Something Different: Malaysia Coffee Fest 2019

Needing a serious time away from the recent heavy consumption of boba, I think it is best I revert back to my favourite liquid sustenance that is not water : coffee! People who know me long enough know I have a serious passion for coffee. And it goes beyond that morning cuppa joe. From instant, to french presses and even tablets and slow drips, it is just something captivating and unique about coffee. I am sounding like some caffeine crackhead right now. 

The view from the balcony

I do swear I am not an addict. Maybe I am, but just in denial. In any event, when there is an event such as the Malaysia Coffee Fest happening around town, I think it would be wise to at least drop over for a visit. And why not? Admission is free! Located at the new wing of the One Utama shopping mall, the Fest had an expo atmosphere. You can find anything that is related to coffee all in one spot. From the usual such as beans and coffee machines, to even flavour syrups and also capsule machines. 

Not too bad, to be honest

One such company that really pushed their PR game to the max was Arissto, and I was able to sample a shot of their black coffee. Deep, smooth and not that acidic, I can see myself drinking alot of this. But then my french press still clutches my heart very strongly. So I will give this a miss. Additionally, the country boy in me is still madly in love with the muslin cloth sieve. A kopitiam boy once, a kopitiam boy forever. 

The Beam counter

Naturally, there were alot of choices bean-wise. And as I am reasonably well stocked at home, I decided not to buy any more beans for now. However, I am always keen on trying new stuff. The Brazil Sul De Minas from the Beam stall was a recommendation and adore it fully. 

Deep and dark

It was smooth, not too acidic and had a woody and deep flavour. And a cup was RM 2. What a  pretty good deal! Although I love coffee in general, I prefer the deep and woody types. I somehow inadvertently avoid fruity flavours, as I feel their acidic profile a bit peculiar.  

Turkish!

And not too far off, there is a stall that sells Turkish coffee! It was generally alright and I somewhat enjoyed it. If you want to read more about my experience drinking it in Turkey itself, click here. 

Pretty good, but still doesn't beat the french press

There are also some of the usual suspects like Nespresso and Nescafe Gold. I do like Nescafe Gold, but I feel there are many far superior brands out there when it comes to "upper class" instant coffee. Davidoff and UCC easily outclasses it. It still does the trick though. 

The one on the left caught my eye. 

If you are already too caffeinated and need other stuff to look at or even eat, the Fest has a variety of cafe food to try. From cakes to sandwiches, there was a vast array to choose from. As I was there during mid day, it was the right time to have lunch. The meat bechemel sandwich caught my eye, and it was absolutely incredible. 

Sinfully good!

The beef was chewy yet tender and was seasoned perfectly. The mustard added some zest and gerkins added additional sharpness. Holding on together with two slices of sour dough, the burnt bechemel topping made this sandwich a delectable and sinful beast to consume. Alot of elements came through and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And it was amazingly filling. A good way to end my visit.

For you non coffee drinkers out there. 

If coffee is not the thing for you, then I am not too sure why you are here. But if you are one of those people who got lost and eventually ended up here, there are non coffee stalls. There were a few selling good quality tea as well. 

Colourful. 

And if tea is still not the thing for you and the pastries somehow did not pique your interest, then the Monin syrup stall is the place to be. With the syrups combined together to make decadent soft drinks, they can make any drink delicious and was worth the try. I do from time to time, like to include the caramel syrup in my iced americano. And I do see alot of Monin syrup bottles in high end bars where bartenders use them as ammo to make cocktails. 

That was fun, until next time I guess!

If you are really into coffee culture, you can watch the barista competitions that were organised during this 3 day event. Despite being a huge fan, there is more to life than just coffee and I had to make my departure at about 3 pm. Still, I had alot of fun drinking all that glorious nectar and that sandwich was mindblowing. I am not too sure when the next one will be held, but if you are interested to know more and probably get alerts on the next event, do check out the website of the organisers by clicking here.