dal komm

I have been passing by this area in Uptown Damansara a couple of times and was intrigued by the bold lettering of "dal.komm" on this corner shop lot. I always thought that it was some kind of audio technical outlet but after lunch in the area one day, a few of us dropped by this cafe. 

According to the website, dal.komm means "sweet" in Korean. "dal" comes from its founding company Danal and "komm" is come in German, hence "Come to Danal".

Upon entering, this typography is sprawled across the brick wall at the end

Following the Korean influence, you can expect to see a lot of bingsu-based drinks/desserts. I decided to go for the Honey Coffee Cube (RM13.50) which is honey milk topped off with coffee ice crystals. This was quite interesting as the honey-tinged taste gave it a natural sweetness and is a different take from the usual coffee cube coffees around town.

What makes the outlet stand out would have to be the audio equipment set up here. The interior design is done specially to invoke a sense of modern pop culture to appeal to the vast audience of audiophiles.

On the first floor, there are iPads fitted with different types of headphone models for your listening pleasure. In a way, guests can be educated, enhancing the learning experience of the cafe's concept.

A brief history of the company: Dal.komm was founded by Danal Entertainment. Combining their passion for music and coffee, Danal Entertainment is a digital content company that provides diverse music services and star-related content (Source: Dalkomm website).

Dal.komm uses the La Cimbali M39 which is a popular choice with good coffee outlets, so customers can be assured that taste and consistency is not compromised.

Dal.komm Coffee

Addresses

Damansara Uptown

No 61G & 61M, Jalan SS21/37, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-7722 5199

Business Hours: 

Monday - Thursday: 08:00 a.m. - 23:00 p.m.

Friday: 08:00 a.m. - 01:00 a.m.

Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 01:00 a.m.

Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 23:00 p.m.

IOI City Mall

Lot GE-15, Ground Floor IOI City Mall Lebuh IRC, IOI Resort City 62502 Putrajaya, Sepang, Selangor

Tel: 03-8328 0697

Business Hours:
7 days a week: 10:00 a.m. - 22:00 p.m.

Cyberjaya

UG 18, Upper Ground Floor, D’Pulze Shopping Centre ,Lingkaran Cyber Point Timur, Cyber 12, 63000 Sepang, Selangor

Tel: 03-8800 9368

Business Hours:7 days a week: 10:00 a.m. - 22:00 p.m.

Facebook

Dal.komm

Website

Dal.komm

Strangers at 47

In a quiet area of SS2 near the former Rothman roundabout stands a little cafe called Strangers at 47. They opened in July 2014 and are known for crepes. 

Trivia: Co-owner Sean Ooi is former VJ Xandria's brother. Together with his girlfriend, Sing Yi, and mum Susan, they did up this lot and are offering sweet and savoury crepes.

We arrived early - just as they opened the doors to the cafe. Outfitted like most of today's joints, expect to see a lot of grey cement with wooden furniture and small floral touches to soften the whole look.

The staff were very friendly and courteous. It almost felt like we were at a new friend's place, minding p's and q's while feeling quite comfortable. The waiter attending to us suggested their Green Tea Latte. While I admit I am skeptical of most matcha lattes due to most people's tendency to use too much powder and generating a powdery textured drink, I decided to give Strangers at 47 a shot.  

The Green Tea Latte did not disappoint :) definitely worth coming for.

As for the crepes, I could only stomach the Red Riding Hood which is a red velvet crepe with espresso cream cheese smooshed in between, married with a sprinkling of crushed coffee bits and a swipe of raspberry coulis. This is topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I am sold with the mix of coffee and cream cheese! It's like red velvet with tiramisu in a crepe. 

If you are in the mood for crepes, Strangers at 47 is recommendable. I kao tim-ed this outlet and you just might see me around again!

Strangers at 47

Address

47, Jalan 17/45,
Section 17,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Business Hours
Daily: 11:00 a.m. to 22:00 p.m. (closed Tuesdays)

Tel
011-1669 5707

Email Address
foodgaragemy@gmail.com

Facebook
Strangers at 47

Magnum Cafe

I dropped by the internationally acclaimed Magnum cafe that has garnered the attention of the public simply with its long snaking queues as they make their way to the cinema in Mid Valley.

