COCONUTS HOT SPOT — Who is Juan Valdez?
Juan Valdez is actually a fictional character, who represents an association of coffee growers in Colombia.
Only coffee beans that are grown and harvested in Colombia come under the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia and it is this character that inspired the setting up of the Juan Valdez Cafe in Colombia.
Its first coffeehouse was established in 2002 in Bogota and since then, the Juan Valdez Cafe chain has expanded globally with more than 300 cafes.
Juan Valdez Cafe at The Intermark is the first in Kuala Lumpur and has been a hit with coffee connoisseurs here.
The cafe oozes rustic charm; the earthy tones of the walls, floor and ceiling were perfect to host the tasteful posters, paintings and art items, all of which depict the history and culture of Colombian coffee.
Juan Valdez uses beans from the Colombian coffee regions of Huila, Cauca, Antioquia & Santander and you can choose to have it brewed in different methods: syphon, French press, chemex or dripper V60.
As a lover of black coffee, I just had to start off with their Tinto prepared cold drip-style. It’s a typical Columbian preparation — softer flavour compared to the regular espresso.
I also tried the Tinto Classic Campesino drunk in the traditional Columbian way with syrup made with lemon, cinnamon, cloves and Colombian sugarcane (panela). I liked its unique nuances and it is excellent with desserts.
If you love strong, intense coffee, then the Antioquia is for you. It is best brewed by the Chemex method, which worked very well with the sun-dried coffee beans. Although very intense in flavour, it left a light trail of herbal and fruity notes on the palate.
Besides coffee, the cafe serves a good selection of sandwiches, tapas, pasta, soup and desserts.
Don’t miss their special Juan Valdez 7 made up of layers of refried beans, taco seasonings, sour cream, guacamole salsa, lettuce, cheese, sliced olives and tomatoes accompanied by tortilla chips!
Juan Valdez’ Coffee Tiramisu is one of their signature desserts and it goes very well with just about any of their coffees.
JUAN VALDEZ CAFE
Ground Floor, The Intermark
348 Jalan Tun Razak
Kuala Lumpur
Chris Wan also blogs at Pure Glutton.
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