Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

Burst of colours filling every nook and corner of Umami Cafe. The bean bags, the plush couches, the knee level tables, the ornaments and paintings adorning the bright walls, and the free WiFi service. Almost too cozy to be of commercial value.

Kepong’s a territory uncharted. At least to this clueless soul writing his thoughts down now. I was having this impression that Kepong’s somewhere near to Puchong (probably because they rhyme?). Yeah, that’s not very clever of me, I know.

I once visited Kepong; or rather, blindly trudged along the streets of Kepong when work took me to Taman Bukit Maluri. And I ended up at Tuck Kee.

Pan Fried Gyoza; dumplings freshly wrapped with fillings of minced pork and julienned vegetables. (RM7.90/USD2.60 for 5 pieces)

Fast forward almost 3 years later, and a return to this stranger of a town was imminent. Umami Cafe‘s a relatively spanking new cafe in the heart of Kepong town; in Bandar Menjalara to be exact. I did not expect such a structure of architectural brilliance (comparatively speaking, when you’re accustomed to the older structures around Kepong) to be built surrounded by not one, not two, but THREE petrol stations. K Gallery’s the name of the commercial unit, and Umami Cafe’s situated on the first floor above Old Town White Coffee, Moe de Cafe (an anime-themed fancy cafe with waitresses dressed in the most absurd pieces) and this German watering hole named Deustche Gasthaus.

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