Bean Reserve at The Co., Bangsar: Review

Fort Knox can keep its bullions – Bangsar’s new Bean Reserve aims to mine KL’s current affection for cafes by beguiling customers with a bounty of luxurious soft-serves, loaded sandwiches & luscious coffee that’s touted to be as ‘good as gold.’

Bean Reserve, run by the folks behind Solaris Mont Kiara’s Brewmen, is tucked in a bungalow that primarily houses The Co., an impressive co-working space. Walk-in patrons who visit this photogenically sunshine-saturated cafe for their daily latte might wind up rubbing elbows with entrepreneurs & freelancers taking a break from The Co.’s office suites & meeting rooms.

Soft-Serves

Soft-serves may be Bean Reserve’s star attraction – satisfyingly smooth, one made with the cafe’s own-roasted Colombian-Brazilian house blend, another inspired by Momofuku Milk Bar’s celebrated Cereal Milk soft-serve (RM8 per cup). Both prove enjoyable, with potent flavours that make an impression; more variants, like chocolate, are expected to be offered eventually.

Soft-Serve Affogato

Also distinctive: A soft-serve affogato (RM15) scrumptiously textured with cornflakes – a crunchy counterpoint to the ice cream.

Sandwiches

For savoury snacking, Bean Reserve serves sandwiches stuffed with turkey ham & pineapple, pulled beef, smoked salmon, or egg mayo with cucumber raita to pair with Guatemalan bean espressos, South African rooibos tea or Colombian hot chocolate.

Beverages

Brewmen has nurtured a reputation for idiosyncratic specialities to sip, so it’s no surprise that Bean Reserve follows suit. Try the crisp Nitro beverages served on tap – nitrogen-infused Earl Grey tea or El Salvador coffee spiked with honey – or the sparkling cold brew constructed to evoke a Gin & Tonic (sans alcohol, sadly), or the aromatic chai latte that showcases Bean Reserve’s own-made chai syrup. Sparkling water is supplied to cleanse & refresh the palate between each beverage.

Look for Bean Reserve on this lot on Lengkok Abdullah. There are some lovely nooks inside, including a leafy atrium, but note that visitors to the cafe shouldn’t loiter beyond Bean Reserve’s confines – these spaces are mainly meant for The Co.’s clients.