Kita Coffee, Fahrenheit 88

Familiar faces in a fresh place: Fahrenheit 88's Kita Coffee is tucked inside a mall, but it feels as much a community space as a cafe, living up to its tagline, 'The Place That Belongs To Us,' with a cheerful warmth that flows naturally from its team - Kita's lead founder Rain, her brother Yuen Ren, and their mentor Masahiro, who also run Artelier Coffee across the road in Pavilion.

The trio rank among KL's most respected baristas, so their capability with coffee is a certainty - multiple single-origin, multi-roaster varieties are available, from espresso-based beverages (starting at RM11 for a hot long black) to pour-overs (RM15-RM35); the menu enthusiastically describes the latter as 'crafted with hands and heart,' so it's worth exploring the possibilities - perhaps an Ethiopian heirloom, with beans sourced from Tokyo's Glitch Coffee & Roasters.

Beyond coffee, Kita also promises hot chocolate (by Korte Chocolate), green tea (by Matcha Hero) and healthy tea such as hawthorn-honeysuckle blends (by Flower & Herb Fusion). But the highlight of these might be Japanese tea by Komichi Tea, sourced from a single farm in Toyota city, Aichi Prefecture. We loved the fukamushi (deep-steamed) sencha, yielding three cups served at different intervals, with each cup conveying its own soulful level of fragrance and sweetness (RM17). Be it coffee or tea, rest assured the Kita crew will make the effort to explain the experience and guide you on enjoying every sip.

Hot meals emerge in the form of customisable, comfort-food Potato Bowls by PotatoNaa (RM13 each) - choose a base (mashed potatoes with three toppings, French fries with one topping, or Japanese rice with two toppings), then a sauce (red, cream or Japanese curry) and finally, the meat-free toppings (we had tenkasu deep-fried batter bits, edamame and boiled eggs; other options include cucumber, sweet corn, broccoli, tomatoes, grated cheese or kimchi).

Japanese roll cakes are expected to be rolled out soon too; the tiramisu flavour is pleasingly creamy, with the clear kick of caffeine. Pots of herbs cultivated at the sunlit back of the cafe might also eventually be destined for the kitchen - a nod to the Lee siblings' parents, who've worked on farms in Ipoh.

All in all, Kita is a lovely sanctuary, especially for everyone seeking to escape the stresses of the city centre.

Kita Coffee

D7, First Floor, Fahrenheit 88, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. 

Venue is very hidden, so check Kita Coffee's Instagram page - instagram.com/kitacoffee_my - for directions. Open 12pm-7pm; closed Thursdays.

This feature first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

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Grand Harbour @ Fahrenheit 88

Docking at Fahrenheit 88's new Grand Harbour for all-day dim sum with a distinctive difference.

Novelties here include animal-themed creations like shrimp dumplings topped with quail eggs ... 

 ... super-cute swan-shaped puff pastry stuffed with thick durian paste (RM8.80+) ...

 ... & mice-like glutinous rice balls (RM7.80+) filled with custard & flaked with coconut.

Bun as teapot (RM6.80+), teeming with steaming-hot egg yolk cream.

Pumpkin pastry (RM6.80+), crisp on the outside, velvety-golden within.

Grand Harbour's a safe port for pork; the siu yok here is exactly the way we like it ...

 ... though the char siew & roast duck might seem unmemorable. Good but not great.

Steamed pork stomach in spicy plum sauce (RM7.80+) supplies a workout for the jaws.

Fabulously fatty pork trotter, cooked in claypot with chee cheong fan rice rolls (RM10.80+). 

Last, not least: Water chestnut cakes (RM5.80+), served warm. Be ready for this jelly!

Pu-er tea, available raw or ripened, in vintages that span a year to forty of aging (the priciest: RM298+ per pot). We opted for the seven-year-aged, RM12+ per person. 

Bonus stop at Fahrenheit 88: Visiting this mall's third-floor branch of Coffee Stain By Joseph.

Entry on Coffee Stain by Joseph @ Solaris Dutamas: June 15, 2012.

Gibraltar latte & Macchiato espresso, both sufficiently satisfying. We like.

Grand Harbour @ LG2, Fahrenheit 88, Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur.

Coffee Stain by Joseph @ L3 Parkamaya, Fahrenheit 88, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Yummy Taiwan

Our first trip to Taiwan might not happen before we hit middle age, so it's up to outlets like Yummy Taiwan to fill us with food from the 'Beautiful Island' for now.

