Good coffee is like hope, love or charity; it sometimes springs up in the unlikeliest location. For everyone who believes that life can be summed up as one long, ceaseless pursuit of coffee, trek forth to Ampang New Village this weekend & Pudu imminently.
On Malaysia's Merdeka Day, on Ampang's Merdeka Road (the universe's playful coincidence), respected cafe Typica opened an outpost that tries to take coffee appreciation to its purest level, coaxing customers to a house-turned-caffeine-bar, the private supper-club version of a cafe.
Look for this residence, the childhood home of barista Yaw, which he & Typica owner Sum have converted into a caffeinated sanctuary, shielded from prying eyes by recycled aluminium awning.
Typica 2, as some might call this labor of love, currently opens only on weekends; visitors must ring ahead to reserve a berth. There are two sessions, 12pm-3pm & 3pm-6pm, each accepting a maximum of 12 souls, on both Saturday & Sunday.
Welcome drinks of cold cherry tea to refresh the palate before the coffee comes.
Sticker shock might strike some patrons; the cheapest serving of coffee is RM40, with prices peaking at RM230. But this is a special experience, featuring top-flight coffee produced with passion & panache. Plus, the smaller crowd affords attention both personalized & personable.
Be at ease among the most chilled-out community of cafe customers ever & grind your own coffee beans at the living room table, taking time to sniff out nutty-toasty aromas before delivering the more delicate task of brewing to Sum & Yaw.
Kenya AA proves light, with sweet, fruity nuances emerging & evolving as the beverage cools, while Costa Rica Tarazzu is a clean-tasting but full-bodied option, both freshly roasted at Typica with a view to faithfully preserving their original flavors. Each costs RM40.
Desserts are available; try Typica's tiramisu (RM40), which features figs as well as touches of whisky & pay-because-it's-premium Sumatran Mandheling coffee.
Melon panna cotta (RM35), also lovably elegant. Note to Typica fans: no fear,
the original outlet at Shaw Parade on Changkat Thambi Dollah stays open as usual.
Pat the cat before leaving (it won't scratch) & pay a visit perhaps to the outdoor toilet out back, where a full-length curtain, not a door, supplies a semblance of privacy.
Typica's not the only coffee specialist this year that's chosen the road less traveled; on Pudu's Galloway Road, near Swiss Garden Residences, something's definitely brewing on what would initially look like an innocuous, partly derelict row of houses.
This is where the super-secretive VCR Cafe will be; still, a visitor who stands outside for now might simply stare & wonder, 'what cafe?' Indeed.
We had hoped someone would be here amid these ruins of renovation to cast valuable light on VCR's future, but it's fated that the complete story of this two-story cafe, now many months in the making, must remain a tale for another time.
Remember the address & expect to hear heaps about VCR eventually (guaranteed).
Felines prowl this place too; could cats be attracted to coffee? Meow if the answer's 'yes.'
Typica 2,
342, Jalan Merdeka, Kampung Baru Ampang.
Tel: Try
Typica's Shaw Parade headquarters at 03-2145-0328
VCR Cafe,
2, Jalan Galloway, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: Only God & several dozen people know for now (or they should; well, God does)
