CoffeeMania @ Bangsar, My Coffee @ Sri Petaling & Triways Coffee @ Taman Tun

Checking out caffeinated hangouts here & there, starting with Bangsar's new CoffeeMania, which shares a street in Telawi with Antipodean & Coffea Coffee.

There's a bit of a Mediterranean bent to the first KL branch of this would-be chain; the menu's peppered with something-for-everyone concoctions, spanning Turkish-inspired beef-stuffed 'pide' pizzas to halloumi cheese salads to plenty of pastas.

Acquired-taste Turkish coffee, served with chocolate, but alas, not with Turkish delights.


All in all, a pleasant-enough coffeehouse, but certainly one of a more commercialized nature. CoffeeMania has also opened another outlet in Danau Kota.

Moving on to Sri Petaling: this neighborhood might offer scarce surprises for drinking & dining, but My Coffee Cafe is one of them.

The menu's extensive; standouts include a slider platter with beef, lamb & chicken patties.

At RM12.90++, this clearly illustrates My Coffee Cafe's wallet-friendly policies.

Not often seen in the Klang Valley: Leggara Pizza, a crispy-crust rendition made with light Romano dough, with a distinctive hole in the middle. My Coffee Cafe serves this topped with mozzarella, marinated santos tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic & basil leaves for RM14++.

What about the coffee? Not quite what it seems here; for an Asian-themed caffeine adventure, this "Thai coffee" (RM5++) comes looking like any other ...

... but a few sips reveal sticks of lemongrass within, adding an unanticipated aroma.

The "Indian coffee" carries a clear fragrance, evocative of masala chai tea ...

... with another round of buried treasure in the form of wholesome ginger.

No shocks surface for the iced Vietnamese coffee, pretty pleasing ...

... but the final curveball: the availability of wine by both glass & bottle. The liquor menu isn't handed to customers who come at noon, but it can be requested.

Finally, Taman Tun Dr Ismail: Holiday adorers & caffeine addicts alike might like Triways Cafe, which combines a TTDI travel agency with a coffeehouse.

Big & blanketed in sunlight; even if you're not here to book a vacation, feel free to pop in for cakes & a caffe latte.

The best bet here's the Maltesers chocolate cake, delightfully creamy & delectably rich.

Everything else in the chiller looks reasonably tempting enough for a teatime treat.

Coffee's not half-bad; a little too hot when served, but worth the wait to sip.

Quite a bustling spot, though the travel agents seem to get more business than the baristas.

Coffee Mania,
Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Next to La Bodega.

My Coffee Cafe,

Ground Floor, Endah Promenade (same row as Endah Parade), Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.

Open late morning through late at night.

Triways Cafe TTDI,

Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 3, Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

Mon-Thurs, 8am-8pm; Fri-Sat, 8am-11pm

Tel: 03-7729-1044

Typica 2 @ Ampang & VCR Cafe @ Galloway, Pudu

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)

Karuizawa Kogen @ Menara TA One, P Ramlee

A Japanese restaurant & bar with quirks that might not be everyone's cup of sake.

Hidden on the ninth floor of Menara TA One, Karuizawa Kogen has a cover charge of RM75 per person for every entry. That keeps this place somewhat exclusive, with a clientele dominated by Japanese businessmen (on a Monday night, there were four or five occupied tables).

Also note that friendly female members of Karuizawa Kogen's service team will take a seat beside you at your table even before you manage to order; no worries though, they can be informed politely that their presence won't be necessary.

The list of liquor is extensive, though there's predictably much more by the bottle than the glass; we opted for some umeshu (RM25 before taxes), as well as umeshu mixed with whisky (RM28 for a single, RM48 for a double) ...

... plus a trio of shochu, comprising ho, kuro kirishima & tantakatan.

Karuizawa Kogen is affiliated to Ozeki Tokyo, the long-enduring restaurant on this building's street level; customers can order some of the latter's specialties, possibly the likes of mentaiko spaghetti & hijiki seaweed udon ...

... or perhaps the jumbo futomaki & steamed steel-bowl rice with seafood ...

... or simmered spicy konnyaku & sliced tomatoes topped with tosa vinegar jelly.

Come right in, leave your coat on any wall; there are hangers everywhere.

Choose a window seat with a Petronas Twin Towers view; that's the most coveted space here.

Karuizawa Kogen,
Level 9, Menara TA One, Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur.
Open 8pm onward daily.