Coffeels Coffee Kitchen, Encorp Strands Garden Office, Kota Damansara

Address:
Encorp Strand Garden Office, C-LG-4, No.12, Jalan PJU 5/1, 47810 Kota Damansara
Opening Hours:
Tue - Sun: 12pm - 11pm
Time Visited:
1.25pm on a very hot Tuesday afternoon.
Attire worn:
Casual
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Creamy Tomato Sauce Spaghetti and a cup of Latte

Originally planned to go on a Wednesday night but I thought scrap that, might as well go on this day since I'm off and I've nothing better to do already.

Latte was quick to dispense to me at quite a fast pace. The barista who looks like a Middle-Eastern European kind of person looks really skillful while fixing my drink. I thought it will look sloppy to me with the rate he was going but the art was perfect and the portion was excellent.

When I walked in to the joint, despite his busy state, he greeted me quickly and resume back his work. Understandable. He was really busy during those moments as the only person to be churning out drinks and manning the cash register upfront. I browse through the menu in a clipboard fashion with more than 1 page and they separated the drinks and the food menu. I couldn't resist ordering a latte although I was tempted to try the green apple.

The coffee was moderate in taste but gets stronger at the bottom. This is because the separation between the foam, milk and coffee stuck even after I've finished my meal. The milk portion intermingles with some coffee taste so I'm not really complaining. Afterall, I would say his portioning was on the money. The coffee has a little chocolatey taste to it with some mild bitter coffee aftertaste. Usually, I don't like strong coffee taste but this one is one I don't mind having more of. They served it in a fancy looking cup, great for pictures.

As for the Creamy Tomato Sauce Spaghetti, it was a little disappointing seeing that the price was RM12. I expected the portion to be more and to be plated with a little more finesse like how MiniMe Cafe did. Oh well, at least the taste wasn't that bad. It didn't taste so much of tomato and it has some spice to it. Probably oregano and some pepper but I must say, it didn't taste too much like those typical Tomato Puree which I don't really like. As for this kind of taste, I'm slightly intrigued especially when it gives off a little heat towards the end of your chewing. I just thought that RM12 is a little steep for it's price.

The cafe was decorated in a girlish manner on the inside. Looking all frilly with some wood to balance it off. Some of the coffee tables are made out of pallets with a top to act as the table. During my visit, at first glance, there seem to be quite a number of people in there already. It was only later that I figured out that the 2 who's alone sitting inside without ordering anything were just friends of the owner while there were in total, merely 6 people who are actual customers. Just that amount of people alone is enough to almost fill the cafe due to the lack of space in it's cafe. But it is really nice to look at inside.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM22. In my opinion, the spaghetti ain't worth RM12.

Final Verdict:
7/10. Seeing Encorp Strands Garden Office is a very, very new business area with not even 10% of the place occupied, is a good enough place to get away from the hustle and bustle. Once this place fills up, the place may just be beautiful enough for it's garden-like atmosphere. Kind of like the D6 and D7 building at Sentul.

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TAPS Beer Bar, 1 Mont Kiara, Mont Kiara

Address:

G-1, 1 Mont Kiara

1, Jalan Kiara

Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Opening Hours:
Daily, 11am till late nights.
Time Visited:
Around Seven-ish in the pm, a rainy Wednesday night
Attire worn:
Casual
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Doctor's Orders Electrolyte Forte on tap and Fish and Chips.

Since this was my first time at 1 Mont Kiara, it took me a while before I managed to find my way around and locate TAPS Beer Bar. The outlet is placed at the front of the building facing Plaza Mont Kiara where you won't see it indoors.

As I stepped in to the interestingly renovated place, it seems like a typical bar-like setting with artsy walls, ceilings, stairs and very apparent exhaustive list of beer menu which mimics of many coffee cafes. The seatings were a little cramp given their lack of space with a stairs right in the middle and their table providing ample capacity for you to withhold loads of beer with it. LOL. In this place, the bar area looks more appealing to sit at where you can stare at the interesting beer menu as long as you want. Mind you, that's the only place that you can see their list of beers since their fixed menu consists of only their mains and the ever regular norm alcohols. Throughout my time there, I gazed upon the beer menu ever so interested to try more, but unfortunately, my tolerance for alcohol had diminished tremendously making it finishing one glass an accomplished feat.

Anyway, once I seated myself at one of the tables, I thought that I won't be attended to for a while since I barely see any staff walking the floor and most were at the bar. But boy, was I wrong. In an instant, out of nowhere, somebody came up to me to take my order. Being a place where their exotic beers are the main attractions, they didn't provide me a menu until I asked them.

