I got to know this place from KF Chan after my 2nd gathering with coffee enthusiasts at Coffee Ritual @ SS14, PJ. I will post on Coffee Ritual too in the week.

As I was attending a kitchen boot camp at The Cooking House @ Desa Sri Hartamas last Sat and for the coming Sats, it is very convenient for me to check out this place at just the nearby Sri Hartamas Shopping Centre.

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This place is located inside the shopping centre itself and you can have the address at the end of this write-up.Le Passion Coffee Bar was started a year ago by an Englishman, David and an American, Rick. Both are friendly chaps, so do not be afraid to talk to them. I even get their permissions to take pictures of the setup and toyed with the famous Faema E-61 machine on the counter.

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Le Passion is using a special coffee blend, Tiziano 1919 Reserva Domenico Bristot and it comes in a vacuum tin, just like Illy’s. The problem with this kind of packaging is once opened, the coffees deteriorate very quicky.

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The weight of the tin is 3kg, so unless your cafe bar has high volume of coffee sales, freshness will always be an issue. David told me that a tin will typically run out in 2-3 days, that is why it won’t be too noticeable unless you drink straight espresso just at the end of the freshness curve.

My first order is always espresso. It is the indication whether the coffee is great or poor at that place. My espresso is served in a very aesthically pleasing plate with a slice of biscotti biscuit and a small glass of ice water (infused with lemon).

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But to me, the quality in the cup is far more important. My ratings on the espresso:

• Crema : 3/5 (Thick brown but no tiger stripes)
• Aroma: 2/5 (Light & not over-powering)
• Acidity: 3/5 (Nice acidity. You don’t want sourness)
• Body: 3/5 (Good mouthfeel)
• Sweetneess: 2/5 (I guess it is a darker roast and there’s Robusta content like all Italian blends)
• Balance: 3/5 (For me, it is a more balanced cup than Segafredo’s)
• After taste: 3/5 (The coffee has hints of chocolate at the end and the taste lingers a while in your throat)

My verdict is with a good barista behind the counter, you can get a good shot from a decent blend. *Note: my espresso shot is pulled by a girl. The full-time staffs at Le Passion are all foreigners but they are adequately trained. If not, you can ask David to pull your shot and he shall be more than willing to do that.

The one thing I noticed is David will occasionally check and clean the machine by flushing. By checking periodically on the machine, David can ensure that the machine is in tip-top condition and be ready to be used.

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After drowning my espresso in a few sips, I took the chance to take pictures of the beautifully striking Faema E-61 machine on the counter with the owners’ permission. David even spared me some time to chat on the place.

I later ordered a lemon meringue and a cappucinno. Rick told me that their pastries and cakes are made by a German chef who supplies his delicacies to hotels.

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For the capp, I made it myself by pulling my own shot and microfrothing the milk. Though it is a commercial machine, the basic skills needed is the same. The only difference is commercial machine can brew and steam at the same time and faster by miles.

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Behind the bar, I noticed that there is an aluminium tamper, which is adequate but not tight fit enough or heavy enough. I still prefer stainless stamper as you do not need to tamper so hard until you come off the floors. Also in the setup is a Mahlkoening on-demand grinder, which my Mazzer Mini is no match of.

There’s also one point that is worth me hightlighting is the milk jug is always cleaned and kept in the fridge to ensure the milk is always cold enough before steaming.

The milk used in Le Passion is Farmhouse. It is an Australian milk brand and is the same brand I use at home. This milk brand is more expensive but it is creamier and sweeter when steamed to the sweet spot temperature at 65-70 degree Celcius.

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The lemon meringue I have is also tasty. It is not overly sour and meringue is not too soft or too hard. Overall, I would say Le Passion is  a great place to have a good cup of coffee and relax. If you are not into coffee, you can always opt for English tea.

Where next? I will be checking Providore in Solaris recommended by MW Liu at KF Chan’s blog on the coming Sat.

Le Passion Coffee Bar
K-9, Plaza Ground Floor
Hartamas Shopping Centre
60, Jln Sri Hartamas 1
Sri Hartamas, 50480 KL
Tel: 03-6201 4376

Click here for map and road directions.