SHOWCASE CAFE,
36, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 2,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2857 3163
Business hours: 11am to 11pm from Tuesdays to Fridays,
9am to 11pm on weekends, closed on Mondays.
Pork-free.
A LITTLE shop in the heart of Taman Tun Dr Ismail showcases not just a colourful collection of toys and games, but also a healthy and tasty variety of Western dishes.
Aptly named Showcase Cafe, the concept of having a large toy display in the cafe stems from owner Nicolas Tan’s love for collecting toys.
A long display case lines one wall of the shop and is filled with various action figures of popular characters, half of which were contributed by Tan’s own customers, and some of which can be purchased.
Showcase Cafe has a collection of comics, magazines, and even a carrom board and board games, which customers can play.
Showcase Cafe opened its doors one year ago and although Tan, 43, had no prior experience in the food and beverage industry, his knowledge and passion for food shows in the quality of the dishes.
For those who wish to order a steak or lamb rack, Tan will bring out a tray of meat for customers to choose from, allowing them to see the exact price according to the weight of their selected cut.
Tan recommended that I try the Grass Fed Ribeye Steak (RM20 per 100g) (top pic) at medium rare. The steak was served without any sauce, but it was tender and the natural juices of the meat made it delicious.
Showcase Cafe owner Nicolas Tan showing the tray of meat cuts that customers can choose from when ordering a steak of lamb rack.
“A lot of people are scared to order steaks medium rare, because it looks as if it’s very bloody.
“But this is the best way to eat it, because it is very tender and juicy,” he explained.
“I don’t believe in using so much sauce when it comes to meat, because diners will be enjoying the sauce instead of the meat. Here, I want them to enjoy the meat more,” he added.
Although Showcase Cafe only serves two types of cuts — ribeye and striploin — customers may opt for higher quality meats such as grain-fed, Angus, and even wagyu.
In keeping its dishes healthy, Showcase Cafe uses water detoxification technology to rid their ingredients of pesticides and a large air fryer oven to eliminate the need for cooking oil. This is bound to appeal to health-conscious diners.
A dish that I quite enjoyed was the Roasted Chicken Whole Leg (RM19). The use of the air fryer made the skin rather crisp while keeping the meat tender, and it was not laden with oil.
I found the Grilled Salmon (RM28) a little on the dry side, but diners have the option of having it with a small serving of pesto or teriyaki sauce.
The Grilled Salmon.
Showcase Cafe also serves breakfast dishes, sandwiches, salad, pasta, pizza, and desserts, catering for meals at any time of the day.
They source for their own coffee beans to roast in-house every few days to ensure customers receive the satisfaction of having freshly roasted coffee.
Showcase Cafe also offers a variety of attractive deals for customers throughout the week.
They have lunch sets at RM13.90 from noon to 3pm on working days, a free Americano with any breakfast dish on weekend mornings from 9am to 1pm, a Tea Break set of one cake and coffee between 3pm and 6pm daily at RM9.90, and a special Ladies’ Day 20% discount on all items on Wednesdays.
Tan added that Showcase Cafe does not serve pork, and most of the ingredients are sourced from halal suppliers.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.