solace
noun
1 : comfort in grief : alleviation of grief or anxiety
2 : a source of relief or consolation

Let me paint you a picture, it’s raining, you’re feeling tired from all the work you’ve done all semester and all you really need is a comfortable place to rest and relax with a cup of coffee in your hand. While strolling along the streets of Bukit Bintang, you stumble upon an inviting cafe, the cafe lures you in with a promise of a warm cup of coffee and a homely atmosphere. The natural light flows through from all sides, providing a comforting moment as you enjoy your coffee, pizza, pasta, or pastry while watching the rain fall outside. At the very centre of the cafe is where they display their bread and pastries, a big wood fire oven behind the counter, allowing customers to view how their pizzas are being made. This was what it felt like to dine at Solace Bukit Bintang, like the meaning solace, this was an experience so warm and cosy that you wouldn’t wanna leave! 

Now let’s get into the deliciousness that Solace Bukit Bintang has to offer! 

Drinks were served first and we were greeted with two adorable drinks of our choosing, one called “Morning Traffic” and the other a simple Mocha White. A fruity and tangy blend of strawberry, lemon, kiwi, honey lemon and yakult was found in the first drink, making it a refreshing pick-up drink if I was to get through Morning Traffic. However, I didn’t really like the choice of cup used for this drink as it became difficult to scrape the fruity goodness sinked to the bottom, especially with the ice cubes and odd shape of the overall glass. Glassware aside, I thought this drink was a colourful drink packed with so much refreshing fruity flavours. It also came with the most adorable little glass flower spoon that really brought the whole drinking experience to another level. All in all, as a strawberry lover I gave this drink a 100/10, I thoroughly enjoyed it and may come back for this next time! Next, we have the Mocha White, a simple name for a simple coffee drink, the coffee flavour overpowered the chocolate flavour which would make this a hit amongst coffee lovers who favour a stronger coffee taste with a hint of chocolate. It was a light mocha because it wasn’t very creamy but it hit the spot regardless!   

The first dish that arrived was titled “i ducking love you”, which is an adorable play of words as I believe almost everyone has experienced an autocorrect to the word ducking. Not only was it punny, I thought this dish was scrumptious. I really ducking love it too! It had an interesting mix of flavours due to it containing a creamy potato salad with salty smoked duck and topped with peaches. At first taste, I did not expect it to work yet it did! It worked amazingly as the flavours blended out evenly and it was not too salty. This truly tasted like a warm hug, and it easily became one of my favourites.

Next was the truffle penne pasta. This was oh so very creamy. I love a good pasta every now and then, and just thinking about this dish while writing it makes me so hungry. Cheesy, creamy, mushroomy goodness. This was such a simple dish yet it felt the most comforting out of all of them. It reminded me of when I was a kid and how my mom would cook the creamiest pastas for dinner. I felt like I was eating a home cooked meal, a nostalgic feeling enveloped me as this was something that I miss very much. 

Moving on to the star of Solace Bukit Bintang, we have the half and half pizza of Salmon Serenade and Beef Pepperzza! Glancing at the wood fire oven every now and then, we saw how our pizza was put together and made to perfection before serving it to our table. Two very different sides merged together to form a delicious pizza, one side beef pepperoni and the other with salmon, both covered generously with cheese. Addressing the Salmon Serenade side of the pizza, the mix of smoked salmon with onions and cheese made for a unique pizza that suited my taste buds. It wasn’t too salty nor was it fishy, I thought it to be the perfect combination and definitely my favourite side of the pizza. On the other side of the pizza we have the Beef Pepperzza, a very common pizza done perfectly with the right amount of cheese and beef pepperoni toppings. 

I found the simple meals of Solace Bukit Bintang to be the most comforting, as seen with the Beef Pepperzza pizza and the truffle penne pasta. These were simple and common dishes yet I fell in love with its simplicity as it brought me a warmth and comfort through the flavours of these dishes. 

Overall, I thought this was a very homely and cosy experience that I would definitely return for. Everything about this cafe felt like a warm hug and I just wanted to relax and read a book, an atmosphere and experience that I always dreamed of. I found my new favourite place to relax now, how about you? 

Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Drinks: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Decorations/Interior: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Appearance on the outside vs inside: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Article by Simone Tan

Photos by Thong Chen