Pickle & Fig, TTDI

From Bangsar, we venture into Taman Tun Dr. Ismail (TTDI), Petaling Jaya this week for some healthy smoothies and coffee. That is none other than Pickle & Fig, the latest smoothie joint in town. Located opposite of Mc'Donalds, TTDI; this small little joint opened last year serving customers with healthy panini sandwiches, salads, smoothies and coffee. You can eat without worrying about your waistline. Through a friend's instagram, we decided to give this place a try. 

The cafe's interior is rather simple. No big fancy wall paper or deco only cemented floor, walls furnished with hanging lamps, wooden tables and chairs. Different variety of tables are available for big or small groups and there is even a smoking area. I personally felt the chairs and tables are rather uncomfortable. 

I love the menu because it is written on a huge black board which enable you to take your time to pick what you want. 

Dangerously Red (Strawberry, raspberry, yogurt & apple): This smoothie taste a little like cough syrup. Perhaps it is because of the 'berries' ingredient. If you berries lover, you will definitely love this because it is very refreshing. 

Bananalicks (Banana & Horlicks): It has been ages since I last had Horlicks. This is one of the perfect combination smoothie. It is sooooooooooo yummy! A must try. 

Passion (Strawberry, passion fruit, pineapple, milk & yogurt): I find this a little too sour to my liking. It is very refreshing. The proportion of the ingredients are just right and it's not too milky. 

Flat white: Even though Pickle & Fig are known for its smoothie, sandwiches and salads, I am quite surprise that they serve a decent cup of coffee. My cup of flat white smells really good. The beans are roasted really well, not too acidic and it was smooth. 

Well, PJ peeps, whether you are into healthy food or just looking for a place to hangout with some friends, give this place a try. 

26, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 2,
Taman Tun Dr. Ismail
60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Milk and Butter, Bangsar

Koffie Avontuur is back after 4 weeks! We apologize for the long hiatus as most of us were busy (yes, sometimes we have to give way to our jobs and other things other than coffee adventure). This week, we venture out to Telawi 2, Bangsar for some Milk and Butter (opposite of La Bodega and Antipodean).

No no no. We did not change from being coffee lovers to milk lovers. This post is definitely about coffee. Do not be deceived by the name of this place. Do not click the 'x' button on the top right of your page. Stay where you are and continue reading.

Ok?

Great! Now, as I was saying, Milk and Butter is a cozy casual dining place that serves coffee (told ya so), dessert and surprisingly, FOOD! They serve a wide range of breakfast (big breakfast with eggs, hash brown, sausages, sauteed mushrooms, egg benedict...you get the idea), pasta and mains (pan grilled salmon, crispy chicken fingers and so on). Unfortunately we had our dinner before we pop by here, so we did not manage to try any of their food. But we love the interior of this place. It is spacious, comfy table and chairs with couches here and there, an open display of their desserts for you to choose and a counter filled with magazines (just in case you need something to keep you entertain while you are waiting for a friend or getting bored listening to some boring conversations :P)

Irish Cream Latte: This is not too bad but this lacks the coffee aroma and it is relatively sweet for me. 

Hazelnut Latte: Since I've had 2 cups of Flat White prior to this, I've decided to try something different and this is a big disappointment. The milk has overpowered the coffee, it was way too sweet and I do not like the Hazelnut syrup. There is a type of taste that just gives me goosebumps all over. The whole combination is just wrong. A big disappointment on this coffee.

Vanilla Creme Brulee: I am a big fan of creme brulee and I got a wee bit excited when I saw it on the menu. It looks yummy but the taste is just so-so. The layer of hard caramel lacks its crispiness while the custard is too sweet for my liking. 

Profiteroles with Vanilla ice cream: First time trying Profiteroles and it wasn't that bad. The downside of this particular dessert is the pastry. If the pastry is fresh, it would taste really good. 

Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla ice cream: The usual loves chocolate therefore they love this. I on the other hand is not a chocolate fan, so this is not my kinda dessert. Served with banana, ice cream and coco crunch on the side, this warm chocolate cake is perhaps one of the good dessert for the night. The cake texture could be better if it is more moist and it goes very well with the condiments.

Overall, the only thing I like about this place is the ambiance. The dessert was alright and personally, the coffee was a big disappointment for me. I shall stick to my usual Flat White or just black coffee from this day on (or maybe not?). We shall see.

Bagels & Beans @ Apeldoorn, The Netherlands

Established in 1995, Bagels and Beans is the first company in the Netherlands that serves a wide variety of bagels similar to the ones from the United States. Since bread is one of the staple food in The Netherlands (beside potatoes), bagels has become very popular among the Dutch. Now, Bagels and Beans have more than 50 branches throughout the whole country. 

The thing I love most in Europe is the service that you get. The waiter in this particular Bagels and Beans outlet in Apeldoorn, never heard of Flat White but he insist that I tell him how it is made. He paid carefully attention to my instructions and tried his very best to make one for me. There are not many cafes that I've been to that would offer such friendly and services to their customers. He even asked me if I like my coffee when I was about to leave. I am definitely amazed! 

Flat White: The body is thin and light. With the milk overpowering the coffee, it tasted more milky than the normal flat white that I usually have. But kudos to the barista that make an effort to make a Flat White for the first time. 

Black Coffee: Based on my observation, Dutch people seem to enjoy black coffee. Most of the coffee I've tried in The Netherlands so far are light and thin. It is somewhat like a cup of Americano but still maintains its aroma and strong. This particular cup is the same. Light and thin, low in acidity. 

For me personally, black coffee is definitely the best option here in Bagels and Beans. Throughout my trip, I have yet to find a place that serves a decent cup of Flat White / Latte (sorry Dutch friends). But if you are interested in black coffee or some of their bagels, this is best place to be. 

Bagels & Beans

Hoofdstraat 143

7311 AT Apeldoorn