Morning All Day @ That Latte Place, Persiaran Ritchie, Ampang

What do you do when you happen to have a few hours break in between appointments in KL and you just do not feel like doing anything where the crowd is?  The solution - head to a cafe.  Not just any cafe, but one where you will feel like you're on a relaxing vacation.

Just a 10-minute drive from KLCC, welcome to That Latte Place @ Persiaran Ritchie, Ampang.

Once a home to Artisan Roast Coffee, this semi-alfresco cafe serves decent all-day breakfast menu and some memorable coffee.  With the help of the trusty GPS, it's actually not very difficult to find this cafe.  It may not look like it's the right place from the outside, but do trust your instincts, because this small down-to-earth cafe is hidden within the compound of Yayasan Seni Berdaftar.

As we arrived pretty late in the morning, the cafe was quite empty (but the crowd soon gathers when it strikes 12).  First thing first, head straight to the counter to make your order.

While the menu is pretty limited but if what you need is a good, wholesome breakfast, it has all the choices you need.  Egg enthusiasts would love That Latte Place - their poached eggs seem to be pretty commentable among foodies.

As for us, we decided for the most luxurious possible breakfast on their menu - Hearty Breakfast (RM 17.90).  Well, I do go weak whenever it comes to hash brown, so it was a pretty simple choice.  Comes with two chicken sausages, a hash brown, scrambled eggs with mushroom on a thick homemade toast served with tomatoes, baked potatoes and baked beans, this is actually quite a big portion with lots of good stuff.

The most memorable item as well as the one with the most flavour is, surprisingly, the baked potatoes.  It is well-seasoned and cooked with perfection - soft on the inside with a nice crispy texture on the outside.  The toast is also nice and fluffy but sadly, the scrambled egg was lacking a bit of taste (salt, I think).  Otherwise, I would give a big thumbs-up for this breakfast dish.

The only setback is that this cafe doesn't serve pork.  American breakfast without good old bacon is just like coffee without sugar, like scones without butter & jam (You get what I mean?)

We also ordered their daily special promo - three assorted danishes with a choice of latte or cappuccino - for only RM 15.  That's really quite a good deal!

The danishes turn out to be raisin danish, chocolate danish and pineapple custard danish.  Looks good, actually but I find them a little too dry and flaky on the outside (you should see the mess we made while trying to get a bite of these danishes).  Taste-wise is okay, though - would have preferred if they had taken one extra step to warm the danishes.

I came to know about That Latte Place because of my brother, who gave a very positive feedback of the Affogato (RM 6) - a shot of hot espresso with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, topped with chocolate flakes.  I must say, this is one of the best affogato I have ever found in KL.  It's a thick, creamy caffeinated concoction that you'll never forget.

Despite the semi-alfresco setting, you don't have to worry much about the heat because surprisingly, it's very cooling, with light natural breeze and lots of shades from the thick, luscious landscapes around the compound.

To be honest, food was nothing fantastically out of the ordinary.  But packaged with the environment that That Latte Place offers, it is something that will definitely top my favourite list.  Spending your time here is as though there's a special force that slows down time - a moment where you paused to be mindful of the details of nature and leave behind all the worries from your daily hectic life.

However, apparently (according to most bloggers), the waiting time is actually quite long.  Maybe it was the relaxing and serene ambiance or we just visited during the less crowded time, because it didn't actually feel very long to us.  So, on the caution side, maybe just consider the possibility of a long wait when deciding to drop by here for a meal.

That Latte Place

Yayasan Seni Berdaftar

333, Persiaran Ritchie

Off Jalan Ritchie

55000 Kuala Lumpur

GPS:  3.159108, 101.74026

Opening Hours: 8 am - 5 pm

Closed on Monday

Butter + Beans at Seventeen @ Happy Mansion, Seksyen 17

When KS was struggling to decide a place in PJ to meet up with his friend for a drink, I happily suggested Butter + Beans at Seventeen @ Happy Mansion as it seems to be receiving quite a lot of good reviews.

