Cafe Hopping in West Malaysia

As a Singaporean, we love to eat, shop and travel around the world. Recently, we also started to enjoy our life by visiting the cafe island wide or cafe hopping throughout the day as we went through our tedious day.

This is a new trend for cafe hopping in Singapore, especially when there is new cafe setting up their business in difference part of Singapore.

If you want your cafe to be popular, your cafe must be very unique from other cafe (Example, decoration, cafe theme, specialty etc) your cafe must serve good food, dessert and drink.

Most importantly, your price range must be reasonable so that you can attract the customer base through Blogger, Word of mouth and Social Media (Facebook, Twitter and Instragram) and your customer will patronise your cafe again.

If your cafe is very attractive, Singaporean do not mind travel all the way just to visit your cafe even through the transportation is inaccessible.

Recently, Singaporean love to cross over to Malaysia to try out new cafe during the weekends too.

In this article, I will be sharing the Best Cafe from Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur, West Malaysia which I discovered while searching for specialty cafe from the internet, through Word of Mouth and with the help of social media.

JOHOR BAHRU

Johor Bahru (JB) is the state capital of Johor in Southern Peninsular Malaysia. JB is extremely near to Singapore via Causeway Border. Both countries share the common culture and heritage.

Somehow in JB, Singapore culture are strongly influenced. Many people who live in JB watched Singapore Media broadcast show daily as their local TV network signal are weak as it based in Capital Kuala Lumpur.

Many Singaporean love to travel to JB over the weekends or during public holiday. Due to strong currency exchange rate, it makes cheaper to spend in JB and the food in JB are much delicious compared to Singapore. This is why Singaporean love to travel to JB.

For the past few years, JB slowly adapt to coffee culture and many cafe open their business in different part of JB.

If you are travelling to JB, do not forget to visit to their cafe and relax yourself! Below are the few cafes that you can find in JB.

#1 JOHOR BAHRU GRAZIA CAFE

NO 80 JALAN Sutera Tanjung 8/3 TAMAN-Sutera

81300, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Tel: +607-559 6428

FB: /graziacafe

When I stepped into Grazia Cafe, you will find this cafe very homely feel. Do you know that most of the cafe decoration are using recycle materials and some are using household items to display in this little humour cafe in the quiet street of Johor Bahru.

The staff served me and passed to me their in-house menu. To my surprised, the menu are handmade by themselves using recycle materials. I can sensed that the owner have a great passionate and put a lot of effort and love to open this cafe.

Do you know that Grazia Cafe bake their own pastry? If you are a cake lover, you should visit to this cafe! When I visited to this cafe, I am extremely fortunate to try their Rainbow Cake as the cafe only left 2 slices!

What makes this Rainbow cake to be so special and unique? The Rainbow cake are handmade and the owner used chocolate rice instead of using chocolate paste which reduce sweetness. The colouring of the cake are just nice. Furthermore, this Rainbow cake are delicious and not too sweet compared to other cafe.

I also ordered Korean Citron Tea while enjoying my rainbow cake. Do you know that Caramel milk are made of Goat milk? You can try it when you visit to this cafe.

Many of you might wonder, does Grazia cafe provided free WIFI since we are in Malaysia and we wanted to save cost by not using auto-roaming to post selfie photos through IG or FB?

The answer is Yes! Grazia cafe do provided free WIFI for everyone to use and share your happiness to everyone!

Grazia cafe do not included Service Charge.

The pricing as follows:

Rainbow Cake- RM9.90
Caramel Milk- RM6.9
Korean citron Tea- RM7.90

#2 JOHOR BAHRU ROOST JUICE + BAR

9 Jalan Dhoby,
80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Tel: +607-221 4203

FB: /Roost Cafe

While exploring around the pre-war shop houses at Jalan Dhoby area or aka 新山老街 (Xin Shan Lao Jie) which the local Chinese will call it, you can find many interesting shop and cafe around this area. Jalan Dhoby is also very near to the Malaysia-Singapore Cross Border Custom.

I found a unique cafe known as 'Roost Juice + Bar! I was attracted by the rustic design from their outside. Many people might think that this look like someone home but it actually a cafe!

