Innovative caffeinated concoctions

Enjoy coffee and a good book at the cosy seating area in Tsutaya Books. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star

COFFEE lovers in the mood to try new drinks can head to a Bukit Jalil mall to try a refreshing line-up of espressos, lattes and other concoctions with a twist.

Bibliophiles can enjoy drinks at Bukit Jalil Tsutaya Books at Pavilion Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur.

A staple signature at its in-house coffee shop is the refreshing and mildly bitter Espresso Tonic, featuring a shot of espresso mixed with tonic water.

Those who want a light bite can opt for Matcha Dorayaki, a pancake filled with matcha paste, whipped cream and raspberry sauce, or Mont Blanc Dorayaki with chestnut paste and biscuits crumbs.

“We serve five coffee blends at our bookstore. Our signature Ivy Tokyo blend is a blend of 40% Ethiopian coffee beans and 60% Honduran beans,” said barista June Chen.

For those looking for a new spin on caffeine, CO2 Coffee Bar that opened in January, offers both coffee drinks and coffee cocktails, dubbed “cofftails”.

The drinks are made with a mixture of caffeine, fruits, spices and herbs.

House favourites like Passiflora and Coco Get Nut are all made with the air-roasting method, an expensive process that its co-founders say ensures a purer, smoother, and less bitter taste.

Managing director and co-founder Tan Sze Lee claimed that CO2 was the first coffee bar of its kind in Malaysia.

She said the brand aspired to “break the limitations and boundaries of traditional coffee-making”.

“We believe both coffee and cocktails are a pure form of art and lifestyle in their own ways. Blending both is like breaking new grounds for a spark in duality,” she said.

Other speciality coffee shops in Pavilion Bukit Jalil include Artelier Coffee, HWC Coffee and Illy Caffè.

Inspired by American influences, Artelier Coffee’s signature “dirty” series of drinks are chilled without ice to avoid dilution and to maintain flavour.

Available this month is Dirty Mocha, a drink featuring a blend of coffee and chocolate.

HWC Coffee’s “Triple Champion” is a chilled brown sugar-boba coffee drink that won multiple awards at a competition in Taiwan.

Those who do not like boba (small balls of jelly added to a drink) can order the brown sugar caffe latte drink, which is available hot or cold.

Illy Caffè’s new dessert-like coffee drink called “Nuvola” (meaning “cloud” in Italian) is also well worth a try. It is a mix of frozen coffee cream layered with chocolate and whipped cream.