Situated among the shops below the old but well-kept apartments in Happy Mansion, it is hard to believe that an area like this keeps one of the best most talked-about cafes.

Looking at the chalk-drawn menu on the wall (which also displays a huge portrait of a friendly bear), choices at Butter & Beans are pretty limited, with most standard espresso-based beverages plus a selection of bread and pastries of the day to choose from to go with your drink.

KS ordered the Americano (RM 6), which has quite a fruity aftertaste with a medium body.  I think the ratio of water and espresso is just right, without over-diluting the fragrance of the espresso.

I was quite happy with my cup of cappuccino (RM 9), although it was just slightly below my expectations.  It has a smooth and creamy texture but flavour is slightly mild.  (I'm sorry, but I realized I've recently outgrown my taste for milky, caffeinated beverages)  

After chatting a while, we began to feel hungry (it's almost dinner time) and especially sitting right in front of the pastries display the whole time, I really couldn't resist staring and drooling for just one slice of the beautiful pastries.  I must say, their pastries are selling like hot cakes and are fast vanishing from the display.

We had the Blueberry danish (RM 5), a buttery, fragrant danish with creamy custard and sweet blueberries.  I love the custard as it give a nice moisture and sweetness to the danish.  Blueberries were quite unnoticeable behind the custard and truthfully, with or without them, it wouldn't have made much of a difference.  Although it's nice but slightly on the pricier side.

But what I love the most is defiinitely the ambiance of this cafe.  Butter + Beans feels like your neighbourhood cafe, with very friendly service and approachable attitude.

However, Butter + Beans is a very small cafe and could barely accommodate any more than 10 person inside the air-conditioned cafe.  So, if you're thinking of doing a large gathering of friends/family, you may want to seriously rethink your choice of venue as larger tables are very rare, mostly being outside the cafe.

Despite the extremely small space, never did we feel over-crowded or uncomfortable.  In fact, it was just the opposite.  We continued chatting for over 2 hours while we slowly enjoyed our coffee and snacks until it's time for dinner.

Butter + Beans has definitely made to my favourite cafes to visit.

Butter + Beans at Seventeen

BG-1, Happy Mansion
Jalan 17/1

Petaling Jaya

GPS:  3.123129,101.63461

Opens:  Daily - 8.30 am to 8.30 pm

Time-out Session @ Coffee Famille, Kota Damansara

Once again, we are back to Coffee Famille @ Kota Damansara, this time to meet up with a close friend of KS.  We had been telling him how good this place is and it got him very interested, so much so that he kept insisting that we gather here for a drink.  Well, finally after all the pestering,  we are at Coffee Famille.

As it was a very hot afternoon, especially right after attending an outdoor wedding lunch at a park, I just have to order a cold drink to cool down - Ice Drip Coffee (RM 18).  Firstly, it looks so adorable that it was served in a cocktail-like glass on top of a pot full of iced water.  As for the coffee, it was medium-bodied, with a very light texture as well as having a nice chocolate aftertaste (milk chocolate, to be specific).  The bitterness is pretty mild even when chilled.  I think I just found a coffee that I will keep coming back for.

KS, who was on a slightly more adventurous mode, ordered the Sumatra Mandeling (RM 16).  It sort of didn't turned as he expected and joked that it tasted like Nescafe, which has a very earthy and raw taste similar to dirt.

In my opinion, it has an aftertaste similar to guava - a very mild fruity sweetness right at the very end.  And , it was not too acidic.  Flavour-wise, it was pretty flat throughout the journey and didn't have the roller-coaster effect according to KS.  Think he is already accustomed to the complex flavours of the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe.  Well, not really the kind of taste that we prefer but taste is a very subjective thing.

