Back again in Salt Bread Diaries part 12! Initially, I didn’t plan to include MONGSIM in the series because I visited the place back in September last year, way before I started blogging again. However, I have decided to make Salt Bread Diaries my completist project – meaning that I aim to review as many salt bread as possible. MONGSIM has to be in the list, but I don’t think I will go back there in the nearest possible future… so, here we are.
Thankfully, my recollection of the whole experience was still pretty vivid in my head. It’s just that I didn’t take any pictures – instead, I made a TikTok video out of it. Most of the photos posted here are screenshots from the video, apologies for the quality!
On one Saturday, my friend Sasa and I were planning for WFC (work from café) together and she suggested we did it at MONGSIM. I knew it was a mistake once I arrived, because there was already a small queue at the entrance. I was completely unaware of MONGSIM’s bedazzling reputation. Dining area was available in both first and second floor, but all of the tables were occupied. The whole place was packed and buzzing!! Part of the crowd was a group of ajummas. As we waited for our order to be prepared, Sasa and I awkwardly stood nearby the table that we had our eyes on. We finally got to sit when the bread was served.
I ordered crispy rice and plain salt bread, while Sasa ordered scallion cream cheese salt bread. The entire selection was pricey (the scallion one was IDR 40,000). Being one of the favorites, the crispy rice salt bread’s texture was unique – and definitely memorable, considering I still remembered it seven months later. Its appearance was also different than the usual salt bread, with the distinct-looking surface that made me think of mozaics. The outer shell was sturdy and crusty, but not crumbled away into a thousand of annoying flakes when I sliced it. Munching it felt like eating rice crispies and bread at the same time. Crispy, airy, yet soft and doughy – how was that possible??
Enough with the texture talk, what about the taste? Unlike the crispy rice sensation that still stuck in my head until this moment, I didn’t remember anything remarkable. It tasted good, that’s it. I tried Sasa’s scallion cheese cream and was relieved I didn’t order it – I was not a fan of the raw leaves.
MONGSIM has an array of other baked goods besides salt bread that have garnered many favorable reviews, such as financier and madeleine. Apparently, the whooping price range has been an online discussion that the owner herself explained the reason behind it, highlighting the imported ingredients to retain the quality.
Final thoughts:
Food: 7,8/10 | Service: 8/10 | Ambience: 7/10
The crispy rice salt bread was unique and worth to try. Comfortable place for WFC but you might want to check if it’s still extremely busy on the weekends.
MONGSIM Coffee & Bakery
Jl. Cililin No.3, Petogogan. Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan
Opening hours: 7 AM – 6.30 PM (Monday – Thursday), 7 AM – 8 PM (Friday – Sunday)
