Coffee Societe

If Solaris Dutamas is ever hit by floods, it might be awash in torrents of coffee, not rainwater, thanks to the overflowing number of java joints opening here.

Of course, an outlet like Coffee Societe won't be caught trafficking solely in caffeine; what pairs better with a cappuccino after all than cakes? Certainly not Chinese cabbage.

Coffee Societe's dark chocolate & red velvet slices, sourced from the proprietor's baking buddy, won't revolutionize the industry, but every bite of these creamy cakes is still worth nibbling. Nevertheless, the focus here is on the coffee; what else would we expect from a place where the managing director's business card lists his title as "Coffee Lover."

Try the macarons too. Ordinarily, we're not fans of fruity flavors, but the lychee & tangerine ones here are something special, with (SPOILER ALERT!) tiny bits of preserved pulp embedded in the ganache for a chewy surprise.

Cafe latte & iced hazelnut chocolate. Not bad, but we've really sipped too much coffee recently. Time to step away from the barista, put the latte down & kick it over to the police officer.

Coffee Societe's savories sound a little uninspired (spaghetti bolognese, sausages & lamb chops), which offers us the opportunity to return to The Red Beanbag, also at Solaris Dutamas.

Earlier entries on The Red Beanbag: December 12 & December 20.

The Red Beanbag has conjured creative names for its recipes. This seaweed risotto _ an Asian-flavored rice platter, wet with gravy & topped with seared scallops, prawns & clams _ is called "Don Scallopino," a moniker that tickles the Godfather fan in us.

"Skyscraper" _ not made of glass, not made of paper. Perhaps the fluffiest pancakes in KL now (we counted six or seven in this stack), boosted with bananas, strawberries & maple syrup.

Was "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" taken? The Red Beanbag's fizzy thirst quenchers include Yellow Submarine (fresh lemonade) & Ob-la-di Ob-la-da (soda, cucumber juice, mint).

CoffeeSociete @ Solaris Dutamas,

D4-G3-3A, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-6211-5523