Located in Jalan Sultan, one stop away from Pasar Seni and amidst a line-up of various other tempting cafes, Mingle Cafe sits unassumingly, its entrance covered in foliage and plants, as if trying to set itself apart from its competition. Immediately upon entering you’re greeted with an enticing, extensive collection of cakes, pastries, loaves and cupcakes – good luck trying to resist yourself from saving desserts for the end! Walking in, you get encased in the rustic, vintage and homely feel of the cafe right away. Its warm ambient lighting, eclectic posters and paintings covering its walls, assortments of memorabilia strewn around the cafe, and especially their use of upcycled furniture – they even used old doors as tables – truly sets them apart from other vintage cafes.
The cafe was fairly crowded since it was rush hour and it was the day after Raya as well, but even so everything we ordered came relatively quickly and the staff were very friendly. The first thing we ordered was their cappuccino, and we all agreed that it was the only thing on their menu that wasn’t up to par – it tasted somewhat bland and watered down, and it won’t impress actual coffee-lovers.
Their food menu ranged from Malaysian options to Western ones, so we had a variety to choose from. We decided on:
- Nasi Ulam (Daging Rendang) – RM 27
- Salted Egg Chicken Spaghetti – RM 27
- Chicken Burger – RM 25
- Cappuccino – RM 12
- Lotus Biscoff Burnt Cheesecake – rm 22
We started off with their salted egg chicken spaghetti, and from the very first bite it won us over. The pasta was perfectly al dente, well-salted, and the egg flavor was perfectly balanced – it coats your mouth in such a way that it hits all the right spots in your taste bud. The chicken pieces were satisfyingly crispy and juicy; all of which resulted in a dish that not only fulfilled our stomachs, but also gave us plenty of aesthetic pleasure as well.
Next, we had the Nasi Ulam, which is a traditional Indonesian and Malaysian mixed dish consisting of a blend of aromatic herb rice, and it also turned out to be one of our favorites. The rice was incredibly fragrant, and the beef was so soft and buttery that you could pull it apart with just your spoon. It was served with a side of salad including rocket and thyme basil, which added the hint of freshness and greenness that this dish needed. All in all, everything in the dish was well-balanced, fragrant and fulfilling, and the quantity was good for the price as well. It also had the added factor of looking extremely appeasing.
Next was the chicken burger – this was interesting. It was an amalgamation of sweet and savory flavors, with the egg mostly overpowering the whole thing. The bun was flavorful but slightly burned at the edges. The actual chicken could have also been juicier, since it failed to really give us that hit of dopamine when you bite into a really delectable burger. Regardless, it was still tasty, just not the best burger we’ve had in our lives.
And finally – desserts! We had to give their flavor of the month a try, which was the Lotus Biscoff Burnt Cheesecake. The first bite quite literally melted in our mouths – it was so lusciously soft and smooth, with the cheesecake being perfectly creamy and, well, cheesy. It was, as its name states – burnt from the sides and impossibly soft on the inside, which created a heaven of an experience for our taste buds. Although we did enjoy the cake, we also noted that the price (RM 22) could be a bit less, and the Lotus Biscoff flavor could be more pronounced.
If you’re looking for a place to eat that has an incredibly warm and homely ambiance and amazing bites both savory and sweet, this is the cafe for you! One of our photographers who’s a Penang local also noted that the cafe gave her Penang cafe vibes, which is also a plus for them. And lastly, if you’re a Harry Styles fan you’re going to love Mingle Cafe because it was all their playlist consisted of. We definitely were not complaining.
Our ratings:
Food: 9/10
Ambience: 8.5/10
Price: 7/10
Accessibility: 8/10
Service: 8.5/10
Mingle Cafe, you’re undeniably MONCH approved :)
Address: 55, Jalan Sultan, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Written by Sreana Habiba @sreanaa
Photos by Jun Hoe & Luanne @junnhoee @luaxxechoong
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