PETALING JAYA, Aug 10 — This is what you came for.
Short grain sushi rice, fluffy with just enough of a bite. The caramelised glaze of a half fat, half lean chasiu, the smoky aroma emanating from its time on the charcoal grill. A lightly marinated soft boiled egg, sliced into perfect halves. Crisp lettuce greens and punchy cucumber pickles.
This is the Charcoal Grilled Pork Belly Rice Bowl at Airplane Mode Coffee.
Of course, getting what you came for is only half of the story. The other half might well revolve around how to even get here.
Airplane Mode Coffee, run by veteran barista Sing Thong (he headed the coffee bar at The Red Bean Bag for seven years before opening his own dream café last year), is one of those shops that aren’t immediately visible to the naked eye.
Located in Taman Rasa Sayang in PJ (the same neighbourhood as Dou Dou Bake and Noon Viennoiserie), Airplane Mode Coffee favours customers who are willing to explore beyond the usual street level shops.
The row of shophouses is nondescript but look up and you will notice a pair of discreet neon signs on the windows on the first floor. This is not a café that shouts out its presence to the casual passer-by, and perhaps it is all the better for it.
Walking up, we are greeted by a profusion of red murals alongside one wall. The illustrations are whimsical, done by the local artist Poco, but a closer inspection reveals another layer of commentary.
If you can read Chinese, there are not-so-hidden messages in some of these murals, declaring that the owner is far from handsome and warning that the food probably won’t taste good. Perhaps reverse psychology in action, as some form of hypnotic suggestion before one peruses the menu?
(Were the owner British, one might just consider this yet another example of that country’s famous self-deprecation — but as far as I know, Airplane Mode Coffee’s owner is proudly Malaysian.)
Does it count as false modesty if one disparages oneself at one’s own doorstep? I wager this is more the case of a wicked sense of humour: a good sign for what awaits within.
Pushing the wooden sliding door aside, we are welcomed by a most comforting atmosphere. The Japanese influenced, izakaya style interior of the café transports one back to old school diners in Tokyo.
(This is not entirely unintentional; Airplane Mode Coffee shares the space with Oreno Shokuji. After 6pm, the café transforms into an actual izakaya run by the latter.)
Yet it only hints at what to expect from the menu. Besides the bestselling Charcoal Grilled Pork Belly Rice Bowl, there are other donburi such as Miso Butter Mushroom Rice Bowl and Salmon Shioyaki Rice Bowl.
Sweet treats include a trio of Swiss rolls (Osmanthus Jelly, Black Sesame with Mochi, and Pandan Kaya) and the fusion style Apom French Toast that pairs a thick-cut sourdough Hainanese toast with a nostalgic filling of peanut butter and sweet corn.
Let’s not forget the coffee; a barista of Sing Thong’s experience (over a decade in the business) calls for a cuppa to start, even as you debate which rice bowl to order. His milk coffee is as delicately foamed as ever, the latte art simple yet skillful.
While we wait for our food to arrive, we admire the café’s walls. These are adorned with more of the striking red murals of cats.
Look closely at the one on the feature wall of the tatami seating area (no actual tatami mats but the concept is similar; remove your shoes before stepping onto the raised platform).
It’s a witty critique on the Japanese practice of nyotaimori or “body sushi” — except the body in question is the furry belly of yet another cat!
Just like its owner, Airplane Mode Coffee has an easygoing nature. We opt to “upgrade” the shredded chicken in our Scallion Oil Noodles with a side of their signature chasiu.
You can never have too much of a good thing, you see.
Indeed, one can rhapsodise for hours about the tender ajitsuke tamago (the aforementioned marinated soft boiled egg); perhaps just the one is never enough. Order another, from the Sides selection in the menu, yes?
Effusing aside, eventually we are done with our meal, the dishes cleared away. Yet there is still something that calls upon us to linger.
The lunch crowd has departed so the entire ambience of the café has altered once more. No more midday rush hour, it’s now a more contemplative time.
I slowly walk to the edge of the raised platform and my feet into my shoes once more. Head over to the counter and peruse the beans Sing Thong has on hand, a mix of local and foreign roasters.
He still remembers the flavour profile I prefer and recommends the appropriate beans. It’s always good to trust your barista; they know best.
Returning to the tatami area, we continue chatting until Sing Thong appears with the hand brewed filter coffee. After a satisfying meal, this is the best sort of cuppa to slowly sip and take it all in —
How fortunate we are, to be in this place, here and now, in each other’s company, enjoying good food and coffee!
— and to disconnect and relax. The day’s trials and tribulations can wait a little longer.
For now, we only need to remain in the present and experience the moment, our phones and our souls in airplane mode.
Airplane Mode Coffee
9A, 1, Jalan SS 4C/5, Taman Rasa Sayang, PJ
Open daily (except Wed closed) 9am-6pm
IG: instagram.com/airplanemode_coffee/
FB: facebook.com/airplanemodecoffee/
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