From pest haven to food haven. In the past, Sri Petaling was avoided by many in the past when it was renowned for being a large garbage dump. But after the landfill ceased to exist, who could have predicted that the township will transform into a flourishing paradise for food lovers?
If you’re on the hunt for some of the best cafes in town, as well as places that can fully satisfy your sweet tooth cravings, here are 8 spots to check out. At these establishments, you can drink coffee made by a world champion, pretend to be a Kdrama superstar on Instagram while eating Korean food, take delight in Chrysanthemum ice cream, and many more.
I. Soft Launch Café & Desserts
Situated above 103 Coffee Workshop in Jalan Radin Bagus, this establishment pays homage to Malaysia’s national flower, the Chrysanthemum, by infusing its essence into their ice cream. The café is often packed with people who want to relish the Chrysanthemum soft serve. You can opt for a cup of the ice cream, or serve it on top of a freshly baked waffle.
Illustration image source: unsplash.com
Another crowd favourite is their soft serve waffle, blueberry banana waffle and the Instagram-worth Strawberry Waffle, which has drawn people from all over Klang Valley. The last one is filled with lots of cream and strawberries, along with a mint garnish and a bowl of maple syrup. Consume it while it’s hot and don’t forget to pour the syrup as it’s not as delectable without it.
II. Dessert Bar by Stanley Choong
Image source: burpple.com
This place along Jalan Radin Bagus 9 is renowned for artisanal desserts. Although the shop doesn’t have a diverse variety of sweets, it more than makes up in terms of superb quality.
The main highlight here is their Grand Yuzu. Don’t be fooled by its simple look and relatively high price, this baby is a roller coaster ride for your palate due to its different textures and flavours.
On the top layer of the Grand Yuzu sits a slice of decadent Belgian chocolate mousse that smoothly melts in your mouth. Underneath is a zesty yuzu cremeux that gives way to almond flakes and salted caramel hazelnuts for a surprisingly crisp finish. Another popular dessert we recommend is their tart consisting of meringue and lime curd.
III. The Hungry Spoon (THS) Café
This establishment along Jalan Radin Bagus offers waffles with different types of toppings. For instance, their Strawberry Surprise waffle is topped with two scoops of strawberry ice cream, meringue, lots of fresh strawberries and covered with strawberry sauce.
For those fond of black gold, try their Chocolate Madness. It comes with double scoops of Swiss dark chocolate ice cream, meringue and thick chocolate sauce. You can also sample their Classic Vanilla, which comes with two scoops of ice cream made from fresh cream and topped with strawberries and chocolate sauce.
If you want to splurge, try their most expensive dessert, the Celebration Waffle. This comes with 4 large pieces of waffles and 6 scoops of your preferred ice cream, plus meringue and fresh strawberries.
IV. 103 Coffee Workshop
If you want to sip coffee concocted by a world champion, then head over to this place in Jalan Radin Bagus. If you’re in luck, your cup of joe will be made by the head barista, the young Irvine Quek, who won the 2018 World Latte Art Championship held in Brazil.
Apart from offering different single-origin beans like Kenya Kirimara, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Columbian Inza, you also can choose your coffee brewing method – Chemex, AeroPress, or Pour Over.
Besides the beautifully-designed latte, such as the one with the rose art, their cool lady lavender is refreshing, making it an ideal drink during a sultry afternoon. Also, the establishment serves yummy light dishes, like Teriyaki Chicken Salad as well as Orange & Smoked Duck Salad. However, the place is often busy and it’s a challenge getting a seat during peak hours.
V. Cafe Korea
Illustration image source: flickr.com
You should go to this place in Jalan Radin Anum if you want to be pictured like a South Korean drama superstar, while dining on authentic dishes from the said country. This is because this establishment lets its clients wear traditional Korean clothes, like the ones seen in the hit Kdrama “Jewel in the Palace”, and it’s managed by a South Korean national.
Aside from that, the restaurant has gained a reputation for affordable food that is within easy affordability of the masses. For example, the delicious Kimchi Chicken Noodle Set only costs RM9. Apart from the large portions, it comes with a side dish of kimchi and a cup of Korean green tea.
Another crowd favourite is their spicy fried chicken with honey, and hot Kimchi soup with vermicelli and fresh tofu, as well as their Dak-galbi. The last dish is a stir-fried chicken marinated in a fiery Gochujang-based sauce, mixed with Perilla leaves, green onions, cabbage, sweet potatoes, and Tteok rice cakes. They also serve Soju, an alcoholic Korean beverage.
VI. Coffea Coffee Sri Petaling
This café in Jalan Radin Bagus 3 is another place in Sri Petaling where you can get excellent coffee. Although they don’t have a recent world champion like 103 Coffee Workshop, some of their personnel have been placers at the World Barista Championship from 2005 to 2010. Some were also winners at the Korea National Barista Championship from 2008 to 2010.
Among the exquisite caffeine drinks they serve are Espresso, Americano, Piccolo, Café Latte, Café Mocha and Caramel Macchiato. As for desserts, try their silky smooth vanilla pudding and luscious chocolate cake.
However, many clients have complained that they don’t provide free drinking water, unlike top competitors such as Starbucks and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Instead, the staff there will ask you to buy mineral water.
VII. Shibuya Dessert
Image source: eatdrinkkl.blogspot.com
This place in Jalan Radin Bagus 5 is famous for its perfect toasts. They are crunchy on the outside and squishy on the inside. In addition, the toasts are topped with different kinds of sweet goodies that will definitely make you drool.
For instance, their Almond Crunch consists of charcoal toast topped with vanilla ice cream, marshmallows, Oreo cookies, almond flakes and crunchy caramelised almonds. As for their Choco Haven, it comprises chocolate ice cream, wafer sticks, and homemade whipped cream, along with a separate container of chocolate sauce. Meanwhile, their Mango Sunset is made of vanilla ice cream, filled with fresh mango cubes, homemade whipped cream and mango sauce to pour over.
They also serve refreshing bingsu and sweet potato smoothie. The only downside is the difficulty of procuring a parking spot close to the cafe.
VIII. Coffee-ish
Last on our list is a shop along Jalan Radin Bagus that is passionate about their coffee. In fact, the staff pays close attention to every brewing detail from grinding the beans to attaining optimal water temperature.
Illustration image source: unsplash.com
In addition, they have over 30 types of coffee beverages and employ 6 different types of brewing techniques. One of their top-sellers is the Blue Mountain Latte. Apart from being excellently brewed, the barista consistently achieves the right balance of milk, sweetener, and coffee.
However, a downside is that the place doesn’t serve main dishes and there is only a small selection of cakes.
For more guides like this, visit PropSocial's discussion page.
(Written by G.Zizan, 9th April 2020)
