Timeless Sweet Desserts Better Than Mixue at Tivoli

Where I grew up, there is this one restaurant that has been operating for more than 50 years. The place has existed through generations and is quite timeless. When I was a kid, it was such a treat if my parents/family members brought me to the place. The place was also quite a “modern” restaurant in its time. Think of it like the trendiest spot back in the 2000s. A lot of yippies went there at that time and while it wasn’t the most affordable back in the day, it was also the most romantic place to dine out with your loved ones. The place serves western food and asian cuisine but also their iconic ice cream and cakes. As a kid, I loved their ice cream but it’s not just any ice cream. There is something special about their ice creams that I’ll tell you more about below. The place is called Tivoli, it is quite iconic in the city and the best place to go when you crave a proper western meal, yummy looking cakes and desserts. Unfortunately, these days I think younger generations don’t really know much about this place because it’s also not-so-well-lit and their online presence is quite lacking. In the place, while their food is as good as their dessert, their dessert is the best and must-have! Let me show you what they’re good at.

Meet Es Puter

Es Puter is an Indonesian dessert that is similar to ice cream. It is made with coconut milk rather than milk. So, if you’re lactose intolerant, this is the best dessert for you. The name itself comes from the technique where the maker swirled the ice until it became crystalized. That is the technique that everyone has known and told me about for generations. My grandma even has this ice maker. Es puter typically has a classic flavor such as vanilla and chocolate but overtime, they have more flavors catering to the modern palette.

Tivoli has known to make this ice cream for generations now. Their flavors used to be classic but now, they even have blueberry flavored es puter as well as Tiramisu. They are also serving it generously with a “pocky” stick on top of it and classic styled whipped cream. As you can see below, their glass has that vintage look to it. The glass might be even older than me. The one I ordered has this creamy flavor with subtle hints of blueberry that is just right. They are also not too sweet which makes it even more pleasant to have. As someone who rarely has dessert, it was the perfect dessert to have.

Classic Crepes

These days, while Crepes are served in various flavors and tastes, this classic and timeless look of crepes is no match to any modern crepes. They look like they are coming from a vintage food magazine in the 90’s. It looks like they were plates that I often see in vintage cooking magazines. They have this cherry on top of the whipped cream. The crepe taste was also quite classic. The combination of hot and cold just tastes so heavenly. I was so happy when I ate that because it’s just quite a rarity that I like a dessert.

Their modern twist, Sizzling Hot Red Velvet Cake With Es Puter

Can you imagine a hot plate cake with ice cream? One of their attempts to attract younger customers is to make this trendy dessert where hot and cold meet together. They serve red velvet in a big chunk with ice cream on top and pistachios around it. The dessert was also sizzling but they also tasted quite interesting where the hot red velvet cake really brings out the “ice cream” flavors. It was also quite sweet & perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. The portion was also quite generous for the price.

No bullshit service

One thing that often stands out about classic restaurants is that they might not be too friendly according to modern standards. It’s like you go in the place, they let you in and give you the menu, you order the menu and they will serve it for you. There is little talking in between which isn’t for everyone. But for most people, I think the place was quite decent. I do not feel like I was treated badly or anything. I got what I wanted and was served pretty well. Interestingly, the people who work at the place are the middle aged men and something that is so rare to see in most places where they employ only the younger generation.

The place is seemingly run with a family-like mindset. Those who work there are seemingly from generations. As far as I remember, I went there about 3 years ago and the same workers are still there. It makes sense because the place is part of a well-known and iconic bakery in town as well as home to delicious bread and pastries. This is also why the place can keep the cost really low because that Es puter cost me $0.44 while the crepe was a little over $1.57 and my friend who ordered the red velvet was just $2 ish. I assume that they can use all the ingredients to supply their restaurant as well as their bakery and patisseries in town. Also, for those desserts above, it should be justified if they charged more and it is way better than Mixue and/or franchised ice creams in town.

It was a good outing and something I haven’t had in a while due to how busy my life has been. It was pretty refreshing and especially rewarding as I got to enjoy yummy desserts.