Lunch @ Merchant's Lane Cafe, Petaling St., Kuala Lumpur

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then get ready for a thesis, as this is one of those places where the food really shines on the looks department. But do not worry, as there is more substance for this place than just things that look pretty.

What a hard find!

I have always been a bit skeptical of places that became famous because of Instagram. Not to say that there is anything wrong about using social media, but one picture does not necessarily summarize a proper eating experience. But still, I have an open mind and as I have never been to Merchant's Lane Cafe before, I might as well give it a shot. I went there with a group of colleagues on a Friday afternoon for lunch and I got to say it was a bit of a hard find. 

Crowded lunch rush. 

After looking out for the somewhat secretive sign, we walked up a flight of stairs, and thus transported to a bygone era. It was a very interesting atmosphere. Trinkets of the past, being infused with a dash of the future and a hint of steampunk, and a splash of retro-hip, if that makes sense. The surrounding was very interesting, and that translated into their food as well. 

Better than sex? Take me!

Reading the menu was an interesting experience in itself. Classic Malaysian dishes being served on a new platform. As such we became very adventurous and ordered a few interesting entres. Mine for the afternoon was kung pow beef mantou.

An indulgent lunch!

The mantou were deep fried till golden brown. And streaks of beef bacon were cooked ala kung pow style. It was an interesting combination and was a delicious one to boot. It was very greasy though, and it was a bit of a challenge to eat. Although there was alot of flavour in the beef strips, as it was salty, sweet and a bit sour, the oil from the formerly steamed buns do get in the way a bit. It was still delicious. But being a barrage of oil that it was, I was only able to finish 2 of the 3 buns. Perhaps if they had a steamed version, it would have been better. Still good though. 

The description does not lie.

One of my friends ordered the aptly named Nasi Lemak Pancakes. And that was what it really was. The pancakes were loaded with coconut and serai flavour, and the texture was actually really good. It was fluffy but filling at the same time. It was also served with a side of peanuts, cucumber and curry, giving it an authentic finish to the overall product. This dish was so good that it would be something I might order the next time I come here. 

Decadence...

Another friend ordered a chicken satay tortilla, and again, it was literally just that! It was a marriage made in heaven, or probably better put, a multicultural soup kitchen. The spicy chicken meat went well that that Mexican inspired wrapper. The again, tortillas do tend to have spicy fillings. So this being a great combo was no surprise, after some hindsight. Also the cheese made this extra indulgent. Superb. 

Still, gotta cater to some of those.

There was a member in our party that was not so adventurous and as such, opted for the spaghetti bolognaise. She did say it was good though. So if you are one of those people that are not too daring with your palate, at least there are some alternatives for you.

Sweet finish

The cakes here were real stunners too. We ordered 2 slices for sharing. One was the mint and chocolate while the other was the carrot cake. Both were very good and a fitting finish to our meal. I particularly liked that green frosting, as it reminded me of  After 8 mints. I was also told that the coffee is good too, but as we did not have enough time, that would be the focus for another day. 

Front of the counter. 

Overall, I liked this establishment alot. It has a quirky and interesting vibe to it. The food is funny, in a good way, and for the prices that you pay, its some real bang for your buck. Most of the dishes do not exceed the RM30 mark.  And as mentioned earlier, there have been praises made of the coffee here. Being a caffeine guzzler that I am, do not be too surprised if I make a revisit to this interesting joint. If you would like to try some of their unique dishes, or wanna try the coffee for yourself, the address is as follows:

150, Jalan Petaling, 50000 Kuala Lumpur.