D’ Cafe is a quick 10-minute ride from the customs, but once you enter the glasshouse cafe, it feels as though you’re far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This garden-themed space pretty much checks all the boxes of what I would consider a cafe that’s worth a revisit: convenient location, minimalist aesthetic with plenty of natural sunlight, and reasonably priced cafe food that’s actually tasty.
There are two sections to the cafe: one is situated within the glasshouse area, and the other is a regular dining space nearer to the entrance.
Having worked indoors for most of our day, my colleague and I wanted to soak in as much sunlight as possible. Thankfully, we got a seat at the glasshouse section without having to wait. FYI, we paid a visit sometime around 3pm on a weekday.
We liked that their menu was extensive—there were lots to choose from, including mains, brunch items, desserts, and drinks. After much thought, we went with the Pulled Benny (RM28+/~S$8), Pot-a-tato Rosti (RM32+/~S$9.10), Pinky Grapefruit (RM15+/~S$4.30), and Pomegranate Breeze (RM15+/~S$4.30).
Their Pulled Benny was a collective favourite. This simple yet hearty brunch item features a slice of toast topped with pulled chicken, poached egg, pickled cabbage, and creamy hollandaise with a side of hummus.
At first bite, my colleague and I thought the shredded meat was pork instead of chicken. I really enjoyed the sweet-savoury chicken that was tender and juicy. Plus, the addition of hummus was the cherry on top, as it added some moisture to the dish. I recommend dipping the bread in it if you’re not a fan of the outer crust like me.
We tried their Pot-a-tato Rosti next, which made for a great sharing dish. Ours came beautifully plated with a poached egg drenched in hollandaise, potato rosti, and mushrooms, atop a bed of rocket salad.
You also get a tart balsamic glaze along the sides of the plate as the finishing touch! If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, worry not as there’s the option of changing it to chicken ham.
To beat the stifling humidity, we got the Pomegranate Breeze (RM15+/~S$4.30) and Pinky Grapefruit (RM15+/~S$4.30). These sparkling beverages were the perfect quenchers after a long day of travelling around the city.
Another cafe worth visiting in JB is Re Patisserie, a Korean-themed cafe serving loaded pistachio choux and gorgeous fruit tarts. There’s also Ukyiyo Cafe, a hidden French-Japanese dessert cafe with beautiful layered cakes.
Address: 9, Jalan Kelewang, Taman Sri Tebrau, 80050 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 7pm
Website
D’ Cafe is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.
Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg