For reasons unknown, the people at this very nice western/Italian fusion restaurant here chose to close down the place and relocate to another part of town under a different name…
…and with a somewhat different concept as well, if I am not wrong.
There are tables outside…
…for those who would like a breath of fresh air and dine al fresco or you may choose to go through this green door…
…to sit inside in air-conditioned comfort.
I like the decor inside – it had a kind of western setting but I get put off everytime I see fake flowers like these…
…that they had on every table – if they are not going to use fresh flowers even simple flowers like the ones here, then they might as well not have anything at all. I have a term for this – NCAA (no class at all).
They have an open kitchen concept…
…or at least you can see through the glass panel what they are doing inside without having to feel the heat and put up with the fumes, the noise and commotion, if at all, but actually, I thought the place, as a whole, was quite noisy that day but then again, it was a full house – lots of people, some of them celebrating their birthdays. Mercifully, the level was quite bearable unlike some places that can get so noisy owing to the poor acoustics (or the type of customers around) so much so that you would feel like making a run for it.
We were told that they had a system whereby we would have to go and order at the counter and pay first before making our way to our table, with the number given in hand, and they would serve us when our orders were ready….so there we went, joining the queue at the end of the line and pretty soon, my patience ran out! The lady took so very long asking about this and that and the young boy had to explain everything to her…
…so I had a word with the guy, somebody who seemed to be the floor manager, making sure that everything was going smoothly.
I told him in no uncertain terms that their system sucked big time and they would need to come out with something more workable…or set up a lot more counters, not just one. The guy in front of me in the queue overheard me and chipped in saying that they had so many things on their menu so when someone like the lady in front started asking about everything, it would take forever! (Later I saw him walking around outside – perhaps he gave up in the end and left and went some place else!)
The manager was very nice though – he apologised and said that they had just started, still very new at it…and he even offered to take my orders and I could just go to our table and wait there. Later he came with a chit to confirm that he had got our orders correct and after a while, he came again to collect the payment. Now, I must declare that this kind of service is indeed top class and based on this alone, all was instantly forgiven!
I had their Big Breakfast (RM22.00)…
…which came with a complimentary drink from a choice of four, and I chose the black coffee…
…which was very fragrant and nice…and sugar-free.
I enjoyed everything on the platter…
…except the sausage which I thought tasted like it had a bit too much ginger in it. I used to enjoy their sausages before at the old place those few times when we went there.
My missus had their claypot chicken rice (RM16.00)…
…which looked good and tasted good too and had all the ingredients but it was kind of disappointing considering that it did not taste like the “real thing”. In our opinion, if one is looking for that authentic hawker stall claypot rice taste, one should go here instead – they sure do a very good job at replicating that coveted taste of the dish there.
We brought our own gluten-free spaghetti and my girl wanted their carbonara and yes, they did have fusilli carbonara on their menu so I asked the manager if we could substitute their pasta with our own instead. He was somewhat unsure and said that he would have to ask first but I told him that they could charge accordingly, just that my girl could not eat regular pasta and had to have her own and upon hearing that, he said there should not be a problem…and true enough, there wasn’t.
In the end, my girl got to enjoy her spaghetti carbonara (RM22.00)…
…which was done really well, al dente and all, with a generous amount of bacon in the dish…
I was somewhat dismayed though that for a place that is so very new like this one, I spotted a chip by the side of the plate – they really should tell their employees to handle the lovely crockery with a lot more care.
All things considered, we certainly would not mind coming back again to try the other things that they have on their menu.
CAFFEINE CAFE is located on the ground floor of Wisma Liberty, Block 3, Lorong Pedada 7, off Jalan Pedada – on your left, past the Jalan Ulu Oya Road traffic lights if you are coming from town, just a few doors away from Nica Gelateria (2.302620, 111.842988), to the left at the end of that same block.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
It is good that the manager took your suggestions very well. Their system really sucks because such system is good for fast food restaurants that have few selection of food unlike the regular restaurant
Yes, the manager was most obliging – I sure was impressed. They should not use the system as it is a very nice place, more towards classy, fine dining so they should not follow that no-class-at-all fast food restaurant practice. I think they use this system at the coffee places too but there, the choices are quite limited, one customer will not take THAT long.
I don’t like this type of system too. Prefer they come to your table to take your order and pay when food is served. That will save the time and queue.
They have this at the fast food places but there, they have many counters…though sometimes, only one or two are open. They shouldn’t use this system since they have a lot of waitresses who can easily go round and take orders, dunno why they see the need to do this…and they only have ONE counter.
Inconsiderate people will just take their sweet time, never mind that there is a long line of people behind them waiting, lots of them like that…like those leaving a parking space and there is someone waiting to go in and there is a long long line of cars blocked, waiting for that one to go in. Dunno why they take THAT long – maybe check their smartphone, or their make up or their hair or what. Really pisses me off! Isk! Tsk!
New place, New concept, New system? Look like a nice place for Big Breakfast.
So much sauce in that carbonara.
I don’t know much about these things but my girl said it was nice and finished it all, including the sauce – usually she is not into this rich pasta sauce but she did enjoy it that day. Left only a spoonful of pasta and bacon, said she was full so I ate it up for her – personally, I would prefer the not-quite-the-same versions at Payung.
Oh boy, I am with you on the dislike for fake flowers! Tasteless. Why not use potted herbs or something that will continue to grow such as those plants that only require water to be kept alive? Or, as you say, nothing at all.
Yes, real cheap, easily available at those discount stores. I really don’t know why they bother.
Frankly, I hate those people who ask tons of questions without sparing a thought for the people in the queue. I mean, sure they have a right to ask questions but should use their discretion. If there is nobody behind you, then ask all you want. The manager handled it well and I’m glad you had a good experience with the food.
Yes, most inconsiderate. Knowing that everyone in the line is waiting, make it quick and get out of the way, so selfish…and actually, I saw another two ladies coming from the left…like they were going to cut the queue. I would have told them off if I had been standing in the line still and they did that. Want to eat at this kind of places but have no class at all – the people eating at the cheap coffee shops have better social etiquette than that. Thankfully, the manager offered to help so they were spared the wrath of this old man.
I’m against fake flowers as well. I would very much prefer for them to put some greens like money plants or anything real instead of those fake stuffs.
If I am unsure of what to order esp if the place is new, I’ll stand back to study the menu and watch what others do instead of hogging the line to ask tonnes of questions. Tsk tsk…
Not so bad if there’s nobody else waiting in line. Nothing with strange unfamiliar names on the menu – the lady could easily have done that, just blardy inconsiderate, that’s all! Lots of them like that around these days.
Ya, dunno why they want to put those fake flowers. Makes the place look so cheap like those wannabe fusion places.