Independent small-scale coffee roasters with their own brew bars are stirring to life across the Klang Valley: The Hub hopes to become a focal point for caffeine devotees in OUG - its friendly founder Nicholas trained as a barista in Thailand & opened this place with his wife this month, serving an interesting range of coffees - from Pangkhon to Perci - paired with the likes of turkey ham omelettes, smoked duck pizzas & tiger prawn spaghetti aglio olio at sensible, suburb-suitable prices. Be sure to check out The Hub's lovely skylight, a certain highlight for customers itching to take cafe photos, & that curious scooter at the entrance.
Over in an obscure shop-row in Mutiara Damansara, roaster-barista Hadi recently fulfilled his long-gestating vision of launching a venue where he can interact with coffee enthusiasts & conduct cupping sessions in a 'tasting lab' setting. Hadi, whose inspiration & passion for caffeine were first seeded in Melbourne, epitomises the breed of baristas who are not only skilled & insightful but also capable of articulating information to customers with affable confidence. Fun fact: The blown-up photo of the kid on the wall is of a much-younger Hadi, & the name of his outlet, Aitch, is a play on the pronunciation for 'H'. Come for Guatemalan-Colombian flat whites, Ethiopian long blacks & 48-hour cold brews, but note that there's no kitchen.
Finally, Coffee Collective: This roaster-&-coffee-bar, helmed by the nice folks behind the Mollydooker's cafes, can be tricky to locate, secluded in an industrial building, but it provides a pleasant reprieve for patrons pining for a crowd-free hangout. Featured single-origins here may hail from the likes of Ratawali Valley & Tobing Estate, with espressos clocking in at RM8 & filtered at RM13-RM15. But if you can't make it here, you'll also find CC's beans at an increasing number of restaurants & cafes in KL. Trivia: CC's Barrie & Hashraf also discovered the art of roasting while abroad, initially honing their craft in London.
The Hub
61, Jalan Hujan Rahmat 3, Taman OUG, Kuala Lumpur. Fri-Wed, 9am-9pm
Aitch Coffee Roasters
27, Jalan 7/16A, Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Daily, 9am-5pm.
Coffee Collective
G-02, Ground Floor, Wing A, Bangunan Basic Eight, Lot No. 5, Lorong 19/1A, Section 19, Petaling Jaya.
Mon-Thurs, 9am-5pm; Sat, 10am-6pm
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