Fellow cottontails born in the Year of the Rabbit, here's one cafe that cottons to us completely.
Le Lapin (The Rabbit) is a homey hideout, not a hipster hangout; it's the kind of unassuming locale that'll likely never be considered cool, but its supporters will nonetheless cherish it for the everyone's-welcome, come-as-you-are burrow that it is.
Coffee here comes in multiple forms & temperatures: Try the Arabica heart-shaped ice cubes with cold milk (RM12), the caffeine addict's antidote to a sweltering afternoon.
Suck & savor slowly. Le Lapin has a no-hurry vibe; its radio transmits Lite FM. Did you ever know that you're my hero? What can I do to make you love me? Where do broken hearts go? Inquisitive divas badger us persistently throughout our hour here.
Hot Irish coffee (RM12), mixed with a knockout infusion of whiskey & topped with deliriously thick cream. This puts numerous bars in KL that serve feebler-but-pricier Irish coffee to shame.
Americano crowned with ice cream (RM10), an alternative to affogatos. Le Lapin uses an Italian Musetti blend, so phrases like 'single-origin coffee' & 'Sumatran Mandheling' won't be heard here.
Need food? Le Lapin's scones (RM5), beautifully baked by cafe owner Eliza, should satisfy.
Substantial in size, served warm & boasting a buttery fluffiness, this proved even more enjoyable for us than scones sampled at a Cameron Highlands resort's high tea.
Fresh cupcakes are also a treat here, lighter than they look & fairly far from sugary.
Also an unexpected pleasure: Le Lapin exhibits the swagger-free humility of its animal namesake. The owner won't gracelessly brag about her cafe & seems genuinely encouraged by thoughtful compliments. And when someone makes a positive remark about Le Lapin's logo, she acknowledges freely that it was something they simply stumbled upon online.
The selection of savory meals is compact: breakfasts of croissants, muesli & egg sandwiches that start from RM5 to pasta & pie lunches that stay south of RM15.
Chinese-language books line Le Lapin's shelf, including a translated 'Who Moved My Cheese?'
Le Lapin's on one of the least-busy streets of Taman Desa's Plaza Danau 2 commercial center; even on a weekday, there were enough parking spaces within a ten-second stroll of the cafe. But it's near-impossible to spot casually, since there's no signboard; instead, look out for the above.
Cafe 'hopping'? That's what rabbits are built for, that's one of the things they do best.
Le Lapin Cafe,
31-1, First Floor, Plaza Danau 2, Jalan 109F, Taman Danau Desa, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-7497-0407
Open 8am-5pm weekdays, closed Tuesdays. Weekends 9am-5pm.
