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Tuesday 30 December 2014

Eats & Treats: B.E Cafe (New Branch) @ Taman Molek [Part 1]

Woohoo! The year is coming to an end. The past few weeks, I've been pigging out like a glutton, exactly how the holidays should be enjoyed. Last week, we were invited to B.E Cafe's new branch for a review and just yesterday, we had another review at their flagship branch. Wanna know what yummy food they offer? Read on~

Both B.E Cafe branches are located in Taman Molek, JB. I guess their business must be super good to open another branch! Congrats! The new branch is located at another area of Molek and is much smaller than the main branch. With their tagline 'Taste the food, enjoy the coffee', they specialise in lunch & teatime quick meals, hence the smaller space at a corner-lot shop.

The name inspiration behind B.E Cafe is to encourage one to always BE YOURSELF. That being said, they hope to stand out from the rest of the cafes in JB through their food & drinks. 




The decor is really simple and raw, quite cosy for a small space. There are about 8 tables only so it's not so suitable for big crowds. Additionally, there is a bar counter outside for outdoor dining. Grab any of the magazines available to read while you're enjoying a cuppa!

A little bit of basic coffee knowledge here. The beans used by B.E Cafe are either Sumatran, Columbian, Kenya, Panama or Costa Rica beans, depending on which type of bean is most suitable for a different type of coffee blend. Basically, coffee is categorised according to the amount of milk used. For instance, espresso is blended from pure coffee beans with no milk whatsoever. Cappucino, latte, macchiato then follows consequently with an increasing amount of milk. Now I know, cos I'm always confused about the difference between the various types of coffee in the market!

We tried about 8 types of drinks and 7 dishes that day, so let's jump straight into the review shall we? It's a loooonggg list.

Disclaimer: I am not a coffee drinker nor do I claim to be a coffee connoiseur, so please forgive me for the lacking description on the coffee!

Rose Latte RM 10.50 (H) | RM 12.50 (C)
Feminine, smooth and awakes the senses. It's no surprise that this drink is a ladies' favourite. Not only is the latte art absolutely adorable, the latte is overall very well-balanced. It's not too sweet and not too bitter. The coffee taste isn't that strong, which for a non-coffee drinker like myself, is something to like. Rose syrup is used to enhance the overall rose taste.

Iced Latte RM11.50 (C) | RM 9.50 (H)
The appearance may not look much, but the iced latte is actually one of B.E Cafe's signature drink. It has a strong coffee taste which is bitter at first, but gets more enjoyable the more you drink it. Perfect for a hot day!

Caramel Macchiato RM 10.90
From the layers, you can see that this drink has the most milk content with a thick layer of foam at the top (my fave!). This drink is sweet with a mild caramelish taste, which is why it is also a hit with the ladies.

Cappucino RM 8.50 (H) | RM 11.50 (C)
Ah, the most famous coffee of all; cappucino. It contains a high milk content which gives it that rich smoothness and is a universal taste that most people enjoy. What I like is that while it is so milky, the coffee fragrance is still present with each sip.

Citrus Chocolate RM 12.50 (H) | RM 15.50 (C)
While we've all heard of hot chocolate, citrus chocolate is something new and interesting. The citrusy taste actually comes from the Cointreau (orange syrup used in cocktails). While I do not enjoy orange-flavoured food, I have to admit that the orangey taste does complement the rich and slightly bitter chocolate well for a refreshing kick.

Baby Chino RM 7.50
I won't lie - this is definitely my favourite drink! I posted this photo on my Instagram and everyone can't help praising how cute this is! Not only because of the absolutely adorable coffee art (it's a baby for the Baby Chino!), this is a non-coffee drink, despite the slightly misleading name.  There is a very strong vanilla taste from the milk which gives it a smooth, creamy texture. For extra sweetness, just consume the marshmallow coated with chocolate sauce which doubles up as a ribbon for the "baby". Not only is this perfect for ladies, kids love it too! 

A cute coffee art calls for a selfie. Please tell me this isn't the cutest drink you've ever come across in your life?! All the girls were fighting to take pic with the Baby Chino and we couldn't bear to drink for we didn't want to ruin the design haha.

Vanilla Affogato RM 9.90
Basically, an affogato is just vanilla flavoured ice-cream with an espresso shot. For me, most affogatos tastes the same but I find that B.E Cafe's espresso is not unbearably bitter unlike most I've tried. The combination of cold, sweet ice-cream with hot, bitter coffee is a match made in Heaven!

Single Origin Hand Brew RM 15.00
For the next drink, it's a signature hand-brew coffee that has to be prepared with a special light roast, syphon method. Only one bean from Kenya is used. Syphon method may be tedious but it really extractst the taste of the coffee bean best. The dark coffee has a gingery, herbal sweet taste that also brings a creamy mouthful. It is best to consume the coffee after four minutes. The coffee is more acidic, it gets more sour the colder it gets and leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Barista Sam working his magic. 

After downing all that coffee, we were super hungry and ready to dig in to the food prepared!

The Breakfast Essentials RM 23.50
Ah, this is one of my favourites, seeing as oddly enough, there aren't many cafes in JB that serves all-day breakfast platters like these. To truly savour this dish, start with the salad to whet your appetite. The salad is dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing which is refreshing to the tastebuds. Then, proceed to the wild mushroom sauteed with vinegar and black pepper. In my opinion, the mushrooms were the best part of the platter as they were not only juicy but flavourful as well! The country loaf which is freshly baked bread, is best enjoyed with the slightly runny and cheesy omelette. Top the dish off with some sausages and hashbrown and you've got a perfectly balanced meal! The breakfast platter is typically meant for sharing but of course, if you're a big eater, this shouldn't be too hard to polish off by yourself!