Oyster mee sua. A bit bland at first bite, but subsequent mouthfuls tasted progressively better. The combination of slippery noodles, super-thick soup, bouncy oysters and pleasurably chewy pork innards _ it's a recipe that works.

Beef noodles. Too oil-soaked for our liking. We wanted to let the bowl sit for awhile and wait for the oil to evaporate, but someone insisted that oil can't evaporate.

Pork dumplings in beef broth. Who knew that pigs and cows could coexist so harmoniously in one protein-packed bowl? We would have enjoyed this even more with a poached chicken egg.

Taiwanese burger. Fuss-free comfort food: pork belly, soft and sweet, encased in fluffy, pau-like bread and topped with crushed peanuts.

Braised chicken wings, eggs & bean curd skin. Tasted exactly as expected: excellent.

Fried organic sweet potatoes. Chunky wedges, crisply battered.

Lo bak rice. Photos on Yummy Taiwan's menu make the food portions look puny, but what comes out of the kitchen is shockingly hearty.

Crispy chicken. Not bad, but on its own, not outstanding enough to make us return.

Bubble tea. Boo hoo, no booze. And oops, we forgot to order the taro ball dessert.

Yummy Taiwan,

Fahrenheit 88, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Chef Tony's Popcorn

Chef Tony's first popped up in Manila six years ago before spreading across the Philippines and then to Singapore; finally, this premium popcorn is now available for regular customers in KL.

 How to build the perfect popcorn? Start with non-genetically modified U.S. corn grown in Omaha, steer clear of chemicals but scour the world for ingredients like Belgian butter, French herbs and Japanese green tea to flavor your popcorn.

A "small" tub of popcorn that two can happily share starts from nearly RM14 for a basic caramel; other varieties are fun without being over-the-top, including cheddar, white and dark chocolate, mocha, parmesan and cinnamon.

This Belgian Butter, mixed with honey-roasted walnuts, is very nice; biting into it, a distinct taste of corn evolves into a subtle sweetness before exploding into sinful savoriness.

The popcorn tubs are a terrific size for stuffing into a bag and sneaking into a multiplex. Or buy some and bring them to Tate at The Intermark, to nibble on while watching Chaplin movies flicker on the bar's screens and sipping a New York Flip (maker's mark, tawny port, demerara syrup, heavy cream, whole egg).

Kraphao Fragrancy (hendrick's gin, thai basil, lemon juice, sugar, egg white, celery bitters).

Ernest Hemingway's creation and favorite: Death in the Afternoon (absinthe, veuve clicquot yellow label champagne, lemon twist).

Chef Tony's Popcorn is sold at KL's Fahrenheit 88 and Wangsa Walk and in Johor Baru. 

Chef Tony's Gourmet Popcorn,
Second Floor, Fahrenheit 88, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

O'Coffee Club & Typica

Revving up our caffeine intake: first, a stop at O'Coffee Club outside Fahrenheit 88.

Come for the coffee, stay for the food: this Singapore-born business serves satisfying fare like fried potato skins, generously topped with guacamole, nacho cheese melt & Neapolitan sauce.

Hot stuff: skewered chicken, fleshy & juicy, glazed with chili & served with fruit compote. Nothing beats real satay, but this makes an excellent attempt at it.

Jamaican Blue Mountain (pricey at RM28) & Ethiopian Yirgacheffe (RM14). Truth be told, we can't tell the difference between these two.

Iced coffee, prepared the cold-drip way, & ice cream cappuccino.

Iced Earl Grey. Tea with vanilla ice cream _ excellent.

Next up, Typica: coffee-lovers wax lyrical about the charms of this humble but welcoming place, which bursts with pride & passion for its caffeinated concoctions.

Each beverage is painstakingly brewed; we're still confused about the preparation methods (siphon, filter, ice-drip, etc), but it's all fun to watch & fine to sip.

Malaysian specialty coffee: Chamek Liberica Peaberry, offering silky-smooth slurps.

Love your Irish coffee? Surprisingly, Typica has liquor-laced beverages _ a limited selection, but much appreciated anyway.

Dessert coffees are also available. This one feels like an affogato with a twist.

Cheesecakes are offered to pair with the coffee. There's a sweeping range of flavors from black sesame to sweet potato, though not everything is available all the time.

O'Coffee Club,

Fahrenheit 88, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Typica Cafe,

Shaw Parade, Kuala Lumpur.