Cafe coincidences: Two new family-run cafes opened in the suburbs on October 10, with similar missions to cater to their communities. Here's our look at Velocity in Ampang's Taman Dagang Permai, helmed by brothers Wai Hong & Wai Soon ...
... & Thirty Seconds, a wonderfully cosy Bandar Sri Damansara residential neighbourhood cafe owned by the Phua clan.
First up, speeding into Velocity, which combines a bicycle showroom-&-workshop with a full-fledged cafe. Nestled inside Ampang's Challenger Sports Centre, it's a convenient venue to serve the cyclists who ride the nearby Hulu Langat routes.
Velocity is very spacious, with lots of light streaming in through the windows. Personal touches abound; the furnishing has been thoughtfully selected, with some of the tables hand-built by the owners themselves.
Cyclists care about keeping fit, so Velocity aims to feed them wholesome fare such as the signature 'Chicken Boobies Salad' (RM18), comprising chicken breast with eggs, veggies & roasted sesame sauce.
Beverages span the likes of this fibre-rich banana milk with chia seeds (RM8; for customers who want to cool down) ...
... & organic, caffeine-free tea (RM12-RM14) with some interesting varieties like Victory Mate (dried Yerba mate leaves, mangosteen, mango, orange pericarp, pineapple, helianthus) & Chill Mint (dried licorice, mint, apple, lemon grass).
Next: Bdr Sri Damansara's Thirty Seconds, a cafe with nice vibes hidden in a housing estate where father Richard greets the guests (he's genuinely one of the warmest cafe owners ever), while his wife runs the kitchen & his son Aaron is the head barista. A fabulous family affair, Thirty Seconds is a place for residents from nearby to casually stroll in & enjoy a good meal.
Thirty Seconds is all about comfort food; we like the Sodium Oatmeal - a big, steaming-hot bowl of oatmeal porridge with chicken, mushrooms & sesame oil. RM8, underscoring Thirty Seconds' ethos that satisfactory food shouldn't cost a bomb. A Glucose Oatmeal is available too (love the sense of humour here), topped with Milo & cranberries.
Introducing 'Shamaziin' by Shaun Liew - the Klang Valley's newest independent ice cream maker, whose flavours are now commercially available for the first time here at Thirty Seconds in creations like this ice cream burger, stuffed with a flavour-rich scoop of Horlicks-&-Maltesers ice cream.
Shamaziin's Milo-&-peanut-butter ice cream is a childhood-evoking pleasure, beautifully balanced & irresistibly nuanced; try it in a RM10 affogato. Other options for food include an intriguing Big Breakfast (RM12; two eggs with Spanish sausages, mixed salad & tossed ramen) & a cranberry-stuffed omelette (RM9).
Thirty Seconds uses Degayo beans for its coffee (the current house blend is Costa Rica & Aceh); the outlet's name refers to an ideal measure of time for extracting an espresso. It won't take all that much longer either for this cafe to become a big hit.
Velocity
Challenger Sports Centre, Jalan Taman Putra, Taman Dagang Permai, Ampang
Open Wednesday-Monday, 11am-11pm
Thirty Seconds
7-G, Jalan Margosa SD 10/4A, Bandar Sri Damansara, Kuala Lumpur
Open 8am-9pm everyday, except Wednesdays. Kitchen closes at 9pm
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