Café Art
March 2012
Café Art at The Warehouse certainly stands out. Sandwiched between small shops in the heart of Chinatown and a stone’s throw from hawkers selling fast, furious eats, this hip young café and art gallery could easily be fr…
Full Description
March 2012
Café Art at The Warehouse certainly stands out. Sandwiched between small shops in the heart of Chinatown and a stone’s throw from hawkers selling fast, furious eats, this hip young café and art gallery could easily be from another world. In a way, it is. The Warehouse, which is also home to Ril’s Steakhouse upstairs, is run by expats and frequented by backpackers, although a few well-heeled locals drift in for coffee too.
Housed in a converted colonial textile factory, the café’s charm lies in its stripped back, industrial décor, coupled with contemporary art and quirky furniture. In an otherwise hurried part of town, Café Art feels like a haven. A complimentary bottle of chilled water, a pointedly cool playlist and a good selection of magazines bode well for a relaxed afternoon of reading and people watching.
Newly opened a few months ago, the enterprise still squeaks with some teething problems. When I visited, the till was broken and there was no change inside, while one of the main items on the café menu was not available. Still, the staff are friendly, the setting is pleasant and the food portions very generous. A little too generous, if anything. My tuna sandwich on Turkish flatbread, which arrived with a splurging salad, could have easily fed two people.
Like the place, the food is well-intentioned but still struggles to come together. The sandwiches were substantial but not very thoughtfully assembled, with layers of salad and sprinkles of cheese translating into overkill on the plate. On the other hand, the lychee, lime and mint fizz was deliciously refreshing and mixed with all the attention of a real cocktail. As for dessert, I couldn’t see any evidence of the ‘yummy cakes’ advertised outside, but a selection of locally made ice cream by The Last Polka made up for that.
Although the menu is still a little limited and prices are on the high side, the best things at Café Art are available in abundance and for free – space and time. It’s one of the rare cafés in KL where you can actually sit and kick back for a while. Perhaps this is an advantage of the place still being relatively unknown, but it’s definitely a good thing. While Café Art is finding its feet, take the time to put yours up. Ling Low
