You know those scenes where a thirsty deer approaches the edge of a pond & drinks the water, content & completely at peace? That's how we felt after hoofing it to Seven Cups, a sanctuary that deserves to draw herds of doe-eyed, coffee-desirous devotees.
It's tempting to be
blasé about the cafes that keep cropping up on multiple corners every week, but Seven Cups underscores how they're not all cookie-cutter. The location helps: This one's set in the new Empire Damansara building with those exposed brick walls & leafy walkways that sometimes seem like shorthand for suburban soulfulness. But the charm here feels authentic.
The cafe itself is deliberately spare & distraction-free, serving (for us, at least) as a reminder to remove both the physical & emotional clutter from our lives. It feels fresh & familiar all at once; Seven Cups' sole dubious decision is putting Lana Del Rey's 'Born To Die' on its playlist, much to our sunset-time sadness.
If Seven Cups' innate cheeriness isn't sufficient to sweeten your day, its pineapple cheesecake & lemon slice should. Seven Cups is meant to be a coffee-&-cakes cafe; while a quiche could make the occasional cameo appearance, holding our breath for Eggs Benedict might prove futile.
Psst, here's a secret: Cafe co-owner Eve Von & her team sometimes conceal stashes of cake behind the counter for their personal consumption. If no carrot cake or red velvets seem visible, thick-skinned customers could attempt to very gently coax them out.
The coffee's a choice one; Seven Cups currently uses Singapore-based Nylon Coffee roaster's Four Chairs seasonal espresso blend, showcasing the labor of farms in Nicaragua & El Salvador.
Plus, l
ight, easy-drinking Five Senses coffee, brewed with a Clever Coffee Dripper.
Eve Von was initially lukewarm about having affogato on the menu, but we're grateful that cooler heads prevailed. On the other end of the thermometer, hot chocolate's also available, constructed with cocoa from Bangsar's Dip N Dip.
And what to make of the cafe's name? Eve Von, a refugee from the advertising industry, says her lucky number is seven, though it could also be construed as a mathematical certainty, that a cup of coffee a day results in seven each week.
Expect to hear more about Seven Cups soon, as well as the rest of Damansara Perdana's Empire Damansara; Porcelene, billed as Malaysia's first "acid jazz restaurant & bar," will likely also be tuning up in this complex this month.
Look for the saxophone-playing, ermmm, chicken? Pigeon? No?
Seven Cups @ Empire Damansara,
G-25, Empire Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/8, Damansara Perdana.
Daily, 10:30am-8:30pm for now. But closed Oct. 6-7 for maintenance.
The Oct.-Dec. inaugural edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites is now available in an eBook for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones. It comprises reviews & information for 100 pretty nice eateries that span various locations, cuisines & budgets.
This link expires Dec. 31, 2013; see blog entries after that date for new link.
