake lovers have a wealth of choices too, including the Salted Caramel Crepe, layered with salted caramel cream (RM 13.90); the Triple Chocolate Cheese, a decadent trifecta of Nutella, white chocolate cheese and Oreo cookie crumbs (RM 14.90); the Black Forest, the cherished classic of chocolate sponge with cherries and cream cheese frosting (RM 12.90), and the Banana Peanut Butter, rich with nuances of bananas and peanut butter (RM 12.90).
Other options are wide-ranging, from danishes stuffed with sausages to buns studded with raisins, and other concoctions constructed with American walnuts, Japanese red beans, Australian dried cranberries, Taiwanese dried apricots, Malaysian pandan kaya, and New Zealand Manuka honey.
Cake lovers have a wealth of choices too, including the Salted Caramel Crepe, layered with salted caramel cream (RM 13.90); the Triple Chocolate Cheese, a decadent trifecta of Nutella, white chocolate cheese and Oreo cookie crumbs (RM 14.90); the Black Forest, the cherished classic of chocolate sponge with cherries and cream cheese frosting (RM 12.90), and the Banana Peanut Butter, rich with nuances of bananas and peanut butter (RM 12.90).
Coffee is the final component of Christine's: This is the first location for the CoffeeBot in Malaysia - think of it as a robotic barista that dispenses everything from hazelnut coffee lattes to green tea lattes. Despite our initial skepticism, our hot beverages turned out to be as satisfying as what a real-life barista might have whipped up, well-balanced and richly flavoured, with New Zealand milk bringing a lovely mouthfeel to the lattes. The CoffeeBot is a fun choice if you want your brew as swiftly as possible, though Christine's also has regular baristas at its counter if you prefer a human touch.
Many thanks to Christine's for having us here.
Christine’s
B-02-01, Sunway Geo Avenue, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Sunway South Quay, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor.
Open Mon-Fri, 8am-10pm; Sat-Sun, 9am-10pm. Tel: 03-56129981
Open Mon-Fri, 8am-10pm; Sat-Sun, 9am-10pm. Tel: 03-56129981