Grilled Chicken Chop Rice RM 15.50
Lately I'm starting to develop an appreciation for meat and rice combination meals. I used to only eat the chicken or pork chop part and ignore the rice but now I realise that the rice is needed to fill the stomach, and to fully savour the sauce. LOL do you get what I'm saying... Anyway, the grilled chicken chop is really tender and juicy. It has no bones at all! The mushroom sauce is homemade, as you can probably tell from the large chunk of shiitake mushrooms. It's an enjoyable dish indeed, but the saltiness needs to be played down a little.

Mushroom Spaghetti Aglio Olio RM 16.50
More mushroom!! I love mushroom omg. This looks like your ordinary aglio olio but somehow, it doesn't taste much like conventional aglio olio. Aglio olio is a simple pasta dish consisting of garlic, onion, olive oil, chilli flakes and mushroom, but it's not easy to cook it well, imo. The dish is slightly spicy and very fragrant. The spaghetti is al-dente and the mushroom adds a bit of bite to the dish. Oh yeah, do watch out for the chilli bits!

Classic Hawaiian Pizza RM 12.90
I was totally not expecting the pizza to be thin-crusted! Thin-crust pizzas are my favourite as the dough is just enough to classify it as a pizza, but the main focus belongs to the toppings. Idk, that's just my personal preference! The pizza base is super crunchy, I think it's toasted tortilla bread? The bolognaise sauce tastes slightly sweet but is best paired with the savoury parmesan cheese and chicken & pineapple bits. It's practically oozing with cheese, perfect!

Smoked Duck Panini RM 17.90
Panini is basically a sandwich. It consists of cheese, tomato, onions and spring onions, something not commonly found in Western cuisine. Imagine a bite of freshly baked, warm bread with savoury cheese and sweet tomatoes to make your tastebuds smile. To me, the bread was a bit dry and tough when cold so this dish is best eaten when warm. The smoked duck was also not salty enough but the cheese made up for that lacking saltiness.

Turkey Bacon & Ham Waffle RM 15.90
What do you get when you combine your favourite breakfast food and a dessert together? THIS dish. Chicken ham, turkey bacon and Eggs Benedict with hollandaise sauce are commonly eaten for breakfast while the soft, warm waffles add a little twist to the meal. Ok this dish is a complicated one. I'm guessing the inspiration behind this sweet and savoury dish came from the famed Duck & Waffles in London?  It's sweet yet savoury, my tastebuds were so confused. But I do like it as I find this combination quite interesting. The girls were on the fence about this dish because we're all mostly used to eating waffles for dessert. It's an acquired taste, I guess.

Every perfect poached egg has to have the yolk ooze out when cut. I'd say this one passed the test! However, the egg white was a little rubbery? Not sure why, but like any other food, it's best to enjoy the food while it's hot!

Fried Lotus Chips RM 8.90
Now, this is something you don't see everyday. Thinly sliced lotus roots are fried and lightly salted to provide a healthier alternative to potato chips. The chips are really crispy and mildly addictive! I've always enjoyed lotus root soup, this is truly and interesting twist for me!

*burp* So stuffed after all the good food, but that's not all B.E Cafe has to offer! They do have set lunch promotions at both their branches now, ranging from RM 11.90 - RM 15.90. Totally affordable, as you also get a drink and ice cream with your main dish. The menu for both branches are the same, with the exception of omelette rice not being served in the new branch. Watch out for my next post on B.E Cafe as I'll be reviewing more on the lunch set food!

If you're not a coffee drinker, B.E Cafe also serves alcoholic drinks.

Thanks Jack for being our host and explaining all the food and drinks to us! I learnt a thing or two about coffee that day haha. 

From top left: Jia Ying, Sin Yee, Cece, me, Binbin, Jennifer, Kim, Eunice
Group pic with the girls (and Mr Bin!)

With the Tham sisters. It's my second time meeting Eunice's sister and first time having food review with her so of course must take photo right!

*bonus* Eunice's birthday was a few days after the review (hint: it's Christmas!), so we decided to give her a little surprise! I got Jack to bring out a small cake for her and she totally did not suspect anything haha.

B.E Cafe's Christmas Log Cake. Why all their food so cute wan?? Not only does this look good, it tastes good too!

Thanks to Eunice for the invite, otherwise we wouldn't be able experience the difference between the two branches! And Happy (belated) Birthday! <3

If you're searching for a place to have your lunch or simply to chill, I'd recommend B.E Cafe's new branch as it's quieter compared to the main branch. It's also more homely, but the food tastes just as amazing in both branches. LIKE their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram for more updates!

Instagram: @b.e.cafe #becafe
Address (New Branch):
46, Jalan Molek 1/28,
Taman Molek,
81100 JB.
(Behind OCBC Bank & Lavendar Cafe & Bakery)
Tel: 07-3643128
Operating Hours: 8.30am - 7pm

UPDATE: You can read about my experiences at the main branch HERE!

Cheers,
Carinn 



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Disclaimer: Even though the review is sponsored, the review is based on my honest personal taste and preference after trying out the food and services.




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