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April 24th, 2024
An educator teaches us how it’s done, opening a hidden cafe with a unique charm: Einstein Cafe, run by maths tutor Tan.
Einstein Cafe, tucked on the first floor of a shop-house on Jalan Sultan in Chinatown. The cafe has no signboard, so look for Sinn Optical & the little red door beside that store.
Take the stairs up to enter this very welcoming cafe, which is filled with friendly, positive vibes. Business hours are a convenient 1030am-930pm daily; it’s worth noting that this is now Jalan Sultan’s third cafe, joining the ranks of Coffee Amo & The Front Door.
Einstein Cafe is gorgeously atmospheric; come here on a weekday afternoon & you might find its founder chilling out with his family & friends in a setting where abstract paintings by a local artist hang on the walls.
The reasons for the cafe’s name are a pleasure to discover: Einstein was vegetarian toward the end of his life, & this cafe’s owner is vegetarian himself, serving strictly meat-free fare. Also, the cafe is expected to house a section by next year where students in need can receive informal maths classes.
Einstein Cafe’s food is prepared with a lot of heart – it’s surprisingly delicious. Don’t skip the ‘Four Seasons Pizza’ (RM14.80), with a wonderfully crispy-fluffy ‘roti canai’ crust crowned with mock meat sourced from a family friend, green peppers, black olives & mushrooms.
Single-plate meals can be savoured for south of RM10, from spaghetti (creamy but not cloying) to rice with spicy mutton curry that comprises mock meat made with mushrooms (fleshy & possibly even better-tasting than the real thing). Note: This photo does not reflect the actual serving; the owner & his friends were kind enough to share what they were eating themselves.
Hot or cold? Einstein’s lattes are made with blends by the team that ran Kota Damansara’s now-closed Coffee Famille, while its banana milkshakes are constructed with fresh fruit & milk, with no sugar, syrup or preservatives added.
We really like Einstein Cafe; we think others will do. Expect to hear more about it in the months ahead.
Einstein Cafe
58 Jalan Sultan, Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 012 683 0710
Daily, 1030am-930pm
Find: Einstein Cafe directory page here.
Read Also: The Front Door at Grocer’s Inn, Jalan Sultan, Chinatown: Restaurant Review