Oh Scooter! Cafe, USJ 21, Subang Jaya

Address:
49, Jalan USJ 21/10, 47630 Subang Jaya
Opening Hours:
Mon - Sun: 10:00 am - 11:30 pm
Time Visited:
Around 10:30 in the morning at the start of a weekend, Saturday
Attire worn:
Casual
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Taz-Mania Panini and a Cafe Latte

 The concept of this cafe is very much like Abah & Sons Co. Motocafe but this one displays artistically painted scooters.

As I enter the cafe, it looks as if they're just opened even though it's close to 11am with curious but inviting onlooking staffs  busy cleaning up a section of the cafe. This gives me an impression of how cleanliness is important to them since they're cleaning a part of the cafe that's difficult and would probably seldom clean for most owners but why they're doing that while opened for business is what I don't comprehend. A look around the cafe will see the equally squeaky clean look unlike the overly cluttered Abah & Sons. But to be fair, this cafe is way more spacious then the cramped space that Abah & Sons occupy.

For food (excluding cakes), they only have a choice of 3 Paninis and that's where I chose the Taz-Mania to try. Their signature coffee is the cotton candy coffee where cotton candy replaces sugar as sweetener for the esspresso. On a wooden board, the stick of cotton candy would be served along with the coffee and milk separated. I didn't try their signature since sugar with coffee isn't exactly my thing although I do at times take it that way but instead opt for a latte. I found it unusual when they asked for my name but later found out why when I saw the collection counter at the end. This cafe mimics some franchise coffee places where they write your name on your cup and will dispense at the end for you to collect when they call your name. The only other cafe that's not franchised that I can think of does this is Podgy and the Banker.

Being the only patron at that time, I sat myself down where my coffee came minutes later. The latte was in a latte glass that contains a small handle which is something out of the ordinary for me. Later on, I was handed a block of wood that contains a number to identify my orders. It was also artistically painted on. The latte felt a little weak for me and all I can taste is the milk it contains. Not sure why this is how I feel nowadays. Maybe my taste bud is shot and so used to Espresso Labs strong coffee tasting latte. But anyway, towards the end of the cup, I did taste a bit of the coffee which is mild to moderate in it's coffee strength.

The Taz-Mania Panini took a while to come out. I don't blame em. It is after all, with a Sirloin Steak in between. Along with it, there's pesto and compound butter with veggies and a side of fries served. The steak is a little too chewy to me than I normally would like in the beginning but the taste was okay and it was just a small portion of it that's that way. It was cooked proper. When I hit the compound butter, it totally floored me. The butter heightened the steak to a few notches up. The fries were just your average normal everyday fries even though it's sprinkled with some spices on it but it didn't add anything extra to it's flavoring.

The service was excellent to me. Not sure if it's the same when they're swamped with people but they really take care of you in the littlest of details. They'll give you suggestions on what to order should you be stumped at the counter, I was asked by the friendly barista how's my food, I was given a smile when I was glancing over at them cleaning up even though I look weird, almost mental in my state with me being alone, I was greeted as I entered the entrance, I was served a bottle of water with a glass without asking and they constantly cleared off my table when I'm done with certain things. The only thing wrong with it was not being thanked when I left. I guess they might've been too engrossed with whatever they're doing. LOL. The cafe is relaxing, artistic, pleasing to the eyes even though it has scooters for a theme. It would definitely be a good chill-out location were it not being too far for me.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM30.80. This cafe contains 6% government tax, surprisingly. Must be doing really well. the Panini amounts to RM21.90 while the latte costs RM8.90. Cheap, but reasonably priced for the kind of coffee they produce.

Final Verdict:
6/10. Though I like their friendly gestures, it's coffee underwhelms me seeing that it's a cafe.

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Talent Lounge, PJ Trade Centre, Damansara Perdana

Address:
Menara Mustapha Kamal, Level G-01-01, Block A, PJ Trade Centre, 8 Jln PJU 8/8A Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 8AM - 8PM
Friday - Saturday: 8AM - 11PM
Time Visited:
A Friday Evening around close to 8pm.
Attire worn:
Business
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Smoked Duck Fettuccine and Honey & Lemon tea.

PJ Trade Centre brings a lot of feelings of nostalgia to me. It's been ages since I've been here and everytime I'm here, I'll just be at Ecoba for an event. From Juice Anniversary Party to Digi Party to an outing where I treated my friends to a meal with the voucher I had. Those were some very heartwarming memories which brings a tear to my eyes. I also remember clearly bringing someone to the Hanger party which I had a lot of fun in. Ah, those were the days. And just like how the entire row of restaurants has changed and faded away, so were those glory days.

