Clato – Jazz Cafe TTDI

Clato – Jazz Cafe TTDI

Words: Jacob Weber
Photos: Han Sen Hau

Easy like a Sunday morning … and there ain’t many Sunday mornings easier than sitting down to a luscious breakfast with a live jazz soundtrack. Lionel Richie himself would approve.

Clato is a new cafe in TTDI that occupies the top floor of Delia Wines & Bistro, a cosy French-style restaurant known for its Continental comfort food and traditional, rustic set-up. Although Clato rents the upstairs space from the well-known wine specialist, all the ingredients they use come from halal suppliers.

The live jazz (9- 11 am Saturdays & Sundays; alternate weekends) is the brainchild of Basyir, a passionate barista and ‘coffee competitor’ who used to work downstairs with Monsieur Laurent before opening this space after a short stint in Singapore. Basyir wants his guests to enjoy the live jazz experience without all the formality (and expense) of going to a bar in the evenings. And we’re certainly enjoying this.

The two-piece piano-and-saxophone ensemble serenades us as we sit under the massive skylight, basking in the morning sun and feeling very content. It’s busy, but not crowded — just the right amount of atmosphere and ambience without being loud or overwhelming. Clato hasn’t been open long, but there’s already a buzz around the place.

And it’s just not the jazz that’s drawing a crowd. Clato’s breakfast menu boasts classic brunch favourites, sweet breakfast treats and — unsurprisingly, given Basyir’s background — great coffee.

We start by sampling a selection of the house beverages. You Had Me at Matcha (RM20), a blend of pure coconut water topped with matcha-infused cold foam. We all like this very much; it’s light and herbaceous, slightly sweet and smooth, and very well-balanced. The Fredo Cappuccino (RM16) — cold espresso topped with creamy cold foam — is also a favourite, with its creamy texture and sweet finish.

Seb’s Favourite (RM17) will raise a few eyebrows but will doubtlessly win some hearts; the combination of espresso, pineapple juice, spiced rumbullion syrup, and a splash of lime juice is certainly an interesting one. Speaking of pineapple, that’s the Fresh Juice of the Day (RM16) today, and fresh and sweet and delicious it is indeed.

Next up, some sandwiches — all made with freshly baked bread delivered daily from Yeast. The Rendang Melt (RM27) is outstanding, with beautifully slow-cooked beef rendang, caramelised onions and melted Emmental cheese in soft milk bread. It’s perfectly seasoned, leaving a tingle on the tongue without being too spicy for a breakfast dish.

You can have the Tuna Mimosa (RM25) on baguette or sourdough bread; we choose the baguette, which is perfectly crispy and crunchy. The tuna and egg mayo is seasoned with an in-house blend of special herbs, and it’s very good.

Vegetarians (and many others) will appreciate the Egg Mayo (RM22), also on either sourdough or baguette; the egg mixed with homemade mayo, mustard and fresh chives gives this humble dish a touch of quality.

The Clato Big Breakfast (RM27) arrives, and it lives up to its name. Chicken sausage, beef bacon, sautéed mushrooms, a giant hashbrown, beans (or mashed potato), toasted sourdough bread, and your choice of eggs. We choose scrambled, and they’re perfectly fluffy. It’s just the ticket for a Sunday morning (or any morning you should find yourself here).

We make the transition to the Pancakes menu with a sweet-and-savoury combination that’s more American than French: Egg & Beef Bacon Pancakes (RM22). We appreciate the generous serving of beef bacon and the runny, sunny-side-up egg.

To finish, we have the Caramelised Banana Pancakes (RM15), which are excellent, generous, thick and fluffy without being dry or difficult to chew. The caramelised banana topping is sweet with being overindulgent, and finished with a drizzle of maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Finally, a few classic coffees. The house blend changes every week, imported from Indonesia (Flores) and Chiang Mai (Thailand) and roasted locally. All coffees are espresso-based; no filter option yet, although that could change in the near future. I have a Flat White (RM13) and make my way home feeling very satisfied indeed, still tapping my toes to the sound of that saxophone.

Reasons to visit Clato TTDI: charming and cosy setting with great natural daylight; live jazz music at weekends; excellent coffee; halal-ingredient menu.

Clato TTDI
First Floor, 15, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 7
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
(above Delia Bistro)
Link to Clato on Google Maps
@clato.kl

Clato TTDI Opening Hours
Wednesday – Monday: 7 am -1 pm
Tuesdays: Closed

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