Stop and smell the coffee
December 3,
2019
The
wood-panelled walls and a bright orange settee catch my eye. Then I see quirky
chairs and tables, with customers seated at a wooden balcony over the kitchen
area. I look up and see a huge toy propeller plane hanging from the ceiling.
This is Cộng Caphe (pronounced Kerb Café in Hanoi), styled after the
original cafe in Hanoi, the undisputed home of coffee culture in Vietnam. Cong
Caphe was started by singer and entrepreneur Nguyen Ha Linh, who wanted it to
stand out among the numerous cafes in the city. So she decided to bring
memories of her childhood into the café; it was an instant hit. Today, there
are 62 outlets in Vietnam alone and the Cong Caphe in Nu Sentral is the first
in Malaysia. We’re told that the furnishings are all sourced from Hanoi and
closely resemble those in Cong Caphe there.
Old books line
the shelves but unfortunately, these are written in Vietnamese, so we can’t
read them. There are more books upstairs where the ambience is snug and
cosy.
 |
| A row of shining coffee filters |
But My Best
Friend and I are here for the drip coffee. Vietnamese coffee is thick, strong
and unapologetic… and it’s almost always served with condensed milk, though
black is available.
We start
with Phin Brew, made with a drip filter. Cong Caphe’s Jaemie Lew and Peter Tan tell
us that the coffee is made fresh daily with Vietnamese metal coffee filters.
You can see a row of these on the bar counter.
 |
| Iced and hot Vietnamese coffee |
The Nau-Da
(RM10.90/hot) makes a perfect morning pick-me-up for those on their way to
work. It’s creamy and strong with an irresistible fragrance.
I had
expected it to be sweet, given the 1.5cm thick layer of condensed milk at the
bottom, so I take a cautious sip, but to my surprise, the level of sweetness is
just right. Perhaps this is because the café uses condensed milk that’s
imported from Hanoi which probably has a lower sugar content.
 |
| iced Coconut Milk Coffee Smoothie |
We sigh with
contentment until Bac-Xiu or Coconut Milk With Coffee (RM12.90/hot;
RM13.90/iced) is served. The combination may sound a little strange (but hey,
Malaysia has durian coffee), yet the mild coconut aroma proves extremely
congenial with the coffee flavour, resulting in a creamilicious treat, whether hot
or cold.
 |
| Iced Coffee and lime juice |
Peter tells
us the café signature drink is actually Coconut Milk Coffee Smoothie
(RM14.90-RM16.90) and we waste no time trying it. One sip and we can see why
it’s so popular. To say it’s delicious does not quite do it justice. Whether
stirred up and sipped or scooped up teaspoonful by teaspoonful, this is my
coffee dreams come to life. I am already making plans for a second visit. Soon.
Cong Caphe
also offers Western-style brews such as Americano, cappuccino, espresso and latte.
 |
| Pretty as a picture: Passionfruit tea and a plate of roasted sunflower kernels |
But after a few rounds of Vietnamese coffee, these taste somewhat flat. If
you’re not a coffee drinker, the café offers teas and juices. There’s lime and
passionfruit juice as well as Iced Honey Kumquat (RM14.90) and Peach Tea with
Passionfruit (RM13.90/hot).
Cong Caphe
is not just about drinks but the food menu is rather limited for now. Sunflower kernels (RM4.90/plate) and cakes are available, together with a buttery
croissant, served with a saucer of condensed milk (RM6.90).
 |
| Snacks: Croissant with condensed milk, chocolate brownie and poppy seed cake |
Banh mi will
be a better choice for the hungry. The baguette for the banh mi is one of the
best I’ve had. Although we are taking our own sweet time to snap pictures, it
stays crisp and crusty. There is nothing more depressing than a banh mi turned
soft and soggy.
 |
| Really scrumptious and flavoursome vegetarian tofu banh mi |
There are
three varieties of this Vietnamese baguette sandwich, including a delectable
vegetarian Tofu Banh Mi (RM11.90). The tofu, marinated with soya sauce and
sesame oil, is panfried and sliced thickly. It makes interesting filling when
combined with shredded lettuce, cucumber, carrot and coriander.
 |
| Chicken Ham Banh Mi with house-made ham |
 |
| Beef Ham Banh Mi |
I actually
prefer this to the Chicken Ham Banh Mi (RM13.90). My Best Friend, though, is
thoroughly enjoying the Beef Ham Banh Mi (RM15.90), pausing in between bites to
give it the thumbs-up. The meat banh mi filling also includes pate, shredded
vegetables, onion and coriander. Peter says the ham patties and pate are made
in-house.
Cong Caphe
also sells coffee beans, paper products (notebooks, envelopes, postcards),
clothing and ceramic pottery.
CONG CAPHE (pork-free)
LG19, Nu
Sentral
201 Jalan
Tun Sambanthan
Brickfields,
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/congcaphe.my/
Telephone
+603-2276
3135
Opening
Hours
Daily, 10am to 10pm
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