Guess who’s back in Desaru? Yep, us. Third year in a row, all thanks to Ironman. We stayed at the Westin and Anantara for the past two editions. This time, we picked Hard Rock Desaru Coast. Why? So we can say we’ve tried all three official Ironman hotels. Call it completing the set.
We rolled into Desaru super early, hoping to check in. No luck. Our room wasn’t ready. So we dropped off our luggage and bike, then booked a Grab out for breakfast. Our pick? Comma Bakes. I’ve heard about this place for a while now. It’s pretty much the only café on this side of Desaru, yet we never found the chance to check it out. Brunch, sorted.
Getting a Grab to Comma Bakes (Yes, Really)
Quick backstory. On our previous trips, we rented a car to get around. Booking a Grab in Desaru can feel like mission impossible, especially on weekdays and outside the holidays. So imagine our surprise when we landed one on a Thursday morning.
- Wait time: About 6 minutes
- Ride time: Around 13 minutes from Hard Rock
- Fare: Just under RM11
How Ordering Works at Comma Bakes
We strolled in just after they opened at 10am. Not a soul in sight. We had the whole café to ourselves. We grabbed a seat, and a staff member brought over physical menus.
Here’s the drill:
- 10am to 11am: Drinks and bakes only. Order and pay at the counter in person.
- From 11am: The hot food menu opens up. Scan the QR code on your table to order, then pay at the counter after your meal.
- Water: Ask the staff for iced or warm water. It’s free.
What We Ordered at Comma Bakes
Iced Rose Latte (RM14.65)
The rose syrup sits at the bottom of the glass. I asked for less sweet, but I suspect that just means less syrup. Honestly, rose and coffee don’t match. The two flavours never come together, and the whole thing tastes weird. Not for me.
Iced Americano (RM11)
Weak and watery, with an acidic edge. It tastes diluted. Not to our liking either.
Burnt Cheese Croissant (RM11)
Texture? Spot on. The croissant comes out flaky and crispy. The cheese, though, tastes a tad too sweet. My guess? Processed sliced cheese plus sugar.
Pistachio Bomboloni (RM8)
The doughnut feels rather ordinary. It’s the bready kind. Nothing special. The pistachio filling doesn’t carry much nutty pistachio flavour either.
Korean Chicken Loaded Fries (RM19.85)
They use skin-on potatoes, but I can’t tell if they cut them fresh or pour them out of a frozen packet. They drown the fries in so much sauce that nothing stays crispy. The chicken on top looks and tastes like frozen popcorn chicken. Too much sauce, and it gets really sickly halfway through. It’s pretty spicy too. Hubby sweated buckets. Can’t take spice? Skip this one.
Braised Beef Pasta (RM28.95)
Probably the only decent dish of the whole meal. It’s very homely. The beef chunks come out pretty tender, with mushrooms, carrots, cherry tomatoes and a hint of dried rosemary. The pasta itself didn’t win me over. These inch-wide ribbons have a slightly floury taste, even though they nailed the al dente bite.
Heads up: All prices above exclude the 10% service charge.
Final Thoughts: Will We Return to Comma Bakes?
I’ll be honest. Nothing here blew us away.
- Service: Good. The staff looked after us well.
- Food: Fell short of expectations.
- Price: Definitely on the high side by local standards. For this quality, it’s not value for money.
Hubby took the loaded fries the hardest. Everything felt overprocessed to him. No real cooking skills involved, just assembling, right down to the sauces out of a bottle. His words? “Fast food, not good food.”
Very unlikely we’ll come back to Comma Bakes on our next Desaru trip.