With that many beers that I've never tried before to choose from, it took me quite a while to order. Usually, people will ask for recommendations based on their taste and will conduct a little taste test to see which appeals to them (unless it's those in bottles). I finally settled for Doctor's Orders Electrolyte Forte, which is a sour wheat ale that contains 7.5% alcohol.

I didn't think much of it until I tasted it. It was superb. Magnificent to say the least. Never had I tasted such a beer that revitalize me so much and it perked me up. I fell in love with the taste in an instant. It had similarities in taste to Hoegaarden White but Hoegaarden White was so weak in taste and much less in it's sweetness and alcohol that it pales very much in comparison to this. Although it is rather sweet, yet it didn't overpower and mask the taste of alcohol in there which is perfect for me. If ever I am to have my last drink before I end my life, this would be it. LOL.

As for the Fish and Chips, I also didn't think much of it because most bars I know serve shitty food. When the meal was brought to me, it was served with a smile and an "Enjoy your food" remark which I've rarely encountered people telling me even though it should be a common phrase in eateries.

As I bit into it, I am quite surprise that it was rather delicious. Definitely ranks above average in my mind. The fish that they use is sea bass which is quite a big piece and the seasoning to it was adequate. The chips were in the form of wedges-like which is surprisingly pleasing to my palate.

Despite my interest to try more beers, my cursed condition were unable to handle any more. Also, note to self, don't let the beer sit too long else the taste will dwindle. The last leg of the beer intake had hints of saltiness in it and is less effervescent and a little flatter.

This place is a hidden gem to me and I'm glad I took the effort to travel here to try it and will definitely wanna try other beers when I get the chance.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM66.10. The beer costs more than my dinner at RM32 while the Fish and Chips were at RM25. 6% government tax apply along with 10% service charge. Expected. Seeing a beer of that quality and rarity, it's worth it. Just that I can't have it as often as I would want to. LOL.

Final Verdict:
8/10. A definite must visit for beer lovers. Once you taste the beers they have to offer, you'll find it difficult to go back to the norm. But of course, you will have to due to the price. Haha

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ATG (Against the Grain) Cafe, Oasis Square, Ara Damansara

Address:
ATG Cafe, 1st Floor, R-13A, Jln PJU 1A/7A, Central Piazza Oasis Square, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
As of the time of writing, operating hours is still yet to be determined.
Time Visited:
1pm, a coffee break right after lunch
Attire worn:
Business
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Latte and a Turtle Cheese Cake

During my visit towards Coffee Etc. the other time, I was walking at the Oasis Square area opposite of Tom, Dick and Harry's. That's when I saw some signage that does not belong to the pub and it says ATG. I was curious and hence went over closer to have a look. That's when I discovered that there's actually this new cafe opened up above Tom, Dick and Harry's called Against the Grain or ATG for short.

And so, I decided to pay it a visit today right after my lunch to gauge on the coffee on whether it is what I like.

Being located on the first floor, the entrance of the place is at the side of Tom, Dick and Harry's. Everything about the place was incredibly new. As I approached the upstairs area, it felt like I was transported to another world. Simply put, I enjoyed the ambiance very much kind of like a resort overlooking the sea.

There wasn't a soul in sight except for the cafe owner himself. He warmly greeted me as I entered the inner chambers which was adequately air conditioned. In his list of beverages, the unique drink that I saw was the French Kiss Latte but I didn't order that because I wanna try how is their latte first. Still feeling a little peckish from lunch, I decided to order one of their cakes as well which was the Turtle Cheese Cake. When I was there, there were only three types of cakes available and not much of coffee bean left in the grinder. I guess his anticipation of visitors is really low and realistic.

He nervously strike a conversation with me and answered my questions with uncertainties. Mains are yet to be finalized but could be out in within two weeks time. Operating hours on the cafe is also yet to be determined as currently, he's the only staff along with one other which wasn't even present during my time there.

The latte has a very overcoming bitter taste once sips were taken. But it was good when taken with the cake. Hence, to me, it's just not my type of coffee due to it's strong bitter aftertaste from it's blend.

The cheese cake were nutty and salty. Chocolate bits and chips on the top didn't fulfill any chocolatey taste to the cheese cake at all. A little disappointed with it.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM22.90. RM11 for the latte which is a slightly higher than normal price.

