Le Lapin Cafe at Taman Desa: Restaurant Review

Fellow cottontails born in the Year of the Rabbit, here’s one cafe that cottons to us completely. Le Lapin (The Rabbit) is a homey hideout, not a hipster hangout; it’s the kind of unassuming locale that’ll likely never be considered cool, but its supporters will nonetheless cherish it for the everyone’s-welcome, come-as-you-are burrow that it is.

Le Lapin exhibits the swagger-free humility of its animal namesake. The owner won’t gracelessly brag about her cafe and seems genuinely encouraged by thoughtful compliments. And when someone makes a positive remark about Le Lapin’s logo, she acknowledges freely that it was something they simply stumbled upon online.

Cold Coffee

Coffee here comes in multiple forms and temperatures: Try the Arabica heart-shaped ice cubes with cold milk (RM12), the caffeine addict’s antidote to a sweltering afternoon.

Suck and savor slowly. Le Lapin has a no-hurry vibe; its radio transmits Lite FM. Did you ever know that you’re my hero? What can I do to make you love me? Where do broken hearts go? Inquisitive divas badger us persistently throughout our hour here.

Hot Coffee

Hot Irish coffee (RM12), mixed with a knockout infusion of whiskey and topped with deliriously thick cream. This puts numerous bars in KL that serve feebler-but-pricier Irish coffee to shame.

Affogato

Americano crowned with ice cream (RM10), an alternative to affogatos. Le Lapin uses an Italian Musetti blend, so phrases like ‘single-origin coffee’ and ‘Sumatran Mandheling’ won’t be heard here.

Scones

Need food? Le Lapin’s scones (RM5), beautifully baked by cafe owner Eliza, should satisfy.

Substantial in size, served warm and boasting a buttery fluffiness, this proved even more enjoyable for us than scones sampled at a Cameron Highlands resort’s high tea.

Cupcakes

Fresh cupcakes are also a treat here, lighter than they look and fairly far from sugary.

Savoury meals

The selection of savory meals is compact: breakfasts of croissants, muesli & egg sandwiches that start from RM5 to pasta and pie lunches that stay south of RM15.

Chinese-language books line Le Lapin’s shelf, including a translated ‘Who Moved My Cheese?’

Le Lapin’s on one of the least-busy streets of Taman Desa’s Plaza Danau 2 commercial center; even on a weekday, there were enough parking spaces within a ten-second stroll of the cafe. But it’s near-impossible to spot casually, since there’s no signboard; instead, look out for the above.