Frisky Goat @ Taman Tun Dr Ismail

With the hipster cafe movement sweeping Klang Valley (and beyond), this new little cafe with a unique standout name, Frisky Goat @ Taman Tun Dr Ismail is fast gaining popularity amongst the TTDI neighbourhood (and the community beyond).

It's a pretty laid back cafe (small but cosy) and a good hangout place (though you can't hangout or linger too long in this cafe) as there're (always) hoards of people waiting for a table.

We waited for about half an hour on a Saturday afternoon and we were lucky as a 'big' table opened up although there were more people before us on the waiting list.  I don't know what it is about big breakfast fry ups and coffee...it's such a crowd pleaser these days.

The eye-catching bright blue framed door beckons you to come in (sorry, couldn't get a pic as there were just too many people waiting outside the door) and, as soon as you walk through the doors, you'll be confronted with a selection of cakes, pastries and bread as Frisky Goat is also a bakery cafe.

As soon as we've made our orders, some cute and colourful plates and cutleries made its appearance for the little ones in our eating party!

Our first breakfast order for the day was the Monsieur Ben Wafels @ RM17 which is Frisky's version of eggs benedict served with beef bacon and wilted spinach over Belgian waffles but there was only a trickle of Hollandaise sauce (I guess this is what happens when you rush things)!  The light and crispy waffles were the best thing on the plate (and it should be since it features prominently in many of their Almost All Day Brunch Menu).  The poached eggs (however) reminded me of the ones I had in Antipodean (made with a mould) and were not as oozy as I would've liked but still acceptable nonetheless.

Next came the Egg Salmon Royale @ RM21 which was a piece of seared salmon with a poached egg over a piece of waffle (again) served with sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach, a tomato-tinged hollandaise sauce and own-baked crusty toast.  This was another winning dish (even though the presentation was not) as all the components were nicely done (though the ingredients in itself may seem like an unusual combo).

The Decadent French Toast @ RM19.90 rounded up our orders from the breakfast menu although it was more like a sinful dessert than a breakfast item.  It came with 3 slices of French toast served with apple chutney and spiced roasted walnuts, drizzled with honey and topped with vanilla ice cream and Chantilly cream.

The apple chutney tasted like a mixture of sweetened dried fruits to me and even the crunchy spiced walnuts seemed to be glazed in honey.  Overall, the dish was on the sweet side though the vanilla ice cream and Chantilly cream provided some freshness to the otherwise sweet concoction.  [#Tip: Chantilly cream is just whipped cream flavoured with vanilla.]  This dish would appeal to those with a 'sweet tooth' more (my friends seemed to enjoy it).  Presentation wise, the dish was a bit of a mess, but it tasted better than it looked (although it looked better presented in other blogs, I might add) as the French toast was darker in colour (for some reason) that day.

If you're one of those who enjoys a big breakfast fry-up, you can go for "The Works" @ RM24.  But, if you adore cheese, you've gotta try their baked eggs (Eggs en Cocotte @ RM21.50), a dish that Frisky Goat is famous for.  [#Tip: Cocotte (a French word) simply means a small heatproof dish for individual portions of food.]  We didn't order this because I'm not really a fan of cheese (firstly) and (secondly), I was attracted by a dish from their lunch and dinner menu (available from 12 noon).

The Pan Seared Barramundi @ RM39 was served with sautéed vegetables and a creamy mash and dressed in reduced balsamic creamy sauce.  Special mention must be made to the extremely smooth and creamy mash along with the very finely diced vegetables (detected carrots, cucumber, mushrooms)....I loved the mash!

It was an incredible harmony of flavours...everything worked in unison and did not overpower the distinctive but delicate flavour of the perfectly cooked barramundi.

Their menu for lunch and dinner is pretty straightforward with just 5 dishes (2 chicken, 2 fish & 1 steak option) to choose from plus a selection of pastas which you can build on your own by selecting the pasta (spaghetti, linguini or angel hair), the sauce you like (olive oil+garlic+dried chillies, pesto, carbonara or tomato) and add a protein of your choice (chicken, duck, beef bacon or soft-shell crab).

As soon as we've finished with our 'mains', it was time to indulge in some decadent desserts...happy days for both adults and kids!

We couldn't decide between the Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake (a 'to die for' cake as some described it) but settled for the Dark Chocolate Mousse @ RM9 (that looked just as inviting) instead.  It was good, just that I preferred the one I had at Bonjour Garden a bit more.

Our next choice was the Espresso Creme Brûlée @ RM10 which turned out sublime.  I have tasted many creme brûlées in my life but never an espresso crème brûlée.  It was silky smooth, with a good coffee flavour, and an utter delight to eat (though rather sweet) but would fulfill anyone's 'sweet' dreams, I'm sure.  If you love coffees and brûlées, you're definitely gonna love this espresso creme brûlée.  [#Tip: Don't be discouraged by the dark coloured crust, and the fact that it's an expresso brûlée, as it was not bitter at all (I was pleasantly surprised too).]

Our final dessert selection was the Red Opera @ RM12 which was superb (a bit pricey though).  The strawberry-raspberry flavoured infused sponge cake layered with an immensely refreshing strawberry cream and raspberry jam (I think) that had just the right tangy, fruity taste.  It was topped with a pinkish-reddish coloured crunchy, sticky, sweetish bits of a nutty-like texture (I was told it's walnuts by the service staff).  This has to go on record as my all-time favourite piece of cake...mmm, a slice of heaven indeed!

And here were our coffee orders:

Iced Cappuccino @ RM10 (Top Left)

Iced Latte @ RM10 (Bottom Left)

Italian Iced Coffee @ RM14 (Top Right)

Iced Mocha @ RM12 (Bottom Right)

The Italian Iced Coffee is just iced coffee with ice cream (very much like affogato) but their coffees are not as robust in flavour as some others.  I must say the food takes priority over the coffees here but their cuppa, though not the most impressive, is still decent enough to entice their customers to come back for more (judging by the full house on weekends).

If coffee is not your 'cup of tea'...and tea is, fret not as they serve TWG tea here.

Apart from its quirky name, everything's quirky here...from our bill (which was presented to us in a miniature metallic pail)...down to the tips bucket (at the cashier's counter).

My Personal Opinion

This relatively new joint (opened in February 2014) is fast becoming the go-to place for its 'frisky' patrons (both from TTDI and beyond) as they're serving up some pretty desirable looking brunch options with a combination of quirky décor and lovely ambience.

It started off promisingly with the Monsieur Ben Wafels and came to a rousing end with the incredibly appealing Red Opera.

This place (with above 'middle-of-the-park' prices) is definitely worth a few revisits.  The food is creative, it's soulful, it's youthful!  It's going to be a regular haunt for many café hoppers as it's trendy and fashionable.....so, let's get frisky!!...(ok, not quite that kind of 'frisky' you have in mind).

What I absolutely loved:  The Red Opera (because of its zesty flavour).

What I really liked:  The barramundi, the waffles, the Espresso Crème Brûlée....and the bright blue door!

What they need to improve on:  The presentation!  Take a little bit more time (and care) with how it looks...little things matter, don't rush it.

What I didn't like as much:  The café is too small to cater to the crowds resulting in really cramped tables and seats which are just inches apart.  The meal felt like it was 'rushed' and they don't serve you drinking water unless you ask.  That aside, don't let parking problems and long queues deter you from trying out this café....good food needs patience!

Frisky Goat Bakery Cafe

72 Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi

Taman Tun Dr Ismail

60000 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-7731 2965