Disclaimer – We don’t typically go to cafes for food, especially when they do variations of “big breakfast” etc. Additionally, it always gets a bit vague as to what’s considered a cafe. But as usual, we’ll eschew definition-debates and trudge ahead with the often-requested, easily-digested, context-free lists. And as usual, it’s mostly just reflective of how we feel about certain places based on our last few visits.
Last update: 20 July 2020. As always, individual posts and photos later. Ranked roughly in order of preference
- Soul Sacrifice – chalk it up to familiarity if you will, but foodgae is happy to rank this at the top. From the breakfast truffled cheese scrambled eggs bun to the lunch fare (steak sammich, miso siakap rice, chicken curry rice) to the lighter bites (coney dog, Thai embassy, spicy cold noods), expect solid flavors that don’t necessarily astonish with a gastronomic uppercut but may well surprise from the solid execution alone. Compound that with the good coffee, hidden-away setting, and the cats out back, and it’s no wonder Soul Sac has such an entrenched spot in our cold black hearts. It’s a shame the brilliant scotch egg is gone though.
- Gavel – Is it a pub? Or a restaurant? Or a cafe? Gavel is potentially the most non-cafe cafe on the list, where coffee takes a backseat to some really solid food and a fridge of craft beer. We are of course long-time proponents of their legendary Sunday roasts – which they’ve extended into Saturdays as well, for long, luxurious afternoons lounging around with beer and a waterfall of really solid grub. It’s not just about the roasts (which are always solid), but the sides which sometimes even outshine the main event.
- Ebony & Ivory – No surprises that this one makes its way in. Perhaps the most “traditional” cafe menu in the top 10, but boy does it earn its place. Comforting flavors, solid cookery, and an idyllic setting mesh to form quite a place. And bearing in mind we also ranked it in the top 5 for best cafes for coffee, this could well be the gold standard for a cafe in KL. And just purely on the food aspect, a Japanese-inspired menu (oyakodon, salmon sashimi rice bowl etc etc) and a propensity for some of the best-formed rice bowls in town makes this a definite-entry in the list.
- Smith Breads – it speaks volumes that I haven’t had any food here apart from the Dutch pancakes and the bread (+ accompaniments), and yet it still catapults its way right into the top 10. Perhaps not too surprising given how much our resident sourdough slut loved the loaves here – a solid new entrant in the growing pantheon of sourdough shacks, and our current firm favorite. The Farmhouse Caraway loaf here is our reigning champion with an unbeatable rich complexity. We said early on that they had room for improvement and improve they did. It’s the condiments that secure them a spot on the list though. From the butter (sumptuous) to the fruit compote (sticky-thicc and not too sweet) to the hummus (unapologetically garlicky), everything is done well. Same goes to the Dutch pancakes. And the coffee.
- Li / Provisions – we knew long ago that they had the capabilities to stretch their culinary wings, and we couldn’t be more pleased with their newly launched Li-neage series, where tasting menus reign supreme during dinners that traverse their crowd-pleasing dishes from the past and speak to the future as well. Plus Provisions Pizza is new too! And yet at its core, the indefatigable team started out with just Li before the influencer-attracting Provisions rose from the ground. And we always did love Li for brunches and lunches. A very small, very focused menu, built around simple but solid classics (rice bowls with spam or pork belly or chicken or all of the above, great chicken chop, legendary pork toast), there’s little to dislike here.
- Alta – No point dancing around it – it’s expensive. Although that’s always relative, so I suppose we mean it’s expensive to the paupers here at Foodgae. And yet it’s been a beacon of stability and a rallying point for some fantastic parties – like we said before, “Alta consistently beckons and we consistently heed the call“. The stracciatella and sourdough are nigh insuperable.
- Nutmeg – remember back in 2013 or so when it wasn’t as insanely packed as it is now? Honestly haven’t been there for years but from what I remember, the salt beef and gravad lax were all very decent – especially in a time when we saw the sharp decline of Antipodean. Also, why aren’t we including Yeast in the list? Hmm. Not too sure, to be honest. It’s not half bad, but it always felt more like a bakery than a cafe – same reason Bakerry La isn’t here despite the great pastries and best-in-town croissant. Arbitrary rules, eh! Aren’t they a bummer.
- Fittie Sense – healf.
- Front Room & The Kneady Baker – hidden away, with some pretty solid food.
- Littlepeople – who can forget how well they did during the MCO period? Almost in lock-step with the lockdown, their speedily-launched DIY pasta sets were the talk of the town. And yes, we first went there years ago, but for the most part the food is still solid – with the main difference being even larger, more fulfilling, portions now for the pasta. Always a good thing, especially when it actually tastes good.
- Strangers at 47 – they’ve been around for ages, their post-MCO SOP is unrivaled, the service is good, and the food ranges from satisfying to very good. Hard to fault them, especially when they keep innovating. Interestingly enough, this place always reminds me of Thirdwave (I’m not sure why). What a shame about Thirdwave too – they would be a top-10 entrant if they were still around, but Sunbather (what they resurrected as) is so so underwhelming. Even after 3 visits, I’m hard-placed to name something I like there. Business seems to be booming though, so I’m sure they’re doing something right!
- Sunday Coffee and Cakes – pretty place and the food is pretty good too. Tamagoyaki sando executed very well. Bread not as pillow soft as Japan’s usual bread – I prefer the slightly harder texture here and it makes perfect sense with the rest of the sando. It sort of ‘extends’ the textural crunch of the crust. The batter is nice and light btw, with just the right amount of mustard. It’s not the ‘best’ tamago, but it works great in this sando. Lovely textural bite, with the blend of crunchiness almost a flavor in itself, chased down by a perfect blend of mustard and sweet egg. Very satisfying. Although to be fair it’s a very small menu and so it’s kind of debatable if this should be on the list. Oh well.
- Wizards – ok, it’s expensive. Some dishes are nice though.
- Dough & Dolce – the grilled cheese is pretty good. The pizza is pretty good, though it sometimes feels more like pizza-biscuits.
- Soft Launch Cafe – Sri Petaling represent. Chicken waffles here are good, the coffee is good, it’s just always too packed whenever we try to visit. Oh well!