For desserts, there was no tiramisu for this week unfortunately.  Instead, we chose the warm, classic chocolate cake (RM 12).  The moist, dense cake has quite a rich chocolate flavour but I find the icing on the top was just slightly on the sweeter side, especially right after sipping strong, bitter coffee.  The tiramisu is still the best.  Cheesecake the next time, maybe?

Oh, can't wait to be back again for another caffeine adventure ;-)

Coffee Famille

6-G, Garden Wing

Sunsuria Avenue

Persiaran Mahogani

PJU5 Kota Damansara

47810 Petaling Jaya

GPS:  3.154654,101.58997

Brunch @ Crave Cafe, Ara Damansara

Initially, we wanted to have brunch at Mr & Ms Cafe, but unfortunately, because it was closed for a private function to celebrate their official opening, we headed to their neighbour instead - Crave Cafe @ Ara Damansara, a cosy Australian-style cafe.  This alternative was not too bad.

They do serve a few breakfast sets (RM 10) that comes with a complimentary glass of juice.  But if u want some caffeine to lift your mood for the day, you can always go for an upgrade to some selected espresso beverages for just an additional RM 5.

I had the Egg and Bacon on Toast with guava juice.  It is a pretty standard breakfast set with two sunny-side up eggs and two strips of beef bacon with toasted wholemeal bread and butter.  I find the set slightly dry but generally, it is okay and not oily.  The egg was cooked very nicely with runny yolks.

The guava juice, the kind you usually find in supermarkets, was a bit too diluted, unfortunately.

KS ordered the Breakfast BLT Sandwiches and opted to upgrade the drink to a cup of cappuccino.  His wholemeal sandwich, with beef bacon, lettuce and tomato topped with mayonnaise, was quite delicious and moist.  Definitely more appealing than my choice.  Plus, there was a big dose of fresh salad on the side to satisfy your daily intake of greens.

The cappuccino was not an exceptionally memorable cup of coffee but still considered reasonable in terms of aroma, although I find the flavour a tad too mild.  The foam that defines the cappuccino was kinda missing and the consistency is slightly on the thin side.  Maybe the quality was a bit off for that morning.

If you're expecting some really good coffee, then this may not be the place you would want to consider highly of (except if you're eyeing on the coffee beans from Toby's Estate of Australia, which Crave Cafe serves).

But, if you're looking for somewhere to chill and fill your stomach with decent, reasonable food and drinks, then Crave Cafe would be a very good choice.  It has a very simple but super cosy setting with comfortable sofas and fantastic air-circulation.  Not to forget, fast and good WiFi connection.

Crave Cafe

BG-03, Oasis Square

Ara Damansara

47301 Petaling Jaya

Unwind with Coffee @ LewisGene Cafe, Solaris Mont Kiara

Out of the blue, I was craving for some caffeine to boost my energy so that I can last through the night to finish reviewing an urgent report which is overly outstanding.  So, on the way home, as well as to beat the crawling highway traffic, I detoured into Solaris Mont Kiara for a caffeine "spa" at LewisGene Cafe.

Not wanting to spoil my sleep later, I ordered something slightly less concentrated (or at least I thought it would be).  The Cafe Mocha (RM  10.90) has a mild espresso flavour but the cocoa was very strong.  It was a thick concoction which would be a perfect warm treat on a cold, rainy day.  Did I mention it was drizzling outside then?

Since I was also hungry, I thought I might as well have dinner there.  They don't have much choices of hot meals but a Ciabatta Sandwich with Turkey Ham (RM 15.90) was enough to do the job.  The highlight was the spicy potato chips that came with it.  The spiced chips has quite some thickness and hence, gave a real addictive crunchy texture, not to mention the seasonings on it too.

The slightly toasted ciabatta bread has a chewy texture on the outside, but inside it is soft and spongy.  Quite generous with the turkey ham and reasonably topped with lots of greens and mayonnaise.  Simple but tasty and wholesome gourmet sandwich.

