#12 Moontree House

It was a Monday I recall, a time of the week when workplace stress piled up and got the best out of me. In a desperate attempt to unwind myself, I accidentally stumbled upon this coffee sanctuary. And the ironic thing about this cafe is that you will be surprised of how calm and serene the ambience is judging from its location right in the city's historically significant area that's no stranger to all the hustle and bustle - the disctrict of Petaling/Sultan Street.

It was 6.30 p.m. when I got there on foot. The cafe was empty. Pin-drop silence alert.

After placing my order, I couldn't help but  to whip out my camera to snap up a few beautiful pictures. As dusk set in emitting its soft yet luminous sunlight through the glass windows, that familiar sense of relief overwhelmed me as I let my hair down and emptied my thoughts.

Moontree House isn't just your average coffee joint serving light meals and caffeinated goodness. It's a mini bookshop quasi handicraft centre selling handmade art crafts known as 'zakkas'. Oh, the bookracks are properly stacked with books about feminism and all things related.

Apart from that, the place is also a favourite spot for organizing various literature discussions and arthouse movie showing sessions.

Back to our coffee talk, the place uses mainly local bean selections such as Malaysia Liberica and Liberica Peaberry. Indonesian coffee beans include Aceh Arabica and Mandheling Estate. Oh, you could have your coffee ice-dripped or siphonated using vacuum pot.

Toraja Arabica (Siphon) with Biscotti (RM 12)

In the mood for something light and easy, I opted for this hot cup of Toraja Arabica coffee. This aromatic cup boasting beans grown from Toraja in Sulawesi, Indonesia, provides mild acidity and clean aftertaste. The bitterness was sharp and momentary, which enabled the fruitiness to linger around your palate for a while before dissipating and leaving traces of refreshing taste.

Otak-Otak with Mantou (Steamed Buns) (RM 15)

Moontree House
No. 6, 1st Floor, Jalan Panggung,
50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 603-2031 0537

Business hours:
Wednesday - Monday: 10.00 a.m. - 8.00 p.m. 

#11 100 Doraemon Secret Gadgets Expo

In conjunction with the fictionally impended advent of Doraemon, an ongoing expo showcasing 100 of the musophobic robotic cat's favourite gadgets has marked a special occasion that celebrates both Fujiko Fujio's hueful characters and Doraemon's future birthday, which is bound to happen one century away.

Priced at a hefty RM 25 for an adult ticket, one just couldn't risk not clearing their camera's memory space. The experience just wasn't worth the admission price without snapping countless photos on the way.

So, here it is, the complete walk-through of the expo....

Relive your fondest childhood cartoon memory as Doraemon brings you on a journey back in time by his dimension-hopping time machine.

The expo passage begins with a prelude area that introduces Doraemon's origin story. Cute life-size models were great story-telling tools as each section chronicles the protagonist's tragic past. From how it was manufactured straight to its post-ear loss depression, who would've thought such cheerful cartoon character could have such sorrowful past!

After getting acquainted with Doraemon's background story, we then stepped into this vast exhibition area filled with 100 Doraemons armed with their magical equipments. The only downside seems to be the way the models were assembled as all figures were displayed without any labeled description or further information regarding the gadgets equipped.

All 100 gadgets were listed in a guidebook, which is sold separately at RM 19, if not mistaken.

And here we go...

All 100 Doraemon models compiled into one huge set of collages!

Doraemon's 100 Cafe. Yes, I already saw this catastrophe coming our way. The snacks tasted bad, like, really bad, worst kind of bad! The only reason that attracts fool like me will always be the packaging. Come on, it's a freaking Memory Bread!

From left: Doraemon Cappuccino (RM 5.90), Dorayaki (RM 6) and Memory Bread (RM 5)

Nevertheless, the cappuccino tasted like horse piss, the Dorayaki was a cold mess and don't even get me started with the rock-hard Memory Breads!

So, that's all for now I guess. My verdict for the expo: A must-visit for die-hard Doraemon fans. As for the others (like me..), do drop by if you're free and really indeed up to nothing on weekends.

100 Doraemon Secret Gadgets Expo
Venue: Viva Home Expo Hall (Level 2)
Date: 14th December 2013 till 23rd March 2014 (Yup! It's a total 100-day event)
Admission time: 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. (Last entry at 9.00 p.m.)
Ticket price: RM 25 for adults, RM 15 for 4-12 years old.

#10 Whisk Espresso Bar + Bake Shop

Ingenuine hipster decor alert! Gray brick walls, traditional floor tiles, wooden tables, antique stools, neon lights and color-painted mirrors were some of the essentials needed when it comes to designing a rather alternative looking cafe.

Situated right outside Empire's Jaya Grocer is Whisk Espresso Bar & Bake Shop, an very indie-looking coffee joint that is bound to be another favourite hangout spot for collective hipsters.

Narrow and very dimly lit, we found it rather hard to read the menu order (spot the DIY-cardboard menu on the wall..). So we skipped our volition and just went with the obvious ones featured. Stef went basic with a latte, while I was recommended a Nutella (ooh lala..) mochaccino.

Vast selections of cake and pastry to be chosen from these glass cover cake stands.

Our orders!

Mochaccino Con La Nutella (RM 14)

A mochaccino with a Nutella twist. Chocolatey without losing that familiar touch of caffeine goodness, highly recommended for die-hard Nutella fans.

Caffe Latte (RM 11)

Hummingbird Cake (RM 11.90)

Stef's choice is a banana pineapple spice cake embellished with a thick layer of cream cheese topped with chopped pecans.

Red Velvet Cake (RM 11.90)

Overrated and too sweet for my liking, the red velvet cake is strictly for sweet-toothed extremist. It's just way too sweet!

Whisk Espresso Bar + Bake Shop
LG03A, Empire Shopping Gallery,
Jalan SS16/1,
47500 Subang Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: 03-50222060

Business hours:
Daily: 10.00 a.m.- 10.00 p.m.