The waffles trend is like so last year, well, only because we’ve tried almost all the waffle places in Klang Valley that we even wrote about it. Not that we are complaining but eventually, we will get sick of our favourite breakfast food…which is why we came up with a new list of food trends that we look forward to see in Malaysia soon.
Noticed that we included artisanal toasts in the list of food trends? Unfortunately, this particular food trend received criticism in United States mainly because of its ridiculous price tag. But guess what? It is still trending in the States and the trend is set to take over the other regions soon. We are most likely to see this trend take Malaysia by storm too and in reality, it already did.
Despite sharing similar traits as the artisanal toast in the States, we call it a smørrebrød or an open sandwich (a.k.a open face/faced sandwich). It is the famous Danish open sandwich that consists of a single slice of buttered rye bread (rugbrød) topped with a piece of Pålæg, commercial or homemade cold cuts, pieces of meat or fish, cheese or spreads. The only difference is that the artisanal toast uses honey toast, cinnamon toast, or peanut butter toast as its base while smørrebrød uses buttered rye bread.
With the right ingredients, the open sandwich could be a flavourful and visually appealing food item. While we can easily make our versions of open sandwiches at home, some trendy cafes are already doing the job for us and we don’t see why we shouldn’t give them a try.
So brace yourselves, everyone, these artisanal toasts/open sandwiches are going to take over your Instagram soon:
Open sandwiches
1. The Front Door
In the recent months, cafe-hoppers have been flocking to Chinatown as a number of unique cafes have started their businesses in the old-world charm of Kuala Lumpur. And of course, the deeper you dig into this part of KL city, the more hidden gems you’ll find. Other than some speakeasy bars, the Front Door cafe is what you’ll find in Chinatown. The cafe is hidden inside a 3-storey building and the only way to recognise the building is the signboard outside that writes “Selangor’s Grocer Guild.”
Formerly occupied by Cantonese-speaking retail traders, the building has been turned into Grocer’s Inn, a homestay for backpackers and budget travellers. Locals and tourists alike would pay a visit to the Front Door cafe for the coffee and its perseverance of the old-world charm. However, coffee is not the star item because its limelight has been stolen the signature toasts.
From beef bacon with honey to pepperoni with pizza sauce to peanut butter with banana slices, there is a wide selection of toppings for the toasts. The size of the toast is just perfect and patrons can opt to have one slice of toast with the topping of their choice for RM6. However, it’s best to order a set of 3 at RM15 or a set of 5 at RM23. The best part of toasts? You can eat it all by yourself or share them with your friends.
- Location: 78, Jalan Sultan, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Same street as Coffee Amo)
- Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 10am-6pm | Sat – Sun: 10am – 9pm | Closed on Thursdays once every two weeks
- Facebook | Instagram
2. Mosano Coffee
Mosano Coffee is founded by Alvin Wong, one of our very own local talents who has been in the film industry for more than 10 years. Similar to the Front Door cafe, its star item is the smorrebrod-style open sandwiches. Although smorrebrod reminds us of crostini or bruschetta, it is not finger food because the size is bigger. The distinctively unique container cafe is conveniently located at Damansara Perdana where patrons can just go and chill out with a cup of coffee.
Since it’s a relatively a new cafe, we haven’t personally been there before. But according to Eat Drink KL, there are more than 15 types of toppings available for the open-faced sandwich. From smoke salmon to smoked duck to shredded lamb confit, the open-faced sandwiches in Mosano Coffee are paired with fresh veggies, herbs, or cheese. The topping possibilities are endless and we say it’s best to come in a group if you want to try all sandwich flavours.
- Location: Lot G-1 Perdana The Place, Jalan PJU 8/5g, 47820 Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya
3. Podgy & the Banker
From the owners of various cafes in Klang Valley come Podgy & the Banker, Malaysian Instagrammers’ favourite chill out spot in Sri Hartamas. Why do we call it Malaysian Instagrammers’ favourite spot, you ask? Well, it’s mostly because this picture-perfect cafe is laced with minimalist decors and it serves great breakfast food. Considering how this is located near a residential area, Podgy and the Banker is a great place to clear your mind while you bask in the sunlight that penetrates into the cafe through the large windows.
The cafe mainly serves dishes with eggs, which is why the poached eggs on toast and the Nutella and banana french toast are the star items here. While it’s nothing to shout about, we enjoyed the open-faced sandwich that is served with french fries. The scrambled eggs on top of the sandwich are very well-cooked and the taste will linger in your mouth for a long while. In fact, the dishes are very reasonably-priced.
- Location: 2 Jalan Sri Hartamas 8, Kuala Lumpur.
- Opening hours: Mon – Sun: 8:30am – 10:30pm
4. Thirdwave
It’s a brunch affair at the Thirdwave cafe in Bangsar South, KL. Although Thirdwave is best known for its signature waffles, the cafe took things up a notch by introducing their own versions of smørrebrød. Thirdwave serves its open-faced sandwich with various ingredients and it is sprinkled with their homemade sauce. Surprisingly, there isn’t any sweet and savoury combination of smørrebrød as they topped the sandwich with ingredients like house-cured salmon, roasted beef, fresh seafood, eggs, baked walnuts, avocado, and so on.
Nonetheless, the cafe prioritises food presentation and its overall quality so that it’ll be presented as an eye-catching and tantalising dish. The price is a little on the high side but we think it’s pretty reasonable due to its premium ingredients. This is perfect for those who are seeking for a dish that is specially crafted by the chefs.
- Location: Unit 1-11, Level 1, Nexus, Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur.
- Opening hours: Daily, 10am – 10pm.
- Facebook | Instagram
5. Shucked Oyster & Seafood Bars
When it comes to seafood, Shucked Oyster & Seafood Bars is the place to go as the bar ships in the freshest seafood from European countries such as New Zealand, Netherlands, France, and Australia. Located at Ben’s Independent Grocery at Publika, the bar emphasises on the quality and freshness of the seafood so that patrons can buy them to cook at home. However, Shucked has stepped their game up by including smørrebrød in the menu too. This is a piece of good news for those who need to include some carbs into their meal.
There are 5 variations of smørrebrød and each of them is specially prepared by the friendly crew. Like every other smørrebrød, Shucked uses dark rye bread as its base and tops it with their fresh seafood from atlantic prawns to salmon tartare to mackerel pate. The best smørrebrød is the Shucked Special Smørrebrød as the bar tops the rye bread with atlantic prawns, smoked ocean trout, and 2 Irish oysters. It is also paired with caviar lemon aioli. It may be a simple dish but satisfaction is guaranteed with every bite we take.
- Location: B.I.G. Supermarket, LG Floor, Publika, 1 Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.
- Opening hours: Daily, 10am – 10pm.
- Website | Facebook | Twitter
That’s it for the list of places that serve some pretty awesome open sandwiches in Klang Valley. Which place do you think should be in the list? If there’s a place that serves these open sandwiches, don’t forget to recommend them in the comments box below! 😀