LewisGene Cafe is a very cosy, laid-back cafe.  With its soft cushions and dim lighting, it was very difficult to remind myself that I have work waiting for me at home.  It's as though time has stopped moving.  Totally love the ambiance.

Carpark was, as expected, an issue - had to park in the office building and walked.  But it was worth the trouble.  Service was generally good and friendly.

LewisGene Cafe

2-1, Jalan Solaris 3

Solaris Mont Kiara

50480 Kuala Lumpur

GPS:  3.174874,101.659822

Ice Drip Coffee @ Full of Beans, Straits Quay, Penang

Being a dull and rainy day since morning, I felt my energy level totally drained out as we could not head to the beach as promised (Yes, I was sulking along with my nephew too :P).  So, right after lunch at Penang's first and only seafront retail marina, Straits Quay, I just needed some coffee to brighten my day.

Finding Full Of Beans, a cafe that serves handcrafted specialty coffee, was definitely a coincidence when we were checking out this new marina mall.  As I walked up the escalator to the first floor, a beautiful aroma of caffeine greeted me and like an insect attracted to light, I find myself being lured towards the cafe.

After going through the long list of the various coffee on the menu, I finally decided to order the Ice Drip Coffee (RM 18), a coffee made through a unique 8-hour process using only pure ice water and drip coffee, giving a unique flavour unlike any regular brewed coffee.  I opted without milk, but with sugar, since the barista suggested that the original flavours will be better if standalone, which I totally agree.

The cold black coffee was full in body yet light on the texture - a bit citrus and a subtle acidic taste.  It has a very nice aftertaste that stays in your mouth for hours.  Even with a large cube of ice added, the coffee was not very diluted as with any normal iced, brewed coffee.

The cafe was very cosy with soft, dim lights and I would have definitely sat on one of the couches while sipping coffee and enjoying the cakes if it was not for us having to go back to the hotel for the kids to rest.  When I was there, there seemed to be a coffee appreciation class going on, so various coffee distiller were out for some demonstration.  Looks serious.

Full Of Beans

Unit 3A-1-6, Block A

First Floor,Straits Quay

Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang

10470 Penang

GPS: 5.458768, 100.313255

Ca Phe Trung @ Cafe Pho Co, Hanoi

First introduced by the Western traders in 1857 and popularized by French colonists, Vietnam has become the world’s second-largest coffee producer.  What started out as an aspiration by the Vietnamese people to mimic the French coffee culture, it eventually became rooted deep into the local Vietnamese culture – whether young or old, poor or rich – it’s in every corner of the streets of Vietnam.

Given that, it was definitely not an excuse for us to pass the chance to experience the unique flavours of Vietnamese coffee - a drink that will never be forgotten.

Along the street famous for its silk and hand-painted drawings, lies a hidden gem.  The hunt for this cafe is worth every effort as you will be rewarded for not only a good cup of Vietnamese coffee but one fantastic view of the Old Quarter's famed tourist spot.

This is Cafe Pho Co, or Lake View Cafe - a simple cafe that is well-hidden and easily missed by any passing pedestrian.  If you have not heard of this well beforehand, you're most likely going to miss this hangout spot.

For us, getting into the cafe was quite an interesting journey.

When we first walked into the dimmed corridor, we kept assuring ourselves "It's ok, don't worry, just go straight in, it's in there".

Seriously, it didn't looked very right at first.  But once we saw the light at the end of the corridor and being greeted at the courtyard, we felt so relieved.  But the "adventure" was not over.

Once we had made our order at the courtyard, we were asked to find our own way up to the open air rooftop.  It started with a small, narrow staircase to the second level where the family shrine is located.  I was starting to panic as it didn't look like any cafe, as though we were trespassing into someone's house.  

But then, we continued up an old spiral staircase until we reached a space that looked more familiar - plastic chairs and aluminium tables with people chatting and drinking coffee.  We have arrived.

