I was served the Orange Rum Latte while waiting for Dennis Kwong, one of the three partners in New Black, to tell me about their coffees. Sam Kwong, the other partner, made me the ‘special order’ latte, which smells citrusy but is creamy on the tongue. I felt content. After all, what’s better than a good cuppa that relaxes and soothes your senses after a hard day of rushing around trying to get your work done?

The café is decorated with the work of artists who are friends of the owners. Wooden boards with calligraphy or graphics are placed beside the entrance door, like shop signs not yet hung up, and on the walls behind the tables and chairs. Sans carpet or any fancy wallpaper, the café has a very raw feel, with furniture of different designs arranged across the room.

Sam, previously a marketing manager for a local company, said that the café is a place to meet people, mingle and talk about common interests. In New Black, art is the opening topic; art talks presented by local and foreign artists are often held.  

“Conversation is easier when you have a common interest. In Malaysia, we lack the experience and knowledge to hold meaningful discussions,” said Sam. Dennis has backpacked around many cities in Europe and found that cafés were the places to meet and hold discussions; Sam and Dennis hope to bring the same to the Malaysia coffee culture.

New Black imports fresh beans and roasts them in-house. It serves single blend coffees, but strongly promote their specialty blends which change every month. The specialty blends are combined with less common but higher grade beans from Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Honduras, Kenya, Malaysia, Columbia and Ethiopia.

Apart from using their La Marzocco espresso machine for cappuccinos and lattes, which still are the most popular orders in the café, New Back also serve their coffee in syphon / vacuum pots, paper drip and flannel styles. You can choose to let the servers make the coffee at your table or make your own cup using their equipment. Sometimes if you are adventurous and enthusiastic about coffee, Daniel will show you part of his coffee paraphernalia collection from his travels, to show you how coffee is brewed in other parts of the world.

I have been here several times and I have never been disappointed with their cakes. They change the flavours every time and you never know what to expect, but all of them go well with coffee.