Thankfully, I got there just before lunch, meaning the masses were still hunting for proper meals instead of satisfying their sweet tooth. Magnum occupies two floors: the first being on the same level as the cinema and the second just above.

The line starts on the left as you enter the shop, where you are handed a menu that teleports you into something like Willy Wonka's factory. With multiple toppings, bases and coating, it's time for you to go wild! Or not. I must admit, I get so overwhelmed that sometimes I just want something readily suggested for me. So I went for the very Oriental-sounding Golden Flower (RM 9.90).

Upon payment, you witness the scooping of your toppings. The usual nuts, berries and chocolate toppings are the safest choices. For the more adventurous, try the goji berries, rose petals and well...go check it out yourself ;)

Coat it, top it, drizzle it and let it set is the sequence of making your own Magnum!

Whilst the interior is a warm chocolatey colour (IMHO, a bit dull), they did take the effort to spruce it up with interesting art pieces like the one below.

After the selection of toppings which are put into a shaker and mixed, a fresh bare Magnum is whipped out of its sealed packaging. It is then off to the dipping station.

With three choices: white, milk and dark chocolate dips, customers can really experience a full customization experience of their ice cream. 

Golden Flower

The toppings are then sprinkled atop the dipped ice cream, creating an interesting finish. My Golden Flower consists of popcorn, rose petals and gold nuggets.

My verdict? I found it too sweet. If anything, go for the experience of customization. At RM 9.90 a pop, it is an affordable experience Magnum is selling. 

Magnum Cafe Kuala Lumpur

Addresses

Mid Valley Megamall

T-023, 3rd Floor (same side as GSC Cinema)

IOI City Mall Putrajaya

GE-3, Ground Floor

Facebook

Magnum Ice Cream Malaysia

Business hours

Sunday to Thursday: 10:00 a.m. - 22:00 p.m.

Friday & Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 00:00 a.m. (last call at 23:30 p.m.)

Seven Deadly Sins

I was invited to the launch of a new name in town: Seven Deadly Sins Desserts. Just to refresh your knowledge, the seven sins consist of lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.

Seven Deadly Sins (7DS) is a one-woman show by Liz who chose to take the less trodden path of giving up a corporate career and chasing her patisserie dreams at the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu. She says she also surprised herself by taking such a huge leap of faith but is visibly ecstatic to embark on this new journey. 

The rustic setup of 7DS cakes

The sugar-loading kicked off with the Snickers Cheesecake. With a cookie base, this was chewy, thanks to the generous overflow of dense caramel. The nutty flavour that is synonymous with Snickers was prominent throughout the slice of cake I had, so this is definitely a rich sort of cheesecake which will go well with a cup of aromatic coffee.

Snickers Cheesecake

Next up was the Red Velvet. The cake was coloured an eye-catching carmine red and smooshed in between two layers was cream cheese. The sensitive balance of sweet and savoury was attained successfully in this creation, with a slight tang from the cheese and possibly, a hint of lemon? 

Red Velvet

Of course, no cake collection is complete without the evergreen chocolate cake. Invoking memories of comforting home-made chocolate cake, this was one of my favourites. The chocolate ganache was rightly sweet and made the perfect luxurious blanket to the cake, keeping it moist.

Moist chocolate cake

*drumroll* The star of the 7DS cakes, I must admit, is the butterscotch and rum glazed vanilla bean cheesecake. Served with a simple finish on top, the heavenly taste of butterscotch overloads your tastebuds, leaving you wanting more, as though you didn't believe how good that was. The sensuality of the vanilla flavour permeates through your nostrils. Really, if you have to choose one sin from 7DS, this has to be it.

 7DS signature: Butterscotch and rum vanilla cheesecake

And to end the night, there was the entremet, which is a complex cake with many layers of different textures and usually, tastes that complement each other. This time, Liz combined japonais, chocolate cremeux and praline buttercream. The richness of the chocolate was coupled with the silkiness of the buttercream. Unfortunately, the humidity (no thanks to the incessant rain and our local climate!) robbed this masterpiece of its textures. Liz explained that it was meant to have a little crunch to it. Nevertheless, this was also very popular with many people, some even proclaiming that it bested the butterscotch and rum! Imagine if it turned out exactly how it was supposed to be! 