While we waited for our drink, we sat back on our chairs and relaxed while we enjoyed the beautiful view of Hoan Kiem Lake.

The coffee we ordered is Ca Phe Trung, which stands for coffee (ca phe) and egg (trung).  It is a cup of Vietnamese coffee topped with raw egg that has been whisked with milk and sugar, creating a consistent foamy texture.

Many people recommended to have cha phe trung hot instead but because we were super hot and tired from all the walking, that we decided to have the cold version.  Still a good choice as long as you don't wait until the ice to completely melt before you finish the drink.

The coffee was fantastic - intense flavour with some bitterness at the end.  The egg mixture was like whipped cream, except that it is more airy and light, giving the coffee a nice smooth texture.  Plus, it really did taste like a very good chilled tiramisu dessert.  Boy, I should have ordered more of this.

Highly recommended if you're at Hanoi.

Looking for this place is actually not that difficult as commented by many.  Shops are numbered well, and all you need is to go to Hang Gai Street, and look out for Lot 11.  The entrance into Cafe Pho Co is sandwiched between a silk shop and an art shop.  And yes, it is a bit suspicious at the start but persevere and you'll be rewarded.

Come to think about it now, being the "trespasser" is pretty fun!

Cafe Pho Co
11P Hang Gai
Old Quarters
Hanoi

Coffee Time @ Coffee Famille, Kota Damansara

If you have a thing for coffee, then you definitely should drop by Coffee Famille @ Kota Damansara.  You know their coffee is good because the moment you pushed the door open, you will immediately be greeted by a very strong but lovely aroma of freshly roasted, brewed coffee.  Boy, does it make me feel excited with the smell.

Looking at the menu, only did we realize that there's so many types of coffee to choose from.  Not knowing what to drink, we requested the waiter to recommend, who is superbly helpful as he took the time to explain which coffee would be suitable to our liking (he knows his stuff).

For KS, who prefer strong black coffee, he recommended the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe (RM 16), which according to him, has a distinct fruity (citrus) and flowery taste that will leave a very unique aftertaste.  Beware, because it is very very bitter at the start.  But, if you take the time to let the coffee gently travel across your tongue (as though you are drinking wine), you will be able to taste the fruitiness of the coffee behind that bitterness.  KS loved it very much.  I love the homemade biscotti - sweet and cruncy.

As for me, I prefer the coffee with milk, so Homey Cafe Latte (RM 12) was recommended to me.  It is coffee latte with gula melaka.  However, the taste of the gula melaka was not very distinct.  But, it is nevertheless a very nice cup of smooth, fragrant latte.

We also ordered the Famille Sandwich (RM 15) - their house-baked rosemary bread sandwiches filled with chicken ham, mushrooms, vegetables and cheese, accompanied by a refreshing salad.  The bread is super fragrant and because it has been lightly toasted, it was warm and crispy.  The bread is not too dry and tasted very good.

For desserts, we ordered the Tiramisu (RM 12), a must-have coffee dessert.  This beautiful dessert is well-presented and you can know how much effort they have put into this dessert.  It's like a piece of art that you  would stare forever.  I also love how much espresso taste it has.  All the flavours of the tiramisu, - espresso, mascarpone cheese - blended perfectly well without overwhelming each other.  Not too sweet, but not too bitter.

We love the whole setup of this cute, little cafe because it is very relaxing, just like home.  If you need a quiet spot for some private time, or hangout with friends for some small chat, this is a very nice place to visit because it will leave you feeling totally recharged (of course, there's the caffeine kicking in).

By the way, if you are a cyclist, you get 10% discount.  What a good way to encourage me to start picking up cycling.

You can visit their website or their Facebook page for more info.

Coffee Famille

6-G, Garden Wing

Sunsuria Avenue

Persiaran Mahogani

PJU5 Kota Damansara

47810 Petaling Jaya

(near Tune Hotel)