Final Verdict:
6/10. Food and beverage were mediocre but I love the ambiance. It has a resort feel to it when I was out on the al fresco deck with the afternoon sun beaming down. During my time there, there was not a single person that I saw came to the cafe. It had really good sound system and during that time, it was blasting away a jazzy, bluesy, soulful singer doing cover songs. It clearly shows that the owner was in a world of his own enjoying to tunes he loves.

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MiniMe Cafe, Oasis Square, Ara Damansara

Address:
E-G-02, Capital 5. No.2, Jalan PJU 1A/7A,, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
Mon - Sun:
10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Time Visited:
Close to noon time on a working weekday Wednesday
Attire worn:
Business
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Their Lunch Set. The Spaghetti Beef Bacon Bits Carbonara and top it off with a Latte

Due to the previous night's visit to Coffee Etc, I accidentally discovered a couple of new interesting coffee places that got me excited to visit at Oasis Square. MiniMe Cafe is one of them.

The name may not be original but it's cute. Before I even managed to step into the cafe, the owner (I presume) eagerly and professionally attend to me immediately. Despite lunch time not arriving yet, the cafe was already populated with some customers. Some who seemed to know the staff of the cafe. There's even tables reserved for some people ahead of time! The menu for lunch was really simple. Just 3 items on their set lunch menu. I guess this is because they're just newly opened since December 2014 and they're still tweaking, testing and tasting before their full menu will appear.

My spaghetti arrived faster than I expected, even quicker than my latte. I guess they're trying to make the artwork and coffee right. A sense of vibrance and happiness lingers around the cafe which in turn provides me a little joy. The MiniMe sign on the wall which is made up of pipes and lights is surely a creation to behold. The seatings of the cafe adequately spaced gives you a sense of freedom instead of being cluttered and cramped around.

The presentation of the dish impresses me highlighting the spaghetti on a dark colored tray-like plate with bacon bits sporadically spread out and cheese powder sprinkled around. I was asked on whether I would like to have any condiments to go with it, with tobasco sauce and chili flakes being recommended. After taking a bite, I implored that it would go well with some chili flakes which without any delay, quickly brought to my table. It's more of chili powder than flakes but that didn't matter much because sprinkling it over my lunch really did made a much more tastier meal.

The Carbonara sauce were lesser than most places served but just enough to cover and complement the spaghetti perfectly. The bacon bits interests me because it was crunchy bits that's chunkier in size. This brings out the flavor of bacon tremendously combining well with the pasta.

As for my latte, well, I can taste that the blend of coffee is good but it's the mild coffee taste type. I much prefer a stronger coffee taste blend but seeing that it's more of the coffee bean profile than it's blending and putting it together technique, I would say it's good coffee.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM18.90. The set lunch costs RM15 while adding a coffee drink amounts to RM2.83 although stated in the menu as RM3. There's 6% of tax being charged as well. I guess the price at a cafe such as this is considered reasonably cheap for it's set lunch.

Final Verdict:
9/10. This cafe stole my heart. Great service particularly from the owner which made me felt welcomed and genuinely felt appreciated visiting as he wished me a thanks for coming and a Happy New Year. The other guy that took my order mumbled much but helpful enough. Spaghetti may not be the best but tastes great and the latte although isn't the kind of coffee taste that I adore but I can taste that it's good coffee and the way they prepared it were skillful enough. My only concern is will there be a seating for a single diner like me once word spreads out and more come to try it out. I guess, in time, I will find out. I'm definitely returning to this cafe to see what they have to offer on their full menu.

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Coffee Etc (Et Cetera), Oasis Square, Ara Damansara

Address:
E-G-08, Block E, Oasis Square, Jalan PJU 1A/7 Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri:
7:30 am - 1:00 am
Sat:
9:00 am - 1:00 am
Time Visited:
Tuesday night for dinner around 6.45pm
Attire worn:
Business since it was after my work
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
A bottle of Guinness and Big Breakfast with Sunny Side Up Eggs

Coffee Et Cetera is a place where by day it's a self-service cafe but by night is a place where you'll be waited upon and is more of a restaurant pub thing.

The day that I intended to go to Coffee Etc was unfortunately a day where there's a company who booked the indoors for it's function. I almost stepped into the outlet when I was stopped by a wait staff at the front asking me on whether I'm with the party. I didn't understand her immediately since she had a heavy Filipino accent and that's when I noticed the makeshift sign pasted on the door. I skimmed quickly for key words and it stated about 5pm onwards Coffee Etc indoors is off limits where I blurted out loudly to myself saying,"Oh, it's closed is it?" And the wait staff replied no but kept asking the same question of whether I'm with the function which baffles me. Closed or not? In the end she slowly told me that I'm allowed to sit at the al fresco area but the indoors is booked for some kind of company event.

