pickle & fig, ttdi

pickle & fig means two things for me. 

o1. one of the listed top 2o must-try coffee places in kl visited by says.com.

o2. mission o3: brunch edition. 

pickle & fig's idea is simple - summarized in three words:

cafe. panini. smoothie. 

and it was exactly that, plus some.
but where were the pickles and figs?

minimalist is their approach to its industrial chic decor but was lacking accent pieces to bring completeness to its theme: in fact, slightly TOO minimalist/simplistic: a concrete space (both walls & floor) + wooden pieces/furniture + cushioned benches with comfy pillows + industrial lighting pieces.

our late morning brunch visit left us spoiled for seating options since it was a quiet morning for them. there were even a couple of patio seating if you fancy the warm ambiance outside. i quickly picked the one with the cushioned benches, which also gave me a great view of their huge artfully written chalkboard menu, that gave the space a punctuation of green and some character to the petite establishment - a contrast to the otherwise monotonous grey, black and wooden space.

a selection of fruit smoothies dominated the chalkboard on top of choices of hot pressed panini, cold sandwiches and fresh salads. there were a couple of other snack bites and 2 "others" for those who are not in the mood for bread: traditional fish & chips as well as carbonara pasta. its hearty and healthy selection of sandwiches was a lovely departure from the typical brunch cafes.

once you've selected food and beverages desired, head over to the counter to place your order. oh, it's cash terms only! 

it was only that after i've paid for my food that i realized there was a monthly specials menu next to the cash register, with po' boy occupying the top half - i wished i could have tried their rendition of the famous southern favorite from {rmc}'s home state, lousiana, to see if they could do the sub justice.

coffee :: latte (rm 8) & cappuccino (rm 8)

cappuccino for me, please!

sometimes, i like to ummm.. mix things up... hehe.

i know, latte and cappuccino are essentially the same with the exception of the thick layer of foam. 

lo and behold! 

it was a pretty good rendition of the espresso + hot milk combination that resulted to a creamy cuppa with light bitterness of the espresso, which i enjoyed but towards the end of the sip, i pursed my lips from the deep bitterness of the foam that lingered unpleasantly for a short moment. 

"sigh..so close."

even so, it was one of the better brews i've had.  

the intricate coffee art alongside the distinct layers of the coffee and foam held so much promise but {hr}'s comment: average.

cold gourmet sandwiches :: smoked salmon and cream cheese | smoked salmon, capers, chives cream cheese, lemon tarragon mayo and mixed greens on focaccia (rm19)

yes, i will not deny it.
i have an affinity for raw salmon, be it smoked, brined or sashimi.
and it's blatantly obvious that i do.

to match its decor, pickle & fig serve the sandwich on a metal sheet tray lined with wax paper, with sides of fried potato wedges and a tiny side salad. the side salad was leafs of lettuce tossed in a honey balsamic vinaigrette. to call it a full sandwich would be unrepresentative. a decent amount of fresh salmon slices, lightly cured when tasted on its own, smeared liberally with the tarragon mayo and sprinkled with briny capers.

alas, 'twas was the day where the herb called tarragon that conquered and overpowered sandwich-ville with the spicy, sweet anise aroma that were much too stronger than the rest of the ingredients. the cream cheese was cowering behind the mayo that i couldn't taste much of the tangy cheese-like fullness. while the focaccia bread, well, i wish it took on a more chewy texture.

i have to commend the presence of the wedges, who came to the rescue and stole the show. {hr} seconded my views of this starch greatness. :) still warm in its crispy jacket, the potato wedges were cooked to perfection with the insides soft and seasoned aptly with salt, pepper and spices.

hot pressed panini :: rotkraut pastrami | beef pastrami, rotkraut, mozzarella, russian dressing, infused oil on wholemeal or white bread (rm 19)

rotkraut is a new term for me. apparently, it is the sister to sauerkraut where the former is made out of red cabbage and the latter with white. of german origins, these two are finely cut cabbage (either white or red) fermented and hence it's directly translated to sour cabbage.

an interpretation of the classic reuben where its main ingredients are corned beef, swiss cheese, russian dressing and sauerkraut stacked between two slices of rye bread, the rotkraut pastrami mimicked with minor differences.

the cheese was melted beautifully with toasted, crispy bread. i understood {hr}'s sentiments of the panini which was good but not close to being his favorite when he was sharing his reminiscence of the fantastic delicatessens in NYC and the abundance of the thinly shaved, smoked corned beef surpassed this local interpretation, at least twofold. {hr} would have loved a bit more zing, which was lacking in the rotkraut and smokiness of the meat in the sandwich too.

one of the drawbacks was the size of the sandwiches was barely enough to satiate our hungry bellies, something we were hoping for its price tag. perhaps the lunch crowd had a different view as they poured in and filled the cafe despite the slow start in the morning.

pickle & fig gathers and offers sandwich favorites with classic flavor pairings, both hot and cold. and the smoothies. and the coffee.  just as they've promised.

and oh, yes. i am still searching for the pickles and the figs.

pickle&fig | location

26, jln tun mohd fuad 2,
taman tun dr. ismail,
6ooooo kuala lumpur

disclaimer this is written based on personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.