September 26, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Suria KLCC can be a very busy place, especially whenever events are held at the mall or its surrounding areas. The mall itself is home to many eateries and restaurants of every stripe, which makes eating at Suria KLCC a rather fun affair. We recently had a chance to try out an interesting outlet during our coverage of MASiF 2011, courtesy of the organisers of the festival, who were kind enough to provide vouchers to members of the media covering MASiF 2011.
The nice ambience in The Coffee and Spice Company restaurant makes this outlet the perfect choice for lunch or dinner
And where did we go? A quaint and cosy little spot called The Coffee Spice Company. Tucked into the side of the Concourse Level of the mall, it is one of the first eateries that you would meet as you enter the mall via the KLCC LRT Station. Like many recent eateries, it uses the ‘kopitiam’ concept that was popularised by Old Town Cafe, but of course, with its own twist. The decoration of the outlet is reminiscent of the British colonial era, which goes in theme with its name. Large murals decorate the central wall of the place, and offers a general history of coffee and spices, along with a description of the outlet. The food preparation area is fronted by display shelves that offers a selection of local delicacies, and a diner counter for those who like high chairs and the more ‘western’ style diner experience. The resulting ambience is one that is relaxed and soothing, a very welcoming contrast to the hustle of the Concourse level.
The outlet is tastefully decorated with potted plants, giving it that elegant touch.
So what about the food? The Coffee Spice Company offers typical Malaysian fare, which serves as a decent introduction to daily Malaysian food. Usual favourites from breakfast, lunch, tea time, dinner time, supper time, and of course, snack time, are all available, which makes for a pretty extensive menu. When compared with other ‘kopitiam’ concept outlets, a customer should have no reason to complain about the lack of his favourite dish in the menu.
The house specialty, Nasi Ayam Percik
During our brief visit there, we sampled what the waiter said was the house speciality, Nasi Ayam Percik, which is rice served with spicy grilled chicken. The Coffee Spice Company’s dish came not only with a tasty piece of chicken but also with a piece of deep fried fish, accompanied with two side dishes of pickled vegetables. As one of the main dishes offered, it does justice and is actually quite pleasant on the tastebuds.
Toasted Bread with Kaya and Butter
Being a kopitiam concept outlet, we also tried their toasted bread with butter and kaya, a traditional favourite that went out of style as the country developed during the 1980s. This snack popularity has surged along with the entire kopitiam phenomenon, and is now a must-have menu item in any kopitiam concept outlet. While some might wonder whether there can actually be any difference in this simple fare offered between shops, any person who regularly eats toast will agree that no two pieces of toast are ever alike. The toast was crunchy enough, but crumbled easily, making the possibility of oozing butter and kaya a very likely possiblity. The layers of butter and kaya were generous, but might not appeal to everyone’s liking.
The drinks for the night. L-R: Soyabean with Grass Jelly and Cendol and Soyabean with Grass Jelly
Drinks were soya bean with grass jelly, also known as cincau, and soya bean with grass jelly and cendol. Both drinks used brown sugar syrup, giving the drink a caramel flavour and hue. These soya bean concoctions were beautifully done, with the mixture of syrup, soya bean and jelly done just right.
We were on a pretty tight schedule that day, so our little adventure at The Coffee Spice Company drew to a close at this point. What we tasted was good enough for us to consider coming back again, and since we often frequent Suria KLCC, I would say that it is just a matter of time.
Tags: Kuala Lumpur, MASiF 2011, Restaurant Review, Suria KLCC, The Coffee Spice Company