Seeing the weather wasn't as humid and heated as it was, I agreed and got right down to business.

My order is surely a queer combination, beer with breakfast at night.

The reason why I ordered beer even though I can't drink much anymore is to try to train myself again on my alcohol tolerance and to see whether the results are still the same. The waitress initially told me that Guinness might not be available and so I inquired on what are you certain that is available? In the end, I told her to bring me a Paulaner if Guinness were out. Turns out, there's still Guinness and I enjoyed a small bottle. A pity this place don't have it on tap else it would be smoother and richer.

The Big Breakfast took considerably long to arrive but when it does, I could see the care and effort of preparing it.

There's a waffle, two Sausages, some turkey ham (if I'm not mistaken), two kinds of baked beans and some mushrooms. I think in the morning, you're served with a toast but since it's night time, they're serving me some fries to go with it. Hence, the oddness of fries in a breakfast platter.

The waffle although looks plain Jane tastes good. Some sweetness in it which makes it perfect without the need of sloppy maple syrups gooeyly running down the waffle. The way that was prepared also ensures a much more balanced spread out of the sweetness throughout the waffle. The crinkle cut fries were adequate in taste and seasoning making it not a problem for me to finish it off. The two sunny side up eggs fused together in the beginning looks a little too cooked to me but after slicing through the yolk, it was still runny and perfectly done which makes me a happy camper. Sausages and turkey ham, nothing to shout about but is delicious enough to consume. So are the beans and mushrooms. It doesn't take a genius to know that the sausages and turkey ham are store bought and not made from scratch which are a much safer way of running a business and easier to manage.

The small bottle of Guinness filled merely two glasses but as I predicted, I still can't handle much liquor. This puny little bottle of Guinness Foreign Extra which is of 6.8% alcohol content got me swerving around though I downed the liquid in a time span of two hours. Looks like I still have to stay away from alcohol.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM49.70. RM26.95 for the Big Breakfast and RM15.90 for a small bottle of Guinness. Contains 10% service charge and 6% government tax. The bill comes immediately when they serve you the food. Scared you either get too drunk or run off? That's the message I'm receiving. LOL.

Final Verdict:
5/10. Music was okay, ambiance was okay, service was okay but at times a little off. It's a place that I'd rather not go alone at night because it looks sad and it brings me a little down.

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MT Latte, Dataran Ara Damansara, Ara Damansara

Address:
C-G-15, Jalan PJU 1A/20B, Dataran Ara Damansara, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
Mon: 9am - 7pm
Wed - Fri: 9am - 7pm
Sat - Sun: 10am - 8pm
Time Visited:
Around 12:30pm on a Monday lunchtime.
Attire worn:
Casual
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Latte and a Cheesy Fish & Chips on Toast

The small square of Dataran Ara Damansara is always a place that's packed with the working crowd during lunch time. Throngs of the office workers at nearby workplace swarm to this area for lunch due to the amount of cheap Chinese food available and the scarceness of it at nearby vicinity. Hence, it's a no-brainer for any survivalist to discover and stick to this place. With that mentioned, parking is horrendous on a working weekday lunch. With the amount of it's many car workshops opened for business and taking up many of the car lots, it's no wonder that the majority resort to illegal parking and double parking. If you are to try this cafe (provided it's not closed down yet), your best bet to get a parking is to come on a weekend where there will be plenty galore.

On the day of my visit, it was raining relentlessly. But the rain has a really good, calming effect on me. MT Latte's outward appearance baffles me as to why they chose a construction-like theme. Passing by this, if it weren't for some chairs and tables located outside, you would think that it's a hardware store just from the looks itself. With such queer design, it feels as if I'm stepping into a DIY shop to find my power tools.

Even at an area that's clearly full of people searching for their grub, during my time there, the cafe was almost empty. If it weren't for the next table who's there for drinks and a quiet place to chat, I'd be the only customer there. Even the staff knew their limits and merely placed their clipboard menus on a few tables near the front knowing full well that there weren't be many people entering this shop.

