Hey, Charming!
About a week ago, I found myself reminiscing about my past holiday in Bali, Indonesia. I could picture the island clearly in my mind's eye. The warm, radiant sun shining down on my shoulders, fine sand beneath the soles of my feet, and the smell of sea breeze so sticky and salty at the same time, as if these sights and sounds were yesterday's happenings.
Rather than indulging the memory and risk suffering from post-travel blues, I took it as a cue to launch an Internet search for cafes around the Klang Valley/KL area that channeled tropical, beach vibes.
It didn't take too long before I came across If Only.
Opened in September last year, this standalone cafe-restaurant markets itself as the place for wholesome comfort food, specialty coffee with an indoor palm tree on their social media.
If Only rates at 4.1 stars on Google Reviews
We made reservations in advance, knowing the place would be fully booked, especially during the weekends.
While we did predict the crowds, we failed to anticipate the limited parking space surrounding the cafe compounds. Parking is truly a horrible ordeal there. Despite the minor bummer, we were greeted warmly by the servers at If Only who was quick to provide us with a scan code to browse their virtual menu (A+ for service), consisting of a variety of local and Western delights, including Malaysian favourites such as keropok lekor (crispy fish sausages) and kaya balls.
Menu courtesy of @ifonlykl
As first-timers, we decided it would only be fitting to go big and splurge on food/drinks to enjoy the full dining experience. Hence, we got ourselves the If Only Big Breakfast Was This Big (RM38), a MANA smoothie bowl (RM20), keropok lekor (RM15) for sharing, and a cup of hot latte for myself, to wash it all down.
To note: Portion sizes here are reasonably large and so it might work better to order to share amongst friends.
Overall, the food and drinks were pleasant, slightly better than average but on the pricier side.
My personal favourite was the charred corn and cucumber salsa that was part of the big breakfast set.
I thought it lent a nice touch of acidity to the dish, and because of that, it was oh so yummy ~
Bright food plating to cheer the soul
Food and drinks aside, If Only did well to meet its goal of transporting guests to the tropics through its tastefully curated interior and exterior. With beautiful, lush ferns and potted plants adorning every inch and corner of space and traditional rattan drop pendant lightings hanging low from whitewashed ceilings, everything about this cafe-restaurant ooze with Balinese flavours.
Each space/room at If Only carries a different mood
What's more, the cafe-restaurant makes a great place for hosting functions and parties as If Only has several dedicated rooms that can cater to various group sizes depending on your occasion but make sure you call first to make a reservation.
For those interested in grabbing a quick photo, there are also multiple instagrammable spots around the cafe grounds worth exploring.
All in all, If Only's chilled-out environment and satisfying meals make it a good spot for gatherings of any occasion. While it may be CMCO at the moment in Selangor/KL, it's worth keeping this cafe restaurant on your to-go-list once things get better. In the meantime, #stayhomestaysafe!
Rating: 4.1/5
That's it for today. Until next time! :)
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