Welcome to Salt Bread Diaries part 03! This week’s salt bread is from The Alchemist by R.O.T.I in Gading Serpong. What an interesting name! What’s more interesting is the name’s inconsistency across all their branding. On Instagram, it’s called The Alchemist by R.O.T.I. On Google, it’s ROTI and The Alchemist by Namaste Organic. But, the logo says R.O.T.I x The Alchemist. And apparently Namaste Organic, R.O.T.I and The Alchemist have their own separate Instagram accounts. Confusion aside, we are in for a treat.
The Alchemist is known for their sourdough specialty. Branding wise, the place doesn’t attract my attention at all. It’s clearly targeted for organic food-lover aunties. Just like what happened to my Breadmood visit, I also missed their entire salt bread stock on my first visit. I came back two days later at the right hour, and the place was bustling. From my seat on the first floor, I could observe both the kitchen and the customers.
The kitchen view was pretty fascinating – staffs repeatedly checking on the huge oven, kneading the dough, and stocking the shelves. The view at the cashier was also interesting – flocks of people came and left non-stop, observing the display, and asking tedious questions. It’s very busy and lively.
My pairing was the usual: one plain Jane and one gimmicky flavour. In this case, it’s salted butter roll (they call their salt bread that way) and Dubai pistachio kunafa salted butter roll. Total for two (before tax) is a whopping IDR 65.000. Tthe Dubai roll alone costs IDR 44.000.
I started with the original one. As I munched and thought “here goes nothing” to myself, I was blown away. It was so, so, so, so good!! It’s not the flakey crusty type as I had no difficulty slicing it. Fresh off the oven, pleasantly chewy, buttery with the right degree of saltiness, plus additional distinct taste that I could not really describe. Maybe it’s the yeast from the sourdough? I didn’t find that taste from other salt bread.
Moving on to the second bread. I’m a big fan of pistachio, but I have never tried kunafa since I didn’t participate in any Dubai pistachio kunafa chocolate craze. The Dubai roll was also as enjoyable. The pistachio kunafa filling was very generous, and I really liked the texture. It’s like munching thousands of tiny crunchy bits. Does it justify the price though? I would say yes, because it really is delicious.
Ah, if only I lived in the neighborhood, I would definitely frequent this place. Besides salted butter roll, their menu is quite extensive – ranging from burger to brownie fudge. I’m very intrigued to try their sourdough pizza, I’m sure it’s heavenly. In conclusion, The Alchemist by R.O.T.I is worth the visit. In fact, I’m begging you to try it out! Can’t wait to come back!
Final thoughts:
Food: 9/10 | Service: 8/10 | Ambience: 7,5/10
Very delicious salt bread. Pricey, but worth it.
The Alchemist by R.O.T.I
Ruko Maggiore Square, Jl. Springs Boulevard No.31A. Gading Serpong, Tangerang
Opening hours: 8 AM – 9 PM
