Play Klang Coshtel

I went on a quiet weekday morning and was the only customer. Soft piano music played in the background, and the two-level, air-conditioned café had a calm feel. The first floor is the café, while the second seems to be used as event space for local community events. It’s a modern place renovated with a classic retro look, and the young staff, maybe in their 20s, were friendly and polite while mostly keeping to themselves. They bake some of their own bread here, specifically the BKT infused kinds. I only found that out after my meal, so I missed the chance to try them. I paid RM10.00 for B13 Lemongrass Ginger Tea (Hot), RM3.00 for C1 Vanilla Ice Cream, plus RM5.00 for BKT Sauce, RM4.90 for Klang BKT Chawanmushi, and RM8.00 for three S6 Klang Mini Tarts. No service charge. The prices are café prices, so this isn’t cheap. The RM10.00 tea wasn’t worth it to me. It was just a tea bag in hot water. I’d have been fine with the price if they’d brewed it from actual ingredients. The vanilla ice cream with the sauce came to RM8.00. That isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s still a somewhat reasonable price. The ice cream didn’t taste homemade, but it also didn’t taste like a cheap supermarket product, so I think it’s a decent quality brand. The sauce didn’t taste exactly like BKT to me, more like lo sui duck braised duck gravy. I’d expect it to be a premix rather than something they make themselves. The ice cream and sauce pairing is the kind of dish you either love or hate, and it suits people who enjoy contrasting flavors. If you’re fine with McDonalds French Fries dipped in ice cream, you might like it. I was okay with it and impressed by the idea. I hadn’t thought braised sauce could go this well with ice cream. The Klang BKT Chawanmushi at RM4.90 was a decent price and my favorite combination of the dishes I tried. Both parts are savory and work well together. The RM8.00 BKT tart works out to less than S$1.00 each, but they’re very small. Like the ice cream, it combines contrasting tastes, though the sweet part is much more subdued than the savory one. I didn’t mind that either. It tastes a bit like a digestive biscuit with some Lor Zhup, so that should give you an idea. This isn’t the place I’d go to fill up. For me it was more of a for fun kind of visit. If you want the best value for your money, this probably isn’t the place for you. Of the places I visited in Klang, this felt the most touristy. There were no other customers the whole time I was there on that weekday. Thanks for reading. Come join my food blog. Google Search: "solofoodreviews at blogspot" to view the full review with photos. A solo Singaporean's guide to JB foods (and more!).

The food was poor overall, and the prices felt too high for what we got. The bak kut teh spaghetti was an odd dish, and the risotto was undercooked. I understand there was a cultural event that day, but nobody told us beforehand that food would be served without proper plates or utensils. That felt unprofessional, especially when staff also denied that the food was undercooked. Be aware.

The old shophouse opposite Klang’s train station doubles as a little museum, with photos of old bridges and a cardboard skyline made by local schoolkids. Play Klang C³afe calls its idea “culture, creativity, connection,” and the menu takes Klang’s bak kut teh in some pretty unexpected directions. Everything is pork-free and Muslim-friendly, so even backpackers stepping off the train can try it. The air conditioning struggles once the sun gets strong, though, and the place can be salty, expensive, or inconsistent. Some people find the risotto undercooked, the spaghetti strange, and the service inexperienced. The drinks have QR codes linking to Klang stories in six languages. “Hello Yappy” mixes sparkling coffee and grapefruit, while “Crow Signature” is an iced tea inspired by Klang’s loudest residents. Both are nice on a hot day. For food, the chicken bak kut teh carbonara comes with a poached egg and creamy sauce, and the herbs somehow work with the pasta instead of overpowering it. The risotto is savoury and comforting when it’s right, and the Turkish bak kut teh bread is flaky and buttery, a surprising Klang-Istanbul combination. The wildest item is the bak kut teh ice cream: cold vanilla with herbal soup flavours and bits of mushroom. The first spoonful seems like a joke, the next is easier to accept, and by the third you might want another. It’s odd, maybe genius, and definitely gets people talking. This isn’t a safe, cookie-cutter café, but it has the nerve to do something different, even if the idea feels like dressing bak kut teh for a party it never asked to attend.

The café is pretty small, so I wouldn’t come with a group bigger than six. Lunch in the afternoon was hot because there was no air conditioning, and the food selection is limited. Prices are mid to high. Still, the coffee is interesting, and I’d go back for that and the tiramisu.