Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

Pretty alluring for some fresh strawberries and blueberries pastries huh? At Levain, you can effortlessly go overboard with your breads and pastries if you’re not careful. Temptations abound at every corner!

And so, after weeks of procrastination, delays, unexpected excursions and of course …. the occasional need to recharge Motormouth’s batteries (and somewhat detox?), I finally made it (yay!) to Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie (let’s shorten that to Levain for the remainder of this post, okay?).

Been months, since I first read the review from Rebecca on this charming premise with a colonial touch; contemporary decor with a fine British element to it. We felt as though we have stepped into the comfort of someone’s secluded/luxurious bungalow; almost akin to the warm sensation one gets when having scones and tea at The Smokehouse @ Cameron Highlands.

Two floors of meticulously-designed facade and interior, reflecting the quaint charm of a high tea session on a Sunday evening. When coupled with an inner desire to binge on fresh, stone oven-baked breads, a visit to Levain will be sure to please ….

In case you’re wondering, wah …. this must have caused an arm, a leg and maybe half of the a$$, then you’re wrong. Read on for an idea of what’s brewing (or rather, baking) inside this increasingly famous patisserie-cum-restaurant ……

If you think that eating breads and drinking coffee sound like a fad, then think again. Deli France, Dome Cafe, Starbucks and such might have been well past their prime, but come to Levain and you’d be amazed at how successful this novel concept still sells.

Regardless of whether you’re a fan of breads, tarts, cakes, biscuits, sweets, or plain soups and sandwiches, you can’t go hungry at the sight of such an impressive range of fresh breads.

The moment you waltz into Levain, you’d be enticed with the sheer irresistible whiff of freshly baked breads from the oven. Even savoury pizzas, pies and plain croissants on the counter appeared to challenge your strict diet of NO carbo. Just relent … give in to temptations once in a while, and go crazy on the wondrous selection laid out in front of you.

I knew we did.

Top Left : The Turkey Ham and Eggs (RM3.20/USD1) was a good one, with an over-easy egg laid on the slices of turkey ham, then a criss-cross squeeze of mayo to finish off the ensemble. The eggs played the difference here.

Top Left : Durian Melon Bun (RM3.80/USD1.30) – Creamy custard filling with a pungent, local flavour. Bottom left : Choco Crunch (RM3.30/USD1.10) – This cutesy looking dark chocolatey creature was surprisingly not sweet, and had this pleasant crunch to it.

Seafood Pizza (RM6.00/USD2 per slice) – Nothing that stood out though, but the thin crust was a welcoming change from the generic dough (Read : The Hut’s). And the seafood was fresh.

The HOT menu with all the freshly prepared savoury items made to order.

Clockwise from top left : Mango & Cheese Tart (RM4.30/USD1.40), the Turkey Ham & Eggs, and the Apple Pie (RM4.50/USD1.50).

Seafood Aglio-Olio (RM12.50/USD4) – Plump shrimps, squid and fish adorned this plate of lightly tossed pasta in an olive oil and garlic-based sauce. Not bad, but I would have reckoned it’s better to save some space for more breads.

If I recall correctly, they use Lavazza coffee for their brews. Not the most brilliant coffee art, but better than none?

More like decorative ornaments than real desserts? Who knows? But Macarons are here to stay, judging from the overwhelming response from the bakers, foodies and restaurateurs that I am aware of.

If you’re craving for something sweet, you can go for their selection of desserts at the side counter. But strange enough, you have to pay at the counter fronting the shop, THEN walk over to collect your desserts. Instead of picking and paying on the spot. Oh well ….

So they have about 15 or so choices of macarons; all bright, cheery, scarily colourful (even BLUE and PURPLE) and of course …. cloyingly sweet. If you’re one who avoids the Indian sweetmeats (gulab jamun anyone?) like the plague, then don’t push your luck here.

Your glucose level might shot up the roof and you’d get sugar rush after the first one. Seriously.

And this Prosperity Macaron is a special, limited edition of sorts. To usher in the Lunar New Year, seemingly. Such a thoughtful act huh? And why oh why was I cutting it? Erm, let’s say this was a birthday celebration WAY overdue.

Some of the flavours really shone, while the others were blah …. you know, melt in mouth sugary confectioneries that tasted artificial? Avoid the funkier flavours and stick to the safer ones like chocolate, hazelnut praline (this was good) and strawberry.

Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie @ Jalan Delima, Imbi in Kuala Lumpur. In case you’re lost, and somehow you don’t mind eating anything else, go to Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea stall for breakfast a hop and a skip away. After all, sometimes the traditional China men in us tend to shy away from posh establishments like Levain, right?

Anyway, the meal came to about RM20+ per person. Not cheap, I admit. But far from exorbitant either. The ambience alone was well worth the excursion, not to mention if you’re a bread lover and seeking for a good cuppa coffee to perk the day up.

Levain also sells various chocolates and pralines, aside from macarons and cookies.

For more information, please jump to their website – Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie, or even their Facebook page HERE.

Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie (PORK-FREE)
No. 7, Jalan Delima,
55100 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Phone: +603 2142 6611
Monday to Sunday 8am – 8pm
You can find the MAP from their website

Here are some of the reviews on Levain – Rebecca, Ai Wei, Eric Yong, Eatlah.