So, out of my curiosity, I open the metal door, the friendly staff gave me a warm welcome. On top of that, I am extremely amused by the cafe decor! It gave me a rustic ambience.

The cafe owner spent so much effort in decoration this prewar house lot. The cafe decoration are so retro and kinda antique (Vintage furnitures) that you are hardly find such items anywhere else which has the most collections in this cafe! If you are into retro or antique stuff, this cafe you should not be missed!

As this is a pre-war shop houses, the staircase will be quite steep compared to standard staircase. So, I  slowly climb up their steep staircase to First Floor (2F) to find a seat.

You will be WOW! if you are here! I really fall in love with this cafe! The cafe owner managed to retain most of the interior designs from this prewar house and at the same time, added antique collections to this cafe.

It seem like the time travelling you back to the oldie 60's-80's. Where you get to enjoy to the oldie classic English song, get to chill out with their rustic ambience while enjoying the night scenery from the window.

Since you are at Roost Juice + Bar, you should try their signature Mango Tango which is highly recommended! I loved their Mango Tango! It freshly made Mango and I can taste the sweetness!

#3 JOHOR BAHRU MACO VINTAGE
Jalan Ibrahim
80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Tel: +6016-778 8988
FB: /MacoVintage

Maco Vintage located in the old charm city of Johor Bahru which the local Chinese known as 新xin 山shan 老lao 街jie (Johor Bahru Old Street). It quite near to many cafes nearby like Chaiwalla & Co. Container Cafe and Roost Juice + Bar.

When you step in to Maco Vintage Cafe & Bakery, you might thought that it was a pretty small cafe but once you walk inside, you will amazed that this Cafe & Bakery are quite big and they do have upper floor if you would wish to organise your own gathering here.

The interior of the cafe are sleek and ambience here are quiet relax especially on Saturday weekend. What makes Maco Vintage Cafe & Bakery so special that everyone should visit? They are famous for their delicious and yummy Mille Crepe with more than 20 different limited flavours for you to order and relax yourself in this lazy afternoon.

I ordered their signature Rainbow Mille Crepe and Caramel Macchiato. I enjoyed their Rainbow Crepe and the Caramel Macchiato. It's such a great combo for me to chill out in this humid Saturday. I even had a chance to catch up a book to read. ^^

If you have a chance to visit to Johor Bahru, do not forget to visit Maco Vintage Cafe & Bakery and say HI to their friendly staff!

KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysia Capital, Kuala Lumpur is a well developed city. Many tourists all flock to Kuala Lumpur to travel or to work. Perhaps, due to Kuala Lumpur is a Capital (City) state, Their work pace are similar to Singapore.

There are daily flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur through various airlines or you can choose to travel to Kuala Lumpur via coach, KTM railway or by driving.

For the recent year,  Kuala Lumpur coffee culture are getting popular and you can find many well-known cafe in different part of Kuala Lumpur.

If you are travelling to Kuala Lumpur, do not forget to visit to their cafe and relax yourself! Below are the few cafes that you can find in Kuala Lumpur!

#1 Kuala Lumpur TOUS LES JOURS 
WOLO Hotel Bukit Bintang

126A-C, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 

55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

Tel: +603-4065 0088

FB: /TLJMALAYSIA

Bukit Bintang is very similar to our Singapore's Orchard Road where you can find many branded brands, delicious food cuisine and electrical products.

Tous Les Jours WOLO Hotel Bukit Bintang is a newly open cafe since December 2013. It is sprawling two floored in a lucrative location in Bukit Bintang.

When I just stepped in to Tous Les Jours, I am so amazed how beautiful this cafe decorated! It look so finest. They also provided free wifi access. This is very useful to tourist who do not purchased Malaysia local prepaid sim card so that they (tourists) can still reach out to their friends and families while travelling in Kuala Lumpur.

Tous Les Jours offer All Day Breakfast where you can get to enjoy their delicious and tasty breakfast cuisine. I ordered Wolo Eggs Benedict and Banana Ricotia Cheese & French Toast!