Walking the familiar pathway just isn't the same anymore. I would usually see the well-lit Ecoba restaurant bringing in a considerable crowd with a Filipino friend of mine working the tables. And now, all is left is the ever quiet and dimly lit, yet tranquil walkway that gives me a feeling of loneliness. It felt as if I was walking among the corridors around wee hours of the morning.

Anyway, I headed on to Talent Lounge and when I arrived at the scene, there was only a family there dining and no other patrons. I walked in and the people in there quickly attended to me as I sat at my desired seat and look through the menu which is another one with clipboard style. The cafe was homely and welcoming. The staff were attentive to me but unfortunately for a couple who walked in after my dinner was served, they were completely missed on two occasions where the guy had to walk up to the counter and serve himself the menu.....twice.

Talent Lounge is a little bit of something all in one. A place to showcase your talent, a talent development centre, a restaurant and also a cafe.

The pasta looks to be inadequate but in the end, proved filling enough for me. The Fettuccine is thinner than I'm used to and I thought nothing of it till only at the end that I realized I did ate Fettuccine and not your normal spaghetti. The taste reminded me of Indomee Goreng Pedas. It was so similar, it's eerie. But of course, this taste is at a much more elevated level. I was expecting hints of spiciness but the scale level of spice in this dish is pretty high. It's still manageable to me. You can see the generous amount of chili flakes along with black pepper sprinkled all around the dish also as decorative pieces. The smoked duck was adequate in taste and juicy enough but could be improved on more. I was surprised at how fast this dish was dispensed to me. It took in just about 5 minutes!

The Honey and Lemon tea is nothing to shout about. It's just your normal Lipton teabag with a slice of lemon and some honey at the bottom which you can make your ownself at home.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM40.60. RM26 for the Smoked Duck pasta and RM9 for the tea with 6% government tax and 10% service charge.

Final Verdict:
7/10. No doubt the place would be best visited on Saturdays because the jam turning into Damansara Perdana is horrendous on peak hours. At night, PJ Trade Centre can be an eerie place to be just like the Immigration department at Pusat Bandar Damansara (not sure if it's still the same there). But PJ Trade Centre looks way more isolated and walking around there feels like you're the only person left in the world there. As for me, it was a good walk down memory lane there but it did make me feel sadder.

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Iberico Kitchen, Oasis Square, Ara Damansara

Address:
Block D, unit D-G-07, Oasis Square, Jalan PJU 1A/7A Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
Mon - Sun: 11am - 10pm (Not sure if they're really gonna stick to this.)
Time Visited:
Lunch time! Around 12:30pm on a Tuesday afternoon.
Attire worn:
Business. (Cause my suck company decided to disallow wearing t-shirt anymore.)
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Initially ordered the Iberico Ribs but the co-owner came over and said that it might be a tad too much for a lone diner like me to finish it and recommended me The Pilaf instead which contains one Iberico Rib in it. It's also one of the items in the set menu which comes with a Sugar Cane drink.

They probably just opened on the day that I visited or maybe it was their second day. All in all, they definitely had just opened in less than a week.

I know, it's weird I'm visiting Oasis Square a lot but this is a place that I frequent often for lunch and they're blossoming forth with many new avenues of cafes and eateries of late.

Iberico Kitchen is highly visible at the back of Asa and Rakuzen unlike the former restaurant residing at the same place which hides itself among the greenery. Iberico Kitchen has a more transparent concept to it's design and from afar, you can already see inside the restaurant with very visible signs that it's a place that serves pork. I didn't like their furniture though because it's hard, wooden chairs and tables with loads of big gaps in between boards. This was a cause of concern for me that drinks may be easily spilt over and what's more, food dropping onto you if you're a clumsy eater. I hope they cover it up with tablecloths soon and put something to fill the spaces. They've set up tables for four for most and for big groups, at the sides. It is a very wide spaced restaurant. You're also able to peer into the kitchen no matter which table you're sitting and I can see that they got loads of kitchen staff in there.

Being just newly opened, they were somewhat disorganized and things not working as expected. The WiFi is not working yet though it did for less than a minute for me. The cash register program hanged and they had to issue a manual receipt in writing to me. The waiter is baffled at some of the questions I pose to him. Good thing I'm training them up with my out of the blue questions, eh? LOL. The main characteristic of the restaurant would be that it serves Iberian Pork dishes. It also serves beer which I think is a good move because it goes well with pork. But I highly doubt people will just come for beer since there's loads of pubs around.