My latte came in probably 10 minutes time with a Caramelized Biscuit to go with it. This is a very refreshing change to me as they're the only ones I know who serve this at their cafe. The biscuit was excellent and the coffee was not too bad. Strong with a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

The Cheesy Fish & Chips came way much later and when it was served, it was quite a sad dish in it's presentation to say the least. It just looks like a meal that you whipped up for yourself at home. The Fried Fish Fillet was carved with cheese sauce on top of pieces of lettuce and in turn on top of a piece of toast. The toast was plain and coupled with the fish on top, it's dry on dry that quickly turns your throat into a rather parched desert. The fries were lightly coated with some chili powder that provided nothing more but redness to it's color. There were no taste at all to it. The cheesy fish fillet's only saving grace was a little bit of a crunch in between bites that could've been some kind of nuts mixed into their batter before frying. However, there's little of it and could well possibly be inconsistent batter coating.

Throughout my elongated stay at the cafe which is around 2 hours, there was not a single soul that entered to dine nor partake in any coffee at this cafe. The Chinese restaurant which is of kopitiam hawker stall style that's a few doors down from this cafe however was full to the brim as usual. It really makes me wonder on why they chose this location which clearly the crowd that comes for lunch around here would almost always choose a much cheaper eat and seeing a cafe that resembles a construction site just wouldn't appeal to the general public. I would say if they were to continue their business, they have to do something really drastic in order to attract customers else it will just go bust in a few months time. Even as a lone diner like me, I felt a little intimidated to step foot in such a dead cafe.

Total Wallet Damage:
Forgot to take a receipt but if I recall correctly, it's RM16.90 for the fish & chips and RM8.90 for the latte. So in total is RM25.80? The coffee is cheap though. And one that comes with a biscuit? That's rare.

Final Verdict:
1/10. I'm sorry for being mean but it's just not the kind of place that I would wanna return nor chill in even though you're most likely gonna end up as the only person there and it's like you own the whole cafe. Food felt like something you can whip up at home and the environment does not put me at ease. Like I said, they would have to pull something really drastic if they were to survive or at least cover back their modal in this harsh cruel business world

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Salt 'n Koffie Gallery, Jaya One

Address:
E-83-G.3 Palm Square, Jaya One, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
Mon - Tue:
10am - 10pm
Thu:
10am - 10pm
Fri - Sun:
10am - 11 pm
Time Visited:
Around 2pm on a Sunday
Attire worn:
Casual
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Accidental Affogato & Salted Caramel Tiramisu Jar

 Haven't been to Jaya One for quite awhile and I must say, stepping in brought a sense of excitement to me when I saw the intriguing shopping mall developed at one of the buildings. Before adjourning to Salt 'n Koffie Gallery, I had a walkaround the place to see what new eateries had came up and boy looking around is like a kid being in a candy store. There are so many interesting food places and cafes there now!

Upon exiting that newly built mall, you can immediately see Salt 'n Koffie Gallery opposite it's rival The Morning After Cafe.

Salt 'n Koffie Gallery has a very interesting vibrant color to it's appearance and it's seatings were all quite unique and different from one another. No doubt, it's pleasing to the eye but I feel the comfort level suffers. Don't get me wrong, it's still okay enough to sit and enjoy your coffee and cakes but the height level of the coffee table, the lack of cushion on the hardwood chairs and the spacing between each table leaves tremendous amount of room for improvement.

I certainly enjoyed the friendliness of the staff as they take my order. Even the person who brought my things to the table served with a smile that looks very genuine.

The Accidental Affogato was served with the ice cream already doused in coffee. It certainly brought a very unique flavor to it where there were hints of coconut in it. The droplets of coconut that hits my palate in between sips seem to make a very interesting unique flavor that awakens my senses. Coupled with the strong coffee, it certainly was a fiesta in my mouth. A lot of different flavors occurring.

The Salted Caramel Tiramisu Jar which is one of their bestsellers that they recommended to me unfortunately is just a gimmick to me. They got me interested when they told me that the Tiramisu is actually in a jar. Unfortunately, the taste was monotonous and I didn't get the taste of salted caramel. The Tiramisu isn't as fluffy as I would like it to be. It just taste of flour, massive dose of flour. Maybe it's just this one jar that I had that taste unappealing but I certainly wouldn't recommend it. You can taste and try it for yourself to judge.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM24. Well worth it for the Affogato which is RM12. It certainly is unique and a refreshing, pleasing taste to brighten up my darkened world.

Final Verdict:
I would've given it a 6 but due to the very noticeable chirpy and cheery friendliness in service, I bumped it up a notch to 7/10.

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