[Cafe Review] Ghostbird Coffee + Ramen Project

 A solo jaunt into Seputeh found me at Ghostbird Coffee, a hidden cafe that shares its space with a Yoshoku-inspired pop-up kitchen, Ramen Project. For a late Saturday morning, the cafe was quiet - a rarity in today's explosion of cafes in Malaysia and I absolutely milked in the peace and quiet. 

The place was inviting with all sorts of homey furniture and decorations that didn't match. In short, it had the vibes and feels of someone's home. Ghostbird Coffee Company was its own roastery and upon wandering over into the shoplet side, I could sniff the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans. Delightful.

Uncover 5 of Sydney and New South Wales' Hidden Cafes and Restaurants [Tried and Tested]

Sydney and New South Wales, Australia, is a haven for food lovers, with its diverse culinary landscape offering a multitude of delightful experiences. From quaint mountain towns to bustling city streets, this Australian state has something to satiate every palate. In my past few trips to Sydney and New South Wales, I have had the chance to visit several of the state's hidden gems of cafes and restaurants that aren't The Grounds of Alexandria or Speedos at Bondi Beach. 

Nakwon Station Cafe, Ikseon-dong, Seoul

Personally, I thought Ikseon-dong was a much nicer neighbourhood to stay in than Myeongdong. Here, you get the best of two worlds - blending traditional culture with modern cafe. Ikseon-dong is a hanok village build in 1920. Although it is not as big as Bukchon Hanok Village, it is still a must-visit area in Seoul for cafe-hopping as there are so many different thematic cafes, hanok cafes and restaurants.  

Starbucks Seoul Wave Art Center on the Han River, Seoul

The Han River in Seoul is home to one of the more unique Starbucks in South Korea. Taking up 2 storey within the floating Seoul Wave Art Center at Hangang Park, the Starbucks here offers stunning views of the river and surrounding areas with the city skyline in the distance. 

[Cafe Review ] Poppy Kat cafe, Cheras

Cats, coffee and croffle - the three major Cs of Poppy Kat cafe in Cheras. After seeing postings of its orange interior and cats circulating on social media, I just had to check it out. The opportunity came one gloomy morning after a hike to a certain lake that shall not be mentioned (since it's a private property). 

8 Quirky and Out-of-this-World Cafes in South Korea to Visit after this Pandemic

If there’s one thing South Korea has in abundance, it’s cafes. Instagrammable cafes, cafes with stunning views, with unique themes and spectacular coffee and desserts, cat cafes - you name it, Korea probably has it.

From hidden entrances in Mapo-gu to sitting around in a wedding dress over dessert in Jeju Island, here are 8 quirky and out-of-this-World cafes in South Korea to include in your itinerary.

[Cafe Review] Daun Cafe, MAHSA Avenue PJ

When MAHSA Avenue is mentioned, instantly a certain glasshouse-concept cafe comes to mind but I am not going to talk about that cafe today. Instead I am going to talk about their sister cafe, Daun. 

Tucked away on the second floor of Block B of MAHSA Avenue in Kedai, Daun cafe overlooks the courtyard where groups of people will flock to Pokok cafe. Despite sharing the flora-themed name, Daun is more dessert and coffee focused and projects its own cosy ambiance. 

[Cafe Review] Burrow KL, Bangsar Shopping Centre

I've never had proper canales until I've tried one at Burrow KL at Bangsar Shopping Centre. I never realised that caneles were supposed to have a crusty exterior nor did I realise they could taste so nice without rum. To my understanding, this pastry is notoriously hard to make as the ingredients have to combined in a specific order, left overnight to set and requires a special mould. 

[Cafe Review] 270 SQFT, Seapark PJ

Hidden in Seapark, Petaling Jaya is a cafe that is literally only 270 square feet in size and hence its astute name, 270 SQFT. Helmed by Vivien, 270 SQFT opened in the middle of Dec 2020 right smack in the center between two traditional coffeeshops, a duck rice restaurant and a car workshop in one of the oldest part of Petaling Jaya. 

[Cafe Review] Mossarium Cafe 1 Utama

To be honest, I am not sure why this little cafe in 1Utama isn't trending yet because it was such a cozy escape inside such a popular mall. Mossarium cafe is a must visit for plants, coffee and dessert lovers. 

[Cafe Review] Half and Hafu, the Hub SS2

 I first spotted this cafe on Instagram in October and since it was relatively near me, I made a mental note to check it out. Then it started appearing on a lot of cafe listicles and I decided wokay, time to pay a visit before it becomes too popular.

And that was how I found myself at Half and Hafu in the  Hub SS2. Its design reminded me of some of the bespoke cafes I peeped into when in Japan but never dared venture into and its name - Hafu meant half in Japanese. True to its name, half of the first floor lot was a hair salon and the other half was an aesthetically pleasing orange and brown cafe or rather coffee bar. Located away from the busy row of cafes and eateries that are often crowded with people, Half and Hafu was an oasis of peace and quiet. 

[Food Review] Union Artisan Coffee Beans, Cold Brew & Burnt Cheesecake at Home

It will be a while before we can go back to cafe hopping, hunting for cakes and enjoying a cup of freshly brewed coffee in cosy cafe. Oh, how I've missed those days but unfortunately things are what they are. But fret not if you are missing your burnt cheesecakes and cafe because Union Artisan Coffee can have them delivered right to your doorstep. 

Kings Hall by Cafe in a Box, Section 13 PJ

This was one of the few places I wished had opened when I was working at Blu Inc Media a long time ago. A nice coffee specialist cafe right in the backyard of the office. Kings Hall is the latest addition to the rapidly revamping Section 13 industrial area. Taking up the space next to the SportsCity Futsal Court, the cafe boasts its own parking lot and coffee roastery by Toothless Coffee Roaster.

5 Instagrammable Cafes in Bangkok Accessible by MRT

I am green with envy that so many of my friends are spending their holidays in Bangkok. While incredibly cooling towards the end of December, Bangkok, Thailand is a great place to visit all year round, made easy with many airlines offering Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok flights daily. Delicious food, exciting shopping hunts (cough pratunam/ chaktuchak ladies cough) and so so many instagrammable cafes popping up all over the city. Exciting times to be travelling indeed.

Asides from all the aforementioned stuff, Bangkok is also known for their mad traffic which is why I have always prefered taking the MRT around. To help ease your transport worries, I am going to share with you five instagrammable cafes within walking distance from a MRT station.