Hagen Bake & Brew

Bake bread, brew beer: that sums up this cafe's philosophy, though we were equally intrigued by the Japanese skewers that accompanied our booze.

Pork bacon wrapped around asparagus. As all-out addictive as food can possibly get. Since more than 90 percent of Mont Kiara's eateries are pork-free, this place is a welcome entry to the neighborhood.

Teriyaki pork. The next best thing to Malaccan pork satay.

Lady's fingers. Respectably healthy, but basically bland.

Here comes the bread: Broetchen _ savory German rolls, baked in-house _ with roasted onions in front & poppy seeds in the background. Fresh-tasting, with a pleasantly chewy bite.

Two types of tarts: hazelnut & almond. Alas, too hard and dried-out to recommend.

Crack open the beer: Hopf Ice Wheat, crisp and easy to drink.

111 Zwickl, sparkling and flavorsome. OK, so Hagen doesn't exactly brew its own beer, but we won't hold it against them.

For the teetotaler: hot chocolate, the ideal nightcap.

The outlet opens bright and early in the morning, so be prudent (unlike us) and head here before the sun sets, in order to secure a fuller selection of bread.

Alfresco and air-conditioned dining are both available.

EDIT: Have been informed that the "brew" in Hagen refers to the coffee, not the beer. Oops!

Hagen Bake & Brew,

Mont Kiara Shoplex, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-6201-1628