For nearly three years, Coffee Cartel has been one of TTDI's most convenient choices for a morning caffeine fix or a late-night supper stop, staying open all the way to 1 a.m.
More than lattes, Coffee Cartel has a capable kitchen that promises everything from prawn noodles that rely on a Penang family's recipe to Hainanese chicken rice and chicken chop, beef porridge, fish noodle soup with salmon, and other soul-warming favourites.
On weekdays, Coffee Cartel also offers a value-for-money set lunch from noon to 2pm, featuring dishes such as Char Kuey Teow, Mamak Fried Mee, Pineapple Fried Rice, Buttermilk Chicken or Singapore Bihun for RM15.90, inclusive of a drink of the day plus vanilla ice cream with chocolate, strawberry, mango or raspberry sauce.
Fun fact: Last month, Coffee Cartel launched its second outpost in Solaris Dutamas, serving the same menu that has won over TTDI's neighbourhood community.
Lined with large, comfortable couches plus colourful illustrations on the wall, Coffee Cartel is a distinctive destination, perfect for families inside and for friends hanging out in the alfresco area. Shisha is available.
Coffee Cartel's founders have put their personal touch throughout the menu, including numerous local classics.
The Penang Prawn Noodles (RM24.90) are a should-try for Penang food fans, harnessing the secret family recipe of an uncle who runs his own food business in Penang.
This is a spicy, naturally sweet bowl, loaded with lots of fresh prawns, fish cakes, fu chuk, kangkung and beansprouts.
The secret weapon is the house-blended prawn broth, captivatingly crimson, notably robust in flavour, slurp-worthy to the final spoonful!
The Char Kuey Teow with Sang Har (RM38.90) provides a pleasurable spin on the George Town staple, satisfyingly smoky and sultry, with an aroma that's instantly appetising. It comes with 300 grams of river prawns, fabulously firm with a fleshy springiness, elevating this above the conventional street-side CKT.
The Fish Noodle Soup with Salmon (RM34.90) is thoughtfully prepared too - the yee mee is bathed in beautiful fish bone broth that's slow-simmered overnight for clean-tasting creaminess, topped with tomatoes and crisp fried salmon for a confident contrasts of textures.
If you're craving comfort food, Coffee Cartel's Beef Porridge (RM19.90) hits the spot, prepared to order for a 15-minute wait that's well worthwhile. The porridge is far from bland or one-dimensional - it's flavourful with a full-bodied loveliness, the ideal canvas for toppings of salted egg, salted radish, anchovies, fried tofu, bokchoy, keropok and chilli with soy sauce.
Hearty Hainanese kopitiam traditions come alive as well here - Coffee Cartel's Hainanese Chicken Chop (RM27.90) does justice to the cherished recipe, with battered chicken leg saturated in house-made sweet-and-sour tomato sauce, crunchy to the bite and juicy to the chew, complete with fries and mixed vegetables for an irresistible platter.
Coffee Cartel's Hainanese Chicken Rice (RM26.90) is lip-smacking too, fragrantly cooked with basmati rice for a memorable taste and texture, rounded out with a whole succulent roasted chicken leg. Probably our current favourite chicken rice in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
Beyond local specialities, contemporary cafe fare is also available.
Coffee Cartel's All Day Breakfast (RM29.90) encompasses all the essentials - plenty of protein in the beef bacon, chicken sausage and scrambled eggs, encircled with baked beans, hash brown, mushrooms and garlic bread - one of the cafe's bestsellers, offered even for dinnertime if you're craving breakfast at night!
Pasta pleasure can be found in the Smoked Duck Angel Hair Pasta (RM25.90), perfectly al dente, prepared in the popular aglio olio style, layered with luscious duck breast slices.
Coffee Cartel is consistently introducing new temptations - its latest is the Tom Yam Porridge, debuting this month with prawns, squid, sunny-side-up egg and salted radish in a scrumptious, steaming-hot bowl, thick and tantalising with the kick of Thai flavours. Sure to be a smash hit!
Of course, Coffee Cartel ensures its coffee meets the mark too, relying on an Australian-roasted house blend of Colombian and Brazilian beans. Sip on signatures like La Latte (RM15.90), with the sweetness of caramel to balance the bright, bold acidity of the coffee.
The Biscoff Latte (RM15.90) is playfully fun, distinctively drizzled with Biscoff crumble on top, laced with Biscoff spread in the beverage, for an extra-decadent latte.
Other thirst-quenching options include the Rose Latte (RM15.90) for a florally perfumed pleasure and the Sprite Assam Boi (RM12.90) for a fizzy, fruity punch to perk up the palate.
Coffee Cartel TTDI
No. 12, Ground Floor, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 2, Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
Daily, 10am-1am. Tel: 03-7733-1277
Coffee Cartel Publika
A2-G2, 07, G2 St, Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Daily, 11am-1am. Tel: 017-696-5020