So let's get onto the food. The Pilaf is a dish where there's Spanish Pilaf Rice on it served with Iberico Ribs. The Pilaf rice was fragrant, somewhat like Saffron rice but not quite. A little more fragrant than that with a hint of spiciness in the mix. The dish was well presented and looks appetizing from the start. The mixture of all the ingredients on my plate goes well together in perfect harmony. The Iberico Ribs were sensational. I've never eaten Iberian Pork before and this was the first time. I can tell you the taste between this and normal pork is very different. The pork taste in it seems to be stronger. When I read the description, it says you'll taste some hints of apples and corns because that's what they're fed with. And I have to say, well, it don't taste that way. LOL. I asked a foodie friend who had tried Iberian Ham before and he described it as smooth and richer. That, I have to agree. The ribs didn't have a lot of meat on 'em but then again, it is ribs. And it tasted oh, so delicious. It is adequate enough.

As for the sugar cane drink, well, I now see why it was the cheapest drink in the menu. It's awfully sweet and served in a vase-like container, it just looks pathetically less with the straw fancifully bent for you to sip out of. I'm not a fan of sugar cane anyway.

Since they newly opened, they had the co-owners wandering around interacting with the customers to find out how they like the meal. One of the co-owners explained to me too on what my meal was.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM30.80. RM28 was the set lunch and 10% I believe is the service charge. I have to assume here since the waiter had no idea what's the 10% charge was for and it was handwritten without the description to what it was.

Final Verdict:
7/10. No doubt the service was great, very attentive to customers and eager to gather feedback but being newly opened, this is one restaurant I'm seeing way too many hitches and glitches on a lot of things exposing them on not thinking things through entirely and to prepare for situations like that. However, I do like the idea of serving Iberico Pork dishes (I'm a pork fan and being introduced to a different kind of pork is great!) and am interested to try other things the next time around.

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Abah and Sons Co. Motocafe, Lake Fields, Sungai Besi

Address:
62A, The Trillium, Lake Fields, Jalan Tasik Utama 7, Sungei Besi, Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours:
Wed-Sun. 10am-10pm
Time Visited:
Around 7pm. It was a Thursday night where I was tired but still went for this adventure.
Attire worn:
Business. Believe me. I feel like a fish out of water being the only smartly dressed gentlemen in the whole entire area.
Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Just a latte.

Well, I originally planned to eat something from this cafe but due to the disarray and clutter of many things in the cafe, I'm somehow intimidated to skip it. Can't blame them though because they're motor enthusiast. Hence, the workshop with the many motorcycle materials around. I'm also baffled by seeing a barbershop with one seat inside. They also have a super antique cash register.

To tell you honestly, I'm a little afraid when I drove through the kampung kind of atmosphere just outside of the Lake Fields area. Being inside the Lake Fields area, it still looks like a dangerous neighborhood and with me dressing up in a business attire, I automatically classified myself as an outsider who's not of this area (which of course, is true). And I thought my stroll to Sentul was bad.

Upon entering the cafe, I must've taken them by surprise as they look at me with suspicious eyes and you can clearly see a surprise look on one of the staff at the cash register. He tried his best to muster up whatever English is in him and timidly spoke as politely as he knows how to me. I asked for a latte and it took me a while to understand what he was saying as he wasn't a native English speaker and the pop songs blaring through the loudspeakers drowned his soft spoken voice. After catching him asking me on whether I'm here to stay for the drink or to pack home, I told him I'll be sitting around. I must've shocked him. Cause while delivering my change to me, he asked me again but in Malay and I still can hardly hear him. When I repeated myself that I'm gonna sit here to enjoy my latte, he finally got the message sunk into him.

This cafe does surprise me on the amount of people who would purposely visit this cafe for a meal but seldom for a coffee.

My latte was underwhelming. It definitely isn't the cup that I would like. The ratio of the milk overpowered whatever taste of coffee that's in it. Not sure if it's because the coffee was mild but I certainly couldn't taste much of coffee. Only milk. It did have a strong scent when it arrive. Piping hot. But alas, I was hoping for something better out of a cluttered environment such as this.

Total Wallet Damage:
That's the one good thing about it, cheap pricing. The latte merely cost RM8. I guess it's forgivable.

Final Verdict:
3/10. Well, at least the price is cheap and the chap tried to be polite to me. That's the only nice thing that I can say about it.

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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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