 Shot borrowed from @sevendeadlysinsdesserts

 The cut section of the entremet

(Liz, you really need a name for this!)

Honoured to be invited to such a sugar & carb affair, I think 7DS is set to go to Paris, with high drive and passion for what Liz does. To add on to that, she is actually selling her creations to fund her own education at Le Cordon Bleu. Big kudos on such independence!

If you would like to try her cakes, do contact her at

Seven Deadly Sins Desserts

Email

sevendeadlysinsdesserts@gmail.com

Website

www.sevendeadlysinsdesserts.com

Tel

0129715883

VCR

Attention all social media junkies, VCR Cafe is a place you have to go to. 

Attention all caffeine junkies, VCR Cafe is a place you have to go to. 

Attention all cake junkies, VCR Cafe is a place you have to go to. 

That being said, parking is a bitch here. 

Located just behind the Swiss Garden Hotel (yes, the aged building opposite Berjaya Times Square and the old Pudu Jail), this cafe looks like a converted double-storey house

Hipster wannabes' hangout? Something like that, but don't be surprised to see families and backpackers lounging around too. There is something about the clean interior in black paint highlighted with woody finishes that adds charm to the cafe.

Honest opinion: I don't think I would be too comfy sitting on these for too long!

VCR prides itself on offering quality coffee, both Artisan and Coffex. Apart from the usual coffee suspects on the menu, they also have filter coffee (aeropress, Harlo V60, Chemex, Harlo Syphon, etc). The up and coming Tapping Tapir sodas are also available here.

Upon placing your order at the counter, you won't miss this hulking beauty. Sleek with a matte black finish, this Synesso fits in perfectly with the building interior and exterior. It invokes class and professionalism in the eyes of the beholder.

Dim lighting fixtures are complemented by the flood of natural lighting via large windows.

The second storey has an outdoor area with some faux greenery should you wish to enjoy some sunshine. There is also a large table on this floor, great for large groups or sharing with other people. 

The lattes we enjoyed were silky smooth, with a dense foam sitting on top of the magic liquid. We hear that the VCR baristas (professional and all-knowing as they are) use Coffex beans for dairy-based caffeine and Artisan beans for the non-dairies. Now, such ability to distinct quality base for coffee is highly appreciated, especially since most cafes these days only harp on cost and stick to one bean to avoid over-oxidation of the other. The hot chocolate came as a surprise as we have been disappointed one too many times by hot chocolate with no art. The expertise with which the barista poured the milk to create the art only served to highlight how well they understand the physics of their liquids.

The King: Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Cake

VCR gets their cakes from Frost & Flourish, which is essentially a one-woman show run by Sophia Foo. This piece of royalty sits majestically atop the cake counter and is ever-so popular among customers. It maintains a wonderful balance between savoury and sweet. Nuances of fluffy banana cake interspersed with a layer of banana and melted chocolate, coated with a frosting of creamy peanut butter make mouths water and it is common to see only one or two slices left on the counter top, but those are quickly snapped up too.

Black Velvet

When asked to recommend something apart from The King, the cash registrar suggested the quiche. However, we just had had lunch and wanted something to satisfy our sweet tooth so we went with the next recommendation: Black Velvet. Very much a Red Velvet, we suppose that the only difference is that unlike some bakers, Frost & Flourish does not

a) dump red colouring into the cocoa batter

b) use vinegar which will react with the cocoa & baking soda to create a red tint

The cake itself is lovely, soft and fluffy. We do prefer the cream cheese frosting a tiny bit cheesier for that additional bite to tea time. Nevertheless, the Black Velvet deserves praise for both its taste and dramatic aesthetic appeal.

Superb lighting, delicious cakes and coffee handled with care = kau tim lah!

(Don't say we didn't share!)

VCR Coffee & Cakes

Address

• 2, Jalan Galloway
• 50150 Kuala Lumpur

Business Hours

08:30 a.m. - 23:00 p.m.

