Simplicity Sandwiches & Coffee @ Jalan Pudu Ulu

I wasn't even aware of the existence of Simplicity Sandwiches & Coffee @ Jalan Pudu Ulu in D'Alamanda Condominium until recently...and they've been around since 2015!  I did notice them on ShopeeFood for quite a while but never thought of ordering.....until now.

That's because I only came to know recently (through a post by The Yum List) that (the owner of) Simplicity was a former student of Tommy Le Baker (someone that I've read about who is very well known in baking circles) and they also supply bread to a brunch cafe (Fox Paradox) in Jalan Ampang.  Ah, if like that, I must try their breads.

For my first taste, the Ribeye Steak Sourdough @ RM15 caught my eye straightaway.  It came wrapped in simple brown paper packaging which was great to see.

On opening, I was greeted with warm and crisp slices of well toasted sourdough with crusty edges and a nice, tangy bread with a good chew.  Maybe it's not the best tasting sourdough out there but certainly a very good one with one of the best prices around, if not the best.  We're off to a great start.

Lifting up the bread, I could see that the inside was filled with thinly sliced, tender roasted ribeye steak with fresh, juicy tomato slices and some sweet gherkins (or pickles).  I don't know how they managed to slice a ribeye steak that thinly.  It's something like a roast beef sandwich, not quite a steak sandwich actually.

Now this sandwich comes with cheddar cheese and, for once, I chose not to omit it...and that's because the picture in the menu showed fresh slices of cheese sticking out of the bread.  So I thought I could just easily remove it (after taking photos of the complete sandwich) but when it came the cheese was already melted and infused into the sandwich and I was like uh-oh, have I stabbed myself in the leg?  But what transpired next was not the norm.  I actually liked the cheese coz this one didn't have that distinctive, offensive smell and taste of cheese that I don't like...yay! ;)

The sandwich was nicely complemented by a spread of vinaigrette dressing and mayonnaise.  I could taste the mayo but the vinaigrette dressing (which included whole-grain mustard) was subtle.  Overall, the sandwich spread tasted nice, it was light and healthy as they don't over-sauce their sandwich (which appeals to me).

For my next sandwich, I went with Tuna Bran @ RM12 described in their menu as tuna with toasted sunflower seeds (didn't taste any, don't think there was any), tomato slices, cheddar cheese, vinaigrette dressing and mayonnaise on bran bread.

Loved how soft the bread was but the tuna filling was a bit of a letdown.  There just wasn't enough of it and I thought it needed a bit more mayo to bind everything together.

I can't believe I'm saying this...but it needed more cheese too coz, all in all, the sandwich lacked juiciness with not enough dressing making the bran bread feel a bit dry overall.  This won't see a repeat order from me.

With the bran bread not making an impression, I reverted back to the more successful sourdough and ordered the Chicken Sourdough @ RM12 next with roasted chicken slice, tomato slices, cheddar cheese, vinaigrette dressing and mayonnaise.

The chicken slices was nicely seasoned and turned out pretty good actually.  The chicken slices may look a bit dry in the photo but I assure you it wasn't.  It was pretty moist and I liked that there was a mixture of whole slices of chicken interspersed with smaller bits of chicken (the loose bits when slicing).

Again, the thinly sliced tomatoes were there to add a much needed fresh element to the sandwich.  I wouldn't have mind some crunchy, thinly sliced cucumbers in there as well.

The only type of filling left to try is egg but that's something we can easily make at home, so I guess I won't be needing to try that.  As for the other two types of bread I didn't try, I'm not a fan of baguette (as I find that's too much bread since it's so thick) and won't need to try Normandy (which is basically white bread that I already eat too much of). :P

With that, I turned my attention to their pastries.  I've not had dessert in the form of a cake, tart or pastry in a while, so I thought I should give myself a well-deserved treat, don't you?  Anyway, when I saw the Lemon Tart @ RM10 on the menu, I can't resist already since anything lemon-y is my thing! ;)

The lemon tart isn't very thick, no more than an inch (at its thickest part), with a very thin layer of crisp, buttery, delicious tart crust underneath.  On top was this luscious lemon curd that's creamy, tangy, lemon-y and absolutely yummy! ^o^  That distinct taste of lemon was undeniable in the lemon curd.

As with all lemon tarts, sugar is in play to balance the tartness of the lemon curd and I did notice a layer of clear jelly-like substance on top which presumably was a thin layer of sugar glaze.  So, if you like it less sweet (or don't have a need for it like me), you can easily scrape off the layer of glaze.

I actually ate this right after the sandwich (for breakfast!) coz, after the first bite, I couldn't put it away for later + it so happens that I was having a cup of black coffee with my sandwich that morning....and we all know a black coffee pairs really well with a lemon tart for that nice balance of bitter-sweet.  It's been a while since I've had a lemon tart that good.

They also sell just whole loaves of their artisan bread like baguette (RM5), bran sandwich loaf (RM6), Normandy sandwich loaf (RM7) and farmer sourdough (RM12) together with pastries like dark chocolate tart (RM10), banana almond tart (RM10), bread pudding (RM6), chicken & spinach quiche (RM10), financier (RM6 for 3 pcs) and croissants (butter, RM6 or chocolate, RM6.50).  I've to say that the farmer sourdough at RM10 (if you purchase directly from them through beepit) or even RM12 (through delivery platforms) is a real bargain when other sourdough can easily cost twice as much.  Now I know where I can go to pick up a loaf when I need one.

My Personal Opinion

Well, simplicity is their name, maker of artisan breads is their game...and they offer basically just four types of sandwich fillings (ribeye steak, chicken slice, tuna and egg) in a choice of four types of bread (sourdough, bran bread, baguette and Normandy bread).

If you like your sammies with tons of flavour, this may well fall short for you but I, on the other hand, like such light-tasting, honest-to-goodness, simple sandwiches made right.

You bet this will be my go-to for sourdough sandwiches hereon out (with very good prices, I might add) and I already have my two favourite repeat orders.....with the occasional classic lemon tart if I'm feeling a little bit naughty and in need of some sweet nourishment. ^.^

Simplicity Sandwiches & Coffee

2-00-55 D'Alamanda Condominium

Jalan Pudu Ulu

Taman Pudu Ulu Cheras

56100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2705 4086