Ching Ching by Pandan Republic — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

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I recently visited Ching Ching by Pandan Republic, a charming cafe tucked away in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, and I immediately felt welcomed. As soon as I walked in, I was met with warm, cheerful decor and friendly smiles from the staff. The place felt cozy and inviting, with soft lighting and comfy chairs that made it easy to relax. Everything about the cafe’s ambience was so welcoming and relaxing – it was a great escape from the busy streets outside. I truly felt at home the moment I sat down.

I tried their hawthorn berries drink, and it was absolutely refreshing and enjoyable. It arrived ice-cold in a tall glass and had a lovely balance of sweet and tangy flavors. Each sip was bursting with fruity, tart goodness, making it the perfect thirst-quencher on a warm day. You could really taste the fresh quality of the hawthorn berries in every swallow. I genuinely loved it and savored every sip – it was a special treat that left me feeling energized and happy.

Next, I had a slice of their pandan cake, and wow – it was fresh and absolutely delicious. The cake was moist and fluffy, with a beautiful pandan aroma that reminded me of traditional homemade desserts. Each bite melted in my mouth, and the pandan flavor was strong and authentic without being too sweet. It was clear the cake was baked that day – it tasted that fresh. The combination of the fluffy pandan cake with the refreshing hawthorn drink was absolutely delightful and satisfying.

Overall, I had a truly lovely experience at Ching Ching by Pandan Republic. The fantastic drinks and food, along with the cozy, welcoming environment, made for a very enjoyable visit. I left feeling completely satisfied and happy. The staff were warm and attentive, the hawthorn drink was so refreshing, the pandan cake was delicious, and the whole ambience was just perfect. I would highly recommend this cafe to anyone looking for a warm, relaxing spot with great Malaysian-inspired treats. I can’t wait to return for another delicious pandan cake and refreshing...

Hipster Cafe that also serves traditional food...

The home minister told me that Pandan Republic is opened by a local Chinese DJ as I pushed the door open. Truth be told, DJ is nowhere to be seen (most likely she still keeps her day job) but the team made our visit welcoming that day. This cafe is located along the same road where the insanely popular Kwai Chai Hong is located, a popular tourist attraction in Chinatown KL.

Fact - I never go downtown let alone dine in this area especially on weekends, unless I had no choice. The sight of people queueing up under scorching sun just to dine is a big No No for me.

The exterior of this shop is quite bright and attractive - it's really hard to miss the yellow & white wall + the blue door as you are busy clicking away here nearby. There are limited tables downstairs but first floor if where you enjoy your food & drink away.

◾San Gu's Hakka Lei Cha 三姑客家擂茶 - available only from Monday to Friday. As a Hakka boy, I commended their effort - ingredients were freshly made but it's be better if the soup was slightly thicker. I like my soup to be POWERFUL! I guess everyone has their own style of preparing this tedious traditional Hakka dish. ◾ginger gula Melaka - one of their signature soda drinks with homemade bentong ginger & gula melaka concoctions. ◾Pandan Layer Cake - their best seller! Bought 2 pieces on the go, or in my own words "tapao"... One whacked while on our way home and another one for the elderly. I could say that this is definitely one of the better pandan layer cakes in the market.

Some of the other items that caught my attention will be Pandan Coconut soft serve, Pandan Gula Melaka cheesecake and their Spicy sambal...

Food : 2/5 Only tried the pandan ice cream. The singular, minuscule cookie on top was honestly the best part of the entire thing! Pandan flavour was strong, I’ll give it that, but the ice cream itself was way too sweet— it left a soreness in my throat at the very end. Not to mention how horribly overpriced it is for such a small portion. Would not recommend unless you have extra money to spend for something you can get similar in a convenience shop!

Service : 1/5 I arrived with my family of 4, and when I tried to order 2 for us to share with our children, they told us we had to get one menu item for each person?! Which is absolutely unheard of! What if somebody (full from eating beforehand) was accompanying their friend who wanted to try it by themselves? That’s only one example for how outrageous the rule is. I was about to leave, but my husband wanted to try the pandan ice cream. He had to bargain with them for so long for them to agree to only let us order two! The young girl with a wolfcut also seemed so impatient with our family when we were ordering. It irked me so much!

Deco : 2/5 Stairs to the second floor were extremely creaky and small. Dangerous to old folks and children! Each step was smaller than the size of my foot. The floor of the second story was also super rocky and shook every time somebody was walking on it. Extremely cramped! I admit the exterior is cute, but don’t let it fool you!

Overall : 1/5 Food wasn’t satisfactory, service was awful, and deco was a honest safety hazard! Would not return ever again, but it was a good experience...