KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — The soft and fluffy white milk bread. An ultra eggy filling of hard-boiled eggs enveloped by mashed-egg-and-mayo. A side of leafy greens and herbs dressed minimally with balsamic vinegar and some caramel shards.

Take a bite of this lovely Japanese style Egg Sando and you’d be forgiven if you thought you were in a sunlit café in Tokyo.

We certainly had the same thought when we enjoyed this simple but tasty tamago sando at Liminal, a café in the quieter part of Taman Taynton View in Cheras. Further away from the main row of food shops and closer to the offices.

Which is part of the draw: escaping the traffic and the noise of cars where most folks jostle for parking bays; avoiding the lunchtime rush of those seeking their beef noodles, Hakka yong tau foo and Hakka yong tau foo.

The shop’s cheerful and plant-filled environment is welcoming, but more so the greeting from its proprietor Adrienne Cho. This secluded bakery-café is a true labour of love, born out of her passion for baking.

The shop’s cheerful and plant-filled environment. — Picture by CK Lim
The shop’s cheerful and plant-filled environment. — Picture by CK Lim

Indeed everything is made in-house including the pillowy Japanese-inspired milk bread (known as shokupan) used for the aforementioned Egg Sando.

What’s more, Liminal is a family-run business; Cho is joined by her husband Timothy Lee and her sister-in-law Phoebe Lee. So there is a sense of everything being made from scratch and crafted with care.

The baked goodies at Liminal rotate every week so that’s an extra reason to drop by often to try different treats, from the Cinnamon Morning Bun and Cempedak Loaf to irresistible doughnuts (with flavours such as Tiramisu, Hot Chocolate, Osmathus and Matcha Mungbean).

Drinks-wise, the house signature is their Atomic Coffee, a restorative blend of a freshly pulled espresso shot with tonic water. A citrusy foam completes the beverage, designed to help one chill out during hot afternoons.

You could also try their Lime Matcha Tonic, a mix of yuri matcha and elderflower syrup with a twist of lime, or the refreshing Watermelon Lemonade.

Given that Liminal also offers hand-brewed coffee, that’s a must for anyone who is a fan of single origin pour-overs. With a rotating menu of beans by different roasters (choices included One Half Roastery and Curate Coffee Roasters when we visited), there’s bound to be something you’d like.

Atomic Coffee (left). Hand-brewed coffee with beans by One Half Roastery (right). — Picture by CK Lim
Atomic Coffee (left). Hand-brewed coffee with beans by One Half Roastery (right). — Picture by CK Lim

Besides the Egg Sando, we also tried the Roasted Red Pepper Sourdough Grilled Cheese. Here the highlight is less of the melted cheese filling and more of the crusty sourdough bread itself, which has flecks of coarsely chopped roasted red peppers throughout.

Roasted Red Pepper Sourdough Grilled Cheese. — Picture by CK Lim
Roasted Red Pepper Sourdough Grilled Cheese. — Picture by CK Lim

This adds a savoury-sweet counterpoint to the acidic tang of the sourdough sandwich, and prevents the rich cheese from being too cloying.

A minor detail, perhaps, but one that elevates the entire experience at Liminal: nothing is overly sweet or strong in flavour. Every item on the menu has a gentle nature, if you will, perhaps informed by the owners and the staff.

As I ordered another coffee (a flat white this time, served in another of their charming Loveramics x Dale Harris cups), I decided it would be nice to pair this with a couple of lighter bites.

Liminal makes very good cream puffs with fillings such as Coffee, Chocolate Hazelnut, Lemon Curd and Matcha; we opted for the not-too-sinful Salted Caramel Cream Puff.

Salted Caramel Cream Puff. — Picture by CK Lim
Salted Caramel Cream Puff. — Picture by CK Lim

We also had a slice of their Espresso Marble Loaf Cake – redolent of dark chocolate espresso and buttery vanilla. The Matcha Mango Crumble Loaf Cake is another favourite with regulars.

Espresso Marble Loaf Cake. — Picture by CK Lim
Espresso Marble Loaf Cake. — Picture by CK Lim

Of course, those with a predilection for FOMO might find Liminal’s limited run bakes fascinating. One recent surprise was their Gochujang Cheese Rolls, which are loaded with Pavé d’Isigny cheese, spring onions, fiery gochujang and a soy honey butter glaze.

I am still waiting for the return of their Upside Down Peanut Butter Banana Bars. Patience is a virtue (or so I have heard) but it certainly doesn’t hurt to pay Liminal a visit to see what tickles your fancy.

Liminal

72, Jalan 30A/119, Taman Taynton View, Cheras, KL

Open Thu-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1-4pm, Mon-Wed closed

Phone: 012-927 2523

IG: https://www.instagram.com/liminal.kl/

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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