半刻 Ban Ke Cafe @ Happy Mansion — Restaurant in Petaling Jaya

📍 半刻 Ban Ke Cafe @ Happy Mansion

Picture this: a charming, two-story cafe in the friendly neighborhood of Happy Mansion, Ban Ke Cafe, where every visit feels like a warm, cozy hug. 🥰 As we stepped inside, the cafe's minimalistic decor and inviting ambiance immediately transported us to a food lover's paradise. 😍Our adventure at Ban Ke Cafe began with a bustling lunch crowd, a testament to its popularity among locals.

Now, let's dive into the foodie wonderland that takes the spotlight. 😋 They take their ingredients seriously, and it's evident in every bite.🤤 While we decided to skip the lunch set, the sight of their enticing promotion made us do a double-take. Affordable and tempting, it's a great option for those looking for a quick, satisfying meal. 👍🏻

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱: 𝟭. 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗹𝗲 𝟮. 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗝𝗮𝘃𝗮 𝟲𝟬% (𝗛𝗼𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲) 𝟯. 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗽 𝟰. 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟱. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗺𝘀 & 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝟲. 𝗦𝗺𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗯𝗯𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲

The food, oh the food! Ban Ke Cafe knows how to satisfy cravings. Whether you're in the mood for Western delights, hearty rice bowls, mouthwatering pastas, or the freshly made buttery croffles, you're in for a treat. 🤩 The portions are so generous that you might want to bring a friend (or two) to help you conquer the deliciousness. 🤭

We embarked on a culinary journey, sampling a variety of dishes. Each bite was a burst of flavor, a symphony of taste that left us yearning for more. The rice bowls were the stars of the show, a harmonious blend of ingredients that danced on our taste buds. 🤤🍚

Ah, but the sweet journey at Ban Ke Cafe didn't stop with the main courses! Their dessert selection is a slice of heaven. During our visit, we couldn't resist the temptation of their delightful cakes. Our taste buds danced with joy as we savored the Nutella chocolate cake, a sinfully delicious treat that left us craving more. 🌰🍰

But that wasn't the end of our dessert adventure. We embarked on a decadent voyage with the dark chocolate croffle. Imagine a buttery croffle topped with caramelized banana and a scoop of indulgent chocolate gelato ice cream. It was pure sweetness overload! 🍫 Super sweet, indeed, but also a delightful indulgence for anyone with a sweet tooth. 🍨🥐

Ban Ke Cafe knows how to satisfy every craving, whether you're in the mood for savory delights or a sugar rush of desserts.🙆🏻‍♀️ It's a place where culinary dreams come true, and we left with a sugar high smiles on our faces, vowing to return for more sweet adventures in the future. 😃

Ban Ke Cafe isn't just a cafe; it's a foodie's fantasy come true. Great food, friendly service, and an ambiance that says, "stay awhile." ❤️Whether you're up for a quick bite, a leisurely feast, or a cozy study session with a cup of Joe in hand, Ban Ke Cafe has got you covered. ☕️We left with satisfied hearts and full bellies, already planning our next tasty adventure at this...

Aesthetics and environment? Great. Service? Average. But let’s talk about the food, because that’s where the real story begins.

Squid Ink Pasta – 3.5/5

I see "squid ink pasta," I expect a deep, rich, squid ink sauce—not just squid ink-colored dough. What a disappointment. The pasta itself? Good. Savory, a nice kick of spice, garlicky, and loaded with seafood. The scallops? Small, but passable. But where’s the squid ink sauce? It tasted like regular pasta! It’s like being promised a Ferrari and getting a bicycle with a red paint job.

Pistachio Pain Suisse – 4.35/5

This was nearly perfect. Buttery, flaky, so delicate it practically crumbles at a touch—maybe too flaky. But the pistachio filling? Absolute heaven. Pure pistachio flavor, undiluted, uncorrupted. Finally, something that actually delivers.

Abalone Mushroom Sandwich – 4/5 (Fries – 3.4/5)

First, the fries—crispy, crunchy, perfect texture, but someone got too happy with the salt, slightly oversalted. Now, the sandwich—fried mushrooms? Beautiful. Toasted bread? Spot on. Fresh vegetables? Great. But then… a cheap fast-food cheese sauce? Seriously? You’ve got quality ingredients, and you drown it in that? Use an aioli or a proper cheese sauce—anything but that sad excuse for a sauce.

Cajun Salmon – 2.8/5

Based on the menu picture, I expected a creamy Cajun sauce. What did I get? A tomato-based sauce that was bang average. The vegetables? Wrong selection. The salad? Just plain lettuce and tomatoes—no dressing, no effort. And the salmon? Seared okay but completely bland—did you forget the seasoning? I should’ve taken the salt from those oversalted fries (from the sandwich) and done it myself! The only saving grace? The mashed potatoes—seasoned well but a little dry. A letdown from start to finish.

Fish & Chips – 4/5

The fish? Flaky, succulent, beautifully fried—finally, something they know how to do. The tartar sauce? Basic. But RM28 for tilapia? TILAPIA? If you’re charging that much, give me a proper fish, not the cheapest one available. Decent execution, but overpriced.

Buffalo Wings – 3/5

Crispy? Yes. Fried well? Yes. But the sauce? Where’s the vinegar-based, spicy kick that makes buffalo wings what they are? Instead, I got a sweet, tomato-based sauce. That’s NOT buffalo sauce. Call it something else, because this was misleading and disappointing.

Final Verdict

There’s potential, but execution is inconsistent. Some dishes shine, others completely miss the mark.

Overall Food 3.5/5 Service...

It was a very unpleasant experience with the service and food at Ban Ke Cafe. It happens since I stepped into the restaurant for a first time. I was in a rush for a meeting, the moment we went into the restaurant I stood infront of the counter and checked on the menu. I thought that I could quickly make an order to shorten the ordering process, but no one was there and no one realised we were there until we asked to make an order. The staff then told us to scan the QR code on any table we want to sit (not friendly).

We then scanned the QR code and we made some orders, one of them is mushroom Chee Cheng fun, with an indication of no minced meat. After the food served and while we are eating half way, we noticed that some ingredients look like chicken in the food. We quickly inform the service crew, but they did not apologise immediately yet questioned if we have mentioned anything when making orders.

The staffs are obviously undertrained and attitude are not appropriate. When we are paying for the bill, one of the staff said “so we do not charge you for the Chee Cheng Fun”. I don’t think it’s the matter of paying for the Chee Cheong Fun, but it’s all about trust and manners we are expected from...