Hong Tang (Sweet Poetry)

 

Anyone into Ice Kachang? 

Actually they not only serve ice kachang, Sweet Poetry is more about Chinese traditional desserts. They used to have Hong Kong's fruit desserts such as the famous Mango Sago, but nowadays they're back to having only traditional Chinese dessert, Tong Shui (soup base). 

Besides traditional Tong Shui like almond soup, black sesame soup, they also have types of soup base from green beans, grass jelly and Q ball (salak seeds). It was a bit confusing for a first timer like me as the menu comes with many selections, and the waiter was not really mastering the menu, if I may say. When I asked for recommendation, all he did was repeating what had been stated in it. At the end, out of confusion, we randomly picked red bean + peanuts + pearl in green beans soup base (18k) and yam + barley + mochi in grass jelly soup base (18k).

It was one of the longest dessert serving ever. It was obvious they were understaffed that the owner practically need to step in when another customers walked in. Anyway, finally our desserts were served. When I tasted my bowl of yam + barley + mochi in grass jelly soup base, the first impression popped in my mind was tasteless. The yam was thick and dry, grass jelly was bitter and barley was tasteless, the only acceptable was the chewy mochi. I prefer the red bean + peanuts + pearl in green beans soup base, although it was quite milky for my taste but the flavor was quite good, the sweetness was in balanced with the crunchy beans and pearls. 

Overall I think for me it will only be that one time visit.

Hong Tang (d/h Sweet Poetry)
Jl. Pluit Karang Timur Blok 08 No. 72
North Jakarta
Opening hours: 12 noon - 10pm
Closed on Monday

Other outlet:
- Pantai Indah Kapuk
- Central Park (coming soon)