103 Coffee Workshop at Sri Petaling: Restaurant Review

It’s finally happened: The long-ignored neighbourhood of Sri Petaling rolls out the caffeinated carpet this month for the speciality coffee bar it’s never had, welcoming 103 Coffee Workshop on a shop-house street that’s better known for steamboat restaurants.

Has the Makings of an Instant Hit

103 Coffee Workshop has the makings of an instant hit, capable of luring customers who hail from outside Sri Petaling.

The Cool Factor

The look is shrewdly slick; right off the bat, this cafe nails the cool factor. The team here works hard to serve the crowds in a fashion that’s professional, polite & efficient. But 103 Coffee Workshop turns out to be more of a mass-market business where genuine human warmth & the desire to extend personal courtesies feel elusive.

Onigiri

Still, it’s easy to fall in love with some of the food here: 103 Coffee Workshop offers Japanese-inspired creations like this excellent onigiri, which emerged in a hearty portion for RM13.90. The furikake-seasoned sticky rice proves flavoursome & perfectly prepared, stuffed with plenty of moist salmon, wrapped in fresh, crisp seaweed strips.

Japanese Omelette & Pickles and Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl with Onsen Egg

Accompanied by Japanese omelette & pickles, it’s a platter that makes us believe everything else on the soft-launch menu may be worth sampling, especially the chicken teriyaki rice bowl with onsen egg (RM14.90).

Ultra-Crunchy Fried Pasta

For mindless munching: Ultra-crunchy fried pasta with house-made seasoning (RM3.90), something that many tables ordered.

The Coffee

103 Coffee Workshop serves everything from double-shot flat whites (RM10), made with a Brazil-Colombia-Guatemala blend by Johor’s well-respected ‘M’ Espresso Sporting Club, to hand-brewed coffee that relies on Kenyan & Ethiopian single-origin beans.

Other Temptations

Other temptations comprise rose-flavoured ice lattes (pleasantly subtle) & cold brews (RM12). A sweeping range of milk teas will be available soon, including Okinawan matcha milk tea with azuki beans (RM9) & Fuji apple red tea with konnyaku jelly (RM8).