Baci @ Citta Mall

Rating : 2 out of 5

Citta mall is located in Ara Damansara and is pretty easy to spot as it is right off the highway. Since Citta mall is still a newly constructed mall, the parking ticketing system has yet to be implemented therefore at least for now, the parking in Citta mall is free. Baci prides itself on being an Italian cafe. Among a long and proud list, they serve coffee, tea, sandwiches, pizzas and pasta. Ambience wise, I consider it one of the best among its peers.

Latte (RM 7.90) & Cappucccino (RM 7.90)
Although I shouldn't be too quick to judge as I am exactly sure if coffee in Italy should be prepared differently than what I have tasted so far, their coffee are terrible. I ordered both cuppuccino and latte together twice on two different occasions and there was literally no distinction between them. Both tasted as if they were children born out of wedlock between a proper cappuccino and latte. Even the americano tasted like they were instant coffee(I may have been a little strict).

Chicken Mushroom Pizza (RM 11.50)
Baci Cafe's pizzas come in two sizes, regular(shown below) and large. While they may not be the best thin crusted pizzas around nor do I have an uncontrollable lust for it, it was pretty decent and worth at least one try.

Shitake Mushroom-Wasabi Mayo Multigrain (RM 14.50) & Turkey Ham Foccacio On Panini (RM ??)
Despite the big disappointed in the skills of their barista, their sandwiches deserves to be worshipped. I can't say that they ARE what real italian sandwiches are suppose to taste like but I can sure as hell admit that they are the best sandwiches I have ever had in my entire adult life. Every single one displayed are amazing in their own particular way enveloped by superb bread. They are even skilled enough to carry a vegetarian sandwich (shitake mushroom) which stands out even among meat sandwiches.

Conclusion
Albeit the enormous let down in their coffee, it is still one of my favourite go to places due to its ambience and food but I will definitely refrain myself from ordering their coffee unless absolutely necessary. It is raising pretty fast among the list of teenagers and families as both a relaxing hangout and a proper diner.

Hours : Monday - Sunday : 1PM to 12AM (estimated)

Sincerely,
Coffee Nerd

Departure Lounge @ Uptown Damansara

Rating : 3 out of 5

Departure Lounge at Uptown Damansara is a cafe that has generated a huge amount of fuss among coffee lovers. So what is there better to do than to explore the renowned cafe? It took us some time to find for a parking that is not ridiculously far from the cafe but we knew it was worth the effort the moment we walked in to the cafe.

Latte (RM 9.00)
I ordered their latte and was instantly convinced that it was the best latte I ever had. The richness of the milk was properly emphasized but not too overwhelming as to cover the sweet sweet aroma of the coffee blend. In other words, the composition of the latte was down right perfect. My need for aesthetic fulfillment was also satisfied by their skillful foam art and presentation*.

Long Black (RM 5.00)
Aside from the latte, we also had the americano since there were several americano enthusiast among us. The blend was amazing to say the least but not the best, further supporting our view is this little trophy from a barista competition.

"Do It My Way" Breakfast Platter (RM 11.90)
The menu allows us to freely choose our breakfast platter from a somewhat wide variety of selections they carry. There are three ways in which an individual may order according to his or her appetite, the 3, 5, or 7 items platter (refer to conclusion for pricing).

Bagel BLT (RM 11.90)
This was actually my first ever "proper" bagel and for those who don't know what a bagel is, you can refer to the image attached below. This bagel is practically stuffed with beef bacons (it's impossible to take a bite without bacon in it!) and fresh vegetables.

Signature Club (RM12.90)
A sandwich comprise of chicken breast, turkey ham, egg & sliced cheese. I didn't actually manage to steal a bite out of this baby but according to a friend, it fares pretty well.

Conclusion
The whole experience excluding the parking was simply exquisite. I would personally visit this cafe again in the near future. The pricing was relatively reasonable as you would expect a cafe of such calibre to be creating a butterfly nest in your wallet but it wasn't so. The only problem I would like to point out is their quality control, not all of their baristas are professionally trained, at least not yet. However, even the coffee prepared by their amateur barista are very much comparable to any other cafes out there.

P/S: Click on image to enlarge

Link : http://cafedeparturelounge.com/
Hours :  Monday - Saturday              8AM-7PM
              Sunday & Holidays             8AM-5PM
              Close on Tuesdays

Sincerely,
Coffee Nerd