Riding proudly into the heart of Taman Tun, The Grumpy Cyclist began wheeling out coffee & cakes this week, putting no brakes on the breakneck spread of cafes in this neighbourhood.
The Grumpy Cyclist fails to live up to the first half of its name: The team that steers this space is cheerful, not cranky, creating a welcoming eatery where pedal-powered patrons might feel particularly at home.
Plenty of room within for folks to stow their bicycles; if rumours are to be believed, The Grumpy Cyclist even furnishes shower facilities so that sweaty riders can freshen up.
More gossip & speculation: The Grumpy Cyclist seems to be backed by a fair number of investors; one of its key operators could be the communications director of government economic unit Pemandu. And for some cafe observers, there are scintillating links to other familiar names: a Cyclist co-owner might be the brother-in-law of the founder of Lids & Finch, while a barista here is believed to be one of the pioneering men behind Podgy & The Banker's counter.
But while the tangled threads of fact & fiction make The Grumpy Cyclist's origin hopelessly murky for now, what's irrefutable is the sense of rascally humour that reigns here, from the cash-hungry message on top of the tip jar to the names for the cakes that form the only food offered here so far.
Fresh, moist & creamy; still, we wish cafes would try to rely less on the ubiquitous tropes of red velvets & chocolate brownies.
No serious complaints about the coffee & other beverages here; based on the crowds that have started thronging this spot in recent days, The Grumpy Cyclist has heaps to be happy about.
The Grumpy Cyclist is now open 8am-8pm; hours will be extended through 11pm by next week.
"Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live." - Mark Twain
The Grumpy Cyclist TTDI
36, Jalan Datuk Sulaiman, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Beside Namaste
The latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites for January-March 2014 is now available online, featuring 100 pretty nice eateries, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. The eBook can be read & downloaded for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones.
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