Passion by Gerard Dubois

We went today for coffee and food, not desserts. We were there around the lunch hour on a Saturday and the place was very busy (every seat, chair and bar stool had a butt in it!).
I do not often give out the coveted 5 on Unilocal,but speaking to the quality of salad, the freshness of the salad and the price for that salad experience, Passion deserves a 5.
I am sure more people get entranced by the beautiful pastries, which look amazing and are pricey by my standards. Maybe people think of Passion for only coffee and desserts, I am not sure. I write my entry based on the quality of the salad & bread, for there were both exceptional.
For $ 45HKD, you get to choose from three of their fresh salads they have prepared in their case (there is an option to try five of their prepared salads for an additional cost). Although I do not remember the proper name for each of the three I chose, they were made with absolutely quality, fresh ingredients. The freshness came through with every single morsel. They are not drenched in a dressing or sauce, but perfectly prepared. Clean, simple, creative and fresh! We picked out some bread on the side and it too was exceptionally fresh. It is not a very big serving of salad, but the quality is top notch. For $ 45HKD, this is a great value on fresh that you do not find everywhere.
This restaurant gets pricey, because for basically the cost of a salad is the equivalent of one coffee or one pastry. Thus, the salad seems like the best deal.
If I am in the area, I am going back. I am going to put my great bread and salad experience together and get one of their sandwiches the next visit.

I will start with the positives: the coffee (illy) is pretty good and you can sample the breads they sell. Now the thing that annoyed me was that I tried a slice of vegetable quiche and even though I requested it be microwaved so it was warm, it was brought out to me and it was a little warm on the outside and still really cold on the inside. It was very disappointing and I just ate it quickly even though cold broccoli and mushrooms aren’t appetizing to me.

First the good: croissants and pastries. And not just good, but damn good. Perfectly flaky and delicious. They don’t skimp on the butter in the pastries.
And yet, they certainly aren’t cheap and the savory items on the menu don’t really stand out for me. They’re not bad but for the very high-​prices I just can’t get myself that excited.
So I will grab a croissant or chocolate Danish every once in a while, but can’t make this a regular stop in my mornings or at lunch.

It’s really good, but then again… all sandwiches priced so steeply… that’s why. although me and my colleagues enjoyed the quality… we happened to never get back… it just feels over the top pricewise…

When it comes to cakes I wouldn’t hesitate to pay a visit to Passion. The array of pastries, macarons, layered cakes and tarts is breathtaking.
However, when it comes to the savoury side of the equation, this probably wouldn’t be my first choice. The salads were all very heavy, covered in rich dressings or laden with fruits and carbs. Certainly not the kind of meal that will leave you feeling virtuous. The sandwiches looked terrific, on high quality bread made in-​house and filled with things like smoked salmon and jamon.
It gets very busy during the lunch period, so be prepared to rub shoulders with a stranger while you stick lunch in your face or take it away for a more relaxed experience.

As it’s close to my place, I’ve walked past Passion many times before deciding it was a good place for a coffee. Somehow I expected high prices just because of its location and looks and had always opted for Coffee Academics, as it’s quite close. The shop certainly looks great, with its big glass windows and the little terrace at the entrance, which makes gives it a very European look. It’s inviting.
I finally came in with a friend to have a drink. I just had a coffee and she had a tea. Both nice, nothing remarkable. We sat at one of the two high tables at the end. Most of the space is taking by the counter and the kitchen. The rest of the siting space consists of four or five small tables. We weren’t hungry so we didn’t order anything else on this occasion. And I think that’s the whole point of this place. You go there to have a light bite or a cake.
Cakes and sweet treats are their strong point: they all look so amazing, it’s difficult to pick just one. I don’t have a sweet tooth, but French or European style bakeries are very common where I come from and I’ve spent big part of my teenage and adult years frequenting these cafes. My experience with their food has been picking a cake for my friend’s birthday. Very good taste wise, it was accompanied by a nicely decorated presentation. Passion is pricey, but they do elaborated bakery so it’s justified. They also sell some salty bites: sandwiches and salads, and there’s a small bread section that is also great.
It you only fancy having a coffee in a cozy café (read, sitting comfortable for an hour or so to read or work) this is not the place. But if you’re meeting a friend for a quick catch up, fancy some sweet treat or some snack, then you’ll like Passion.