Soon, the food was served. I enjoyed myself having Wolo Eggs Benedict and Banana Ricotia Cheese & French Toast although it was around 3pm.

If you are travel to Bukit Bintang area, do visit Tous Les Jours and give it a try!

The pricing as follows:

WOLO Eggs Benedict - RM9.90
Banana Ricotia Cheese & French Toast - RM14.90
Service Charge - 10%
Government Tax - 6%

#2 Kuala Lumpur LOKL COFFEE & CO

30 Jalan Tun H S LEE

50100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

Tel: +603- 2072 1188

FB: /LOKLCOFFEE

When you visit to Kuala Lumpur, there is one cafe which is strongly recommended and you should not be missed. This cafe is known as LOKL Coffee & CO.

LOKL Coffee & Co is located at 30 Jalan Tun H S Lee which is a walking distance from Masjid Jamek LRT Station Exit 3/4. At Masjid Jamek, you will find many historical building surrounding here.

Even LOKL Coffee & Co situated at whole stretch of prewar shop houses and co-shared with BackHome Hostel.

When you step into the cafe, you will feel that you are travelling back to 70's local coffee shop. Especially their dining table and chair! The cafe crew members are extremely friendly and cool!

I ordered Waffle with Chicken, Pulled Beef Cheese Burger with Fries and Almond Salted Caramel Crepe.

Soon, the food was served. They used traditional metal plate to serve the food. I tried Waffle with Chicken. The Waffle was tasty and warm. If they could make the waffle crispy, it will be great! The Chicken was very tendered, crispy and juicy! Nom.. Nom.. Nom!

For those Beef lover, you will be definitely love it! For Pulled Beef Cheese Burger with Fries, the beef extremely juicy with the taste of the melting cheese~ It so yummy! For the fries kinda salty which I personally do not like it.

Finally, it's dessert time!! The crew served Almond Salted Caramel Crepe. When I first bite the crepe,  I can tasted the Almond and the thick caramel taste! It so crunchy.

The pricing as follows:

Waffle with Chicken - RM24.90
Pulled Beef Cheese Burger with Fries - RM26.40
Almond Salted Caramel Crepe - RM11.00
Service Charge - 10%

#3 Kuala Lumpur Wondermama X
G-8C, Ground Floor, Avenue K

156 Jalan Ampang

50450 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

Tel: +603- 2072 1188

FB: /mywondermama

Wonder Mama X situated opposite World Tallest Twin Towers, Suria Kuala Lumpur Civic Centre (KLCC).

Wondermama cafe concept is set around 50-70's era. It gave me Peranakan and retro feeling due to their cafe design.

Their friendly staff greeted me as I patronise Wondermama. Their warm smiled melt your heart and you felt very comfortable. The waitress handed over the menu and a sample order list for reference.

If you loved Asian Food, you definitely will love Wondermama X as they serve local food cuisine!

I ordered Iced Teh- O (Black Tea), Nyonya Laksa and Nyonya Mee Siam. Soon, they served me very retro cup and bowl which can be reassemble in the 50-70's where your parents or your grandparents will be eating out at the road street.

After which, the waitress presented Nyonya Laksa! This Nyonya Laksa is totally from what you eat in Singapore. Wondermama added Prawn for this Nyonya Laksa. The prawn that I ate was sweet and very fresh!!

Their Nyonya Laksa kinda spicy and very shiok (Wow feeling). For those who can't eat spicy, this is not suitable for you!

After that, I was served with Nyonya Mee Siam. I loved the way they present the Nyonya Mee Siam. Mee Siam contains: Deep fry chicken with fry egg slices and cucumber slices.

They never pour in the Mee Siam sauces and separated out by giving another small cup, so that the customer can pour it themselves and how spicy that they can manage to eat. Furthermore, it will not turn out very soggy.

The Pricing as follows:

Iced Teh- O (Black Tea) - RM6.80
Nyonya Laksa - RM14.90
Nyonya Mee Siam - RM14.90
Service Charge - 10%
Government Tax - 6%

Where can you find such a nice and tasty food but only in Malaysia! So next time if you visit to Malaysia, please take time and enjoy their local food cuisine!