Tel

+60 3-2110 2330

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/vcr.my

Waffles at Lewis Gene

I love waffles. I love pancakes. Those pictures of waffles and pancakes can make me either drool or scroll past really fast so I don't subject my gadget to intensive drool-cleaning.

Lewis Gene is a rather subtle outlet in Solaris Mont Kiara (i.e. the Korean food haven, not the Publika area). Located on the first floor at the corner end of a row of shop lots, it reminds me of the cosy tea houses which were the to-go places instead of the commercial coffee shops and cafes that are populating like rabbits in spring. 

One thing that will strike you when you enter is how unpretentious the place is. There are a number of coffee machines but they are either for sale or for use. No fancy-schmancy Instagram-worthy shots with bird cages and funny props but that makes it even more endearing to me. It is real, it brings us back to the fact that we go to cafes for food and company.

I came just for the waffles and was truly impressed by the range of teas they have. I mean, just look at these little jars of tea. And the large jars are pictured below. Kau tim for tea lovers! Mint, Earl Grey and English Breakfast? Puh-lease, you can have the infamous Birthday Tea, Mate Energy Booster, Pu-Erh and more.

More tea for you?

The doorbell

 

 The food menu

If I had something to fault, it would definitely be the menu. It's all up on the blackboard in chalk and scrawled tightly like so, reminding me of having to copy homework into my exercise books. 

The caffeine selection

Just craning my neck to try to identify something to have made me pucker my lips and furrow my brows. Note to Lewis Gene team: I love reading but some visuals or a reading menu may help. 

Whizzing down the caffeine menu, my furrowed brows started to lift. Their interesting range of beverages in the caffeine end are must-tries. Red kacang kopi ice and Taipei Affogato were one of the recommended ones. As for the drinks in red, I would surmise that these are alcoholic coffees.

Lewis Gene has curious-looking contraptions which I found out, were for drip coffee. The owner sources for these drips and does use them for certain coffees. Furthermore, the beans they use are house blended, meaning that they source different kinds of beans and then create their own balanced blend.

Another coffee drip?

No, just a lit candle with lots of melted wax

I went with the Butterscotch Cream Latte (doesn't that just invoke fuzziness in you?) as I needed to satisfy my sweet tooth. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Lewis Gene has got their coffee pat down right. I have scarcely seen any coffee outlet that gets so much right. From their latte foam-to-coffee ratio to the velvetiness of the milk and the presence of the aromatic coffee, they nailed it. The palpable richness of the butterscotch and cream was as unforgettable as watching shooting stars fly across the sky over and over again. Later on, after lots of stifled moans, I was told that the butterscotch was made by themselves. No syrup bullshit here, guys. And any one that can make a beautiful butterscotch deserves warm hugs, endless love and yes, shooting stars. 

Here comes the star I initially came for:

The Belgian Waffle

Just like Christmas came on a platter, the Belgian Waffle is one of their popular desserts. Visually, they score for arranging the waffles in such a non-conventional way. And the colourful hundreds and thousands, oh, don't tell the boys but I love those! 

The waitress lay this in front of me and sauntered away with a mysterious smile. Ah, that minx, she knew how much I would enjoy it.

Toasty warm waffles kicked up the score but I am not sure if everyone would like so much cream. I appreciate that the cream was also not of the canned variety (really, if you are a true food lover, you would never serve that) but it did make the waffles slightly soggy after I tried to extend my eating pleasure by taking it slow. The strawberries were juicy and red but I did get a bit of an off-vibe, perhaps it was an older batch, seeing that it was a weekday. Ice cream always goes well with waffles. While I am not sure what ice cream they used, I wished there was more flavour to it, maybe a gorgeous vanilla to pair with the waffles.

Plenty of good light streaming through the windows and cushioned seats suggest a meet-up that would be comfortable with lots of pictures.

Lewis Gene, kau tim lah!



Lewis Gene

Address

• Lot 2-1(First Floor), Jalan Solaris 3
• Solaris Mont Kiara
• 50480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel
016-328 4438