WALKING into CoffeeSociété will transport you to Melbourne, Australia.
The unique Melbourne-inspired coffee house in Publika, Solaris Dutamas, was founded by brothers Choong Kar Wai and Kar Heng.
With a warm and cosy atmosphere, it sets out to provide customers a slice of Australia by offering a chic coffee house similar to the ones found in Melbourne.
The idea to start the coffee house came about when Kar Wai went to Melbourne in 2010 for work.
“Melbourne is one of the coffee culture capitals of the world and there are a lot of coffee houses there,” he said.
“When I was at one of the coffee houses in Chapel Street, I realised it was a simple life, where people enjoyed life with a good cup of coffee.
“I realised that life is not about chasing wealth and climbing the corporate ladder and I want my customers to have a relaxing feeling here in the coffee house,” he said.
“We decided that if we could not stay in Melbourne, we would bring Melbourne back with us. And, we opened the coffee house in Decemeber,” he said.
Inspired by Kar Wai’s experience, the coffee house recreates the atmosphere of Melbourne’s coffee shops, drawing inspiration from the interior designs of some of his favourite coffee hideouts as well as importing furniture and crockery from Australia.
Healthy:GrilledVegetablePanini withchips.
The coffee house’s wooden interior exhibits a rustic and industrialistic theme and it gives customers a feel of being close to nature.
“We recycle used wood from old kampung houses and sampan so that customers feel close to nature.
“Most of the wood used here is about 40 years old. We turn it into the furniture here,” he said.
“We want to give our customers the feeling of being at home and regard CoffeeSociété as a place to hang out,” he added.
There are also collectible and vintage items displayed inside the outlet to give the coffee house a classical look.
What makes the coffee special, however, is the house blend comprising 100% Arabica coffee beans from south and central America that are hand-picked by Kar Wai.
“I created my own recipe and come out with a range of coffee for customers.
“The range is aimed at everyday consumption and is affordable so that everyone can buy it,” he said.
“We pride ourselves in being an independent coffee house and I believe that the human touch present in our food and beverages is one of the things that brings customers back,” he said, adding that the coffee house also served titbits, brunches and meals.
What sets CoffeeSociété apart is his unique approach to the work culture there.
“The saying ‘the customer is always right’ plays a big part in the food and beverage business, but what I feel other establishments leave out is the staff and the service given to the customers,” he said.
“Good customer service is what keeps them coming back. I also ensure my staff are happy working here so that this happiness will spread to the customers,” he added.
Their coffee prices range from RM6 to RM10, while hot and iced chocolate and hot tea are available for non-coffee enthusiasts. Their food is pork-free.
CoffeeSociété is currently running a ‘Coffee in the Dark’ promotion on Friday and Saturday nights where free flow coffee is served for a nett price of RM10 from 6pm till late.
CoffeeSociété is located at Block D4, Level G3, Unit 3A, Publika, Solaris Dutamas. For details, visit fb.com/coffeesociete
