Now, I’m not a cafe aficionado nor do I frequent them. HOWEVER, once in a while I develop intense cravings for pastries and sweets that look too good to eat, and coffee brewed by expert baristas.
Here’s a short ‘n’ sweet list of cafes and bakehouses that I’ve visited in February that are worth your time and hard-earned money:
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1. Contour
Reigning Coffee/Barista Champion Jason Loo’s 2-in-1 cafe and roastery concept Contour in Petaling Jaya serves up some of the finest viennoiserie in town. The Pistachio Croissant and Almond Fig Cake (both RM18) were excellent in their own rights. The Brazil Iced White (RM14) was also great and you can’t go wrong with a Niko Neko Matcha AJISAI OATSIDE latte (RM11, promo price).
The cafe doesn’t have the most comfortable seating so it is not for those looking for a place to camp and get some work done.
Contour
55 Jalan 1/22,
PJ Old Town,
46000 Petaling Jaya
2. Anna Dona
One of the latest cafes in town, Anna Dona by Nacre’s very own Pearl Tan specialises in large-format cookies — my favourite is the Normie (RM13), laden with chocolate and walnuts but Cookies N Cream (RM15) comes a close second; and their signature Plushies (RM15-19) — Valrhona brownie cookie sandwiches filled with a variety of indulgent flavours.
Currently they only serve matcha drinks — sorry coffee lovers! Marukyu Koyamaen’s umami-packed Wakatake matcha from Kyoto basks in the verdant spotlight within their matcha drinks and desserts, such as my Strawberry Matcha Latte (RM16).
The modern retro space is donned in shades of pink, off-white and with accents of silver; extremely photogenic, with natural light illuminating your OOTD shots. Fair warning though, the cafe is quite small and seating is limited.
Anna Dona
2-2, Block B, Mahsa Avenue
Jalan Ilmu, Off Jalan Universiti
59100 Kuala Lumpur
3. Three Plates Full
Located in the busy SS15 district, Three Plates Full carves out is position as one of the best restaurant-cafes with great food and vibes. Dining in on a Friday afternoon, we had a couple of pastas and desserts to share.
My all-time favourite Cheesy Pork Lasagna al Pomodoro (RM33.5) and the Bacon & Mushroom Alfredo (RM32.9) were both generous with meaty goodness. Other notable menu items from past visits were the BLT salad, pork collar steak and crispy dark fried chicken.
Of course, this is a list for mainly sweet treats so we had to get a slice of the Bailey’s Chocolate Cake (RM19) and Apple Crumble & Gelato (RM21.8). I really enjoyed the apple crumble — very buttery and tender, and the artisanal lemon blossom gelato was a uniquely floral accompaniment. The moussey Bailey’s cake is heavy-handed on the booze, alcoholics rejoice! My Latte (RM12) was also decent and came in a tall cup.
Three Plates Full (non-halal)
57 Jalan SS 15/4E,
SS 15, 47500 Subang Jaya
4. Doña Bakehouse
Doña Bakehouse, with its roots in Johor Bahru, opened its glamorous second outlet in the vicinity of KL’s premier business district just a stone’s throw away from TRX. The cafe has a wide variety of pastries, cakes and hot food; making it an apparent go-to for the corporate workers in the area looking for a casual coffee meeting spot.
We visited on a Wednesday evening just before closing and had the Pain Suisse and Lemon Meringue Tart to share. I really enjoyed the Pain Suisse for its unique texture and custardy filling; the tart’s crust was a little soft for my liking. Both our drinks, the Lady Doña and Dirty Matcha were unassumingly delicious and very lightly sweetened.
Doña Bakehouse
L1-01, TSLAW Tower
39 Jalan Kamuning, Imbi,
55100 Kuala Lumpur
5. Yarl
This one is a little bit of a wild card, but it still fits the theme of a carby snack perfect for afternoons with a hot drink. I’ve eaten at Yarl many times now and the Mutton Masala Thosai (RM19) remains a favourite, along with decent Sweet Appams (RM5.5).
For drinks, you can’t go wrong with a spiced tea like the Pasum Paal Masala Chai (RM5.6, hot). Full meals like the Thali rice sets and an assortment of rich curries are also available.
Yarl (TTDI branch)
46 Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail,
60000 Kuala Lumpur
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