Hi again, we are now on part 06 of Salt Bread Diaries! This week’s salt bread is from Hagios. Just like how I found Breadmood and The Alchemist, I was guided by recommendations compiled by Gading Serpong citizens on TikTok.
Unlike other bakeries, Hagios doesn’t have its own place. Instead, its cute little display is tucked inside Kurisu Haus, a café whose selection of beverages has been receiving widespread approval from matcha and coffee enthusiasts. I didn’t order any drinks, but the next time I’m in the neighborhood I might drop by to try some.
As I stepped inside, a small queue already filled up the cashier area. The café was compact, minimalistic, nicely decorated with vibrant blue accents and stainless steel. The place also got an open bar, where you could observe the baristas working as you were sitting on a stool right across them.
What I liked the most about the place: the seating area! Separated from the open bar, with a totally different ambiance. The wall was adorned with fluted glass, showing curious shadows of tropical plants. It’s a tasteful trick to make the space look more airy and spacious, yet still secluded. The same hue of vibrant blue was still found here, on the acrylic tables and stools. Seeing the mixture of striking blue color, greeneries and stainless steel, I couldn’t help being reminded of the frutiger aero aesthetics.
Cute place aside, what about the main point of this whole post? I gotta be honest that I was in a rush and didn’t consume the bread immediately. I bought the usual combination: one plain salt bread and one gimmicky flavor – this time it was triple cheese honey. I ate the plain one an hour later, and the triple cheese honey several hours later when I got home. Both of them were not reheated, and definitely not in their best condition.
The plain salt bread tasted nice – not really buttery, but still okay. Thankfully, not the annoying flakey type. It was crusty at the bottom, fluffy at the top. Certainly would be more delicious if it was fresh off the oven. The triple cheese honey salt bread (cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan) had a hollow part on top, with a little tube inserted to it. I had to squeeze the pipette in order to let the honey drizzle over the bread. The honey and cheese combo was nice (I mean, honey and cheese are already delicious on its own) but didn’t add any remarkable points when the bread was cold. The cheese trio didn’t help much too – it felt like a mere topping and didn’t amplify the “triple cheese” name. The cheesiness was just barely there. Then again, it was completely on me for not consuming the bread right away.
So far, on this salt bread journey I have kind of concluded that original plain salt bread is the one that never fails. Alright, REHEATED original plain salt bread. Warm, buttery and fluffy…just plain and simple – what could go wrong? I might be biased since I’m a savory person and tend to favor the classic timeless things over the trendy ones. It’s just that, I think salt bread in its very core is already so good, it feels unnecessary to splatter other ingredients to make it “better”. From marketing perspective, however, it’s totally understandable that bakeries and cafés have to always innovate and create different salt bread variations.
Final thoughts:
Food: 7,5/10 | Service: 7/10 | Ambience: 8/10
Cute place and the bread is not overhyped. Makes a nice hangout spot.
Hagios (Kurisu Haus)
Ruko Beryl, 23B, Jl. Ki Hajar Dewantara No.2. Gading Serpong, Tangerang
Opening hours: 8 AM – 8 PM
