Tucked within the grounds of Mahsa Avenue in Petaling Jaya, Pokok KL is still hot on the list of most Instagrammable cafes, despite having opened over a year ago. The cafe is housed in a quaint brick and glass building, with floor to ceiling glass windows that allow for plenty of natural sunlight to filter in. Add to that an avenue of shady trees leading up to the place, and you have yourself a picturesque scene.
Despite going early on a weekday, we still had to wait for a good 20 minutes to be seated. It was pretty warm so we didn’t want to sit al fresco, but if you don’t mind the heat, there is an outdoor patio where you can sit underneath the trees.
And here’s a quick video! 🙂 I’ve been trying to make more short and sweet vids – please subscribe to my Youtube channel if you’d like to see more!
The inside is air-conditioned, but it can also get a little warm when sunlight hits your table. The design is an eclectic mix of rustic and modern,
Orders are made at the counter. The cafe serves a selection of Eastern and Western dishes, from pastas and burgers to rice and noodles. There is also coffee, and cakes of the day.
Our orders came to the table fast. Was still feeling full after a heavy breakfast, so I opted for a Mushroom Soup with Truffle Oil (RM15), thinking it’d be light. The serving was actually quite hearty, with two slices of bread. This wasn’t the instant stuff either – you can feel the texture and bits of mushroom within.
Fun fact: Truffle oil does not contain any truffle, and is actually made from synthetic compounds. They do a pretty good job at emulating that earthy, slightly funky taste of truffles though.. or maybe that’s just my messed up taste buds.
Editor had Nasi Lemak (RM18). You can choose either chicken or beef. Rather than stringy rendang, the beef served at Pokok is cut into chunks and cooked until tender. I liked it, although it wasn’t to Ed’s taste. She also didn’t like the stir-fried vegetables that came with the dish, as it was rather unusual as an accompaniment to nasi lemak.
For drinks, Ed had a mocha and I had the Rose Latte (non-caffeinated). It turned out to be strawberry soy milk so I was kind of disappointed because I was expecting something like rose milk.
Also bought an apam balik cupcake (RM5) as a teatime snack in the office. The buttercream on top was tasteless and cloying, but the cupcake itself was alright.
The food at Pokok is decent, but then again we’ve only tried a couple of items and looking at the wait and steep prices, I don’t think I’d make a return visit. There are many other cafes out there with better ambience and more affordable prices.
POKOK KL
HALAL.
MAHSA Avenue, Block B, Jalan Elmu, off, Jalan Universiti, 59100, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: 9AM – 9PM
Eris Goes To 
This cafe design is pretty hot as well today in big cities in Indonesia. And, yeah, you know, it appeals to those who want to upload something on Instagram. But, since we’re in the tropics, I guess such cafe is not gonna be a comfy venue for lunch, is it?
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I dont think its a place to chill because it gets hot and crowded – if you dont vacate your seat quickly after a meal the people in line would stare daggers at you lol. There are a lot of these cafes and at times it gets so packed it really isnt enjoyable anymore 😅
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