Coliseum Cafe & Grill Room @Plaza 33 — Restaurant in Petaling Jaya

Coliseum Cafe @ PJ33, Petaling Jaya attempts to carry the torch of its venerable predecessor, offering a slice of that Hainanese-Western nostalgia in a more modern setting.

Atmosphere: The PJ33 branch, while newer, does make an effort to evoke the classic colonial grillroom feel. You'll find decor that subtly nods to the original's heritage, though perhaps lacking the deeply ingrained character of a century-old establishment. The service often comes with a touch of old-school charm, with polite and experienced waiters creating a welcoming, almost butler-like experience, reminding you of the original's famed service.

Food: The menu largely mirrors the classics that made Coliseum famous. The Hainanese Chicken Chop remains a crowd-pleaser, with its crispy exterior and signature sauce. The sizzling steaks are still a highlight, delivered on hotplates that continue to cook the meat at your table – a fun theatrical element. Dishes like the Oxtail Soup and Baked Crabmeat are also popular choices. While the recipes aim to be faithful, some may find slight variations in consistency compared to the legendary original. The warm bread rolls served at the start of the meal are a beloved tradition.

Overall: Coliseum Cafe in PJ33 offers a pleasant dining experience for those seeking a taste of Malaysian heritage cuisine. It's a good option for families or those looking for a comfortable, unpretentious meal with a historical connection. While it may not possess the exact same "living museum" feel as the original, it successfully carries on the culinary legacy, providing satisfying and familiar flavors in a generally cordial setting. It’s a place where you can enjoy reliable Hainanese-Western comfort food and perhaps reminisce about the golden age of Malaysian dining.

A Glimpse into History: Coliseum Cafe, Kuala Lumpur The Coliseum Cafe in Kuala Lumpur holds a unique and storied place in Malaysia's culinary landscape. Established in 1921 on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (formerly Batu Road), it quickly became a beloved institution, especially among the British colonial officers, planters, miners, and military personnel of the era. More than just an eatery, it was a social hub, a "sanctuary," and a place where tales of old Malaya were undoubtedly shared. Its enduring appeal lies in its distinctive Hainanese-Western cuisine. While serving classic Western dishes, the Hainanese chefs, who once worked in colonial households, infused them with their own unique interpretations, creating a fusion that became the cafe's hallmark. Signature dishes like the sizzling steaks (often served on a hotplate with various sauces), Hainanese Chicken Chop, Oxtail Soup, and Baked Crabmeat became legendary. Over its century-long existence, Coliseum Cafe witnessed significant historical events, including the Malayan Emergency. It earned a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records in 2013 as the "Longest Operating Western Colonial-Themed Restaurant." Even acclaimed writer Somerset Maugham is said to have frequented its bar. While the original Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman branch eventually closed in June 2021, the legacy of Coliseum Cafe lives on through its various branches, including the one in PJ33, aiming to recreate the timeless charm and culinary traditions that defined its...

Service needs significant improvement after a series of errors on a Friday dinner service at 7pm.

Word of advice to future customers, do raise your complaint immediately to the manager in order to rectify a service problem relating to quickness of their food service . Don’t wait for your waiter to deal with the issue as they don’t seem to have any power to act quickly for your table.

Don’t eat here for groups more than 5 people unless you are willing to wait for at least 1hour for food to be served, or Coliseum changes their standard operational procedures for the better.

Our table of 14 was assigned only one waiter. We did not have all the cutlery set out on the table and we needed to ask the waiter several times to get it. Waiter was not proactive to find out how many sets of cutlery were required but simply reactive.

Incorrect drinks order but was rectified

Food served at different times. Some people had finished their meal and others were still waiting. After 1 hour, we were still missing 5 dishes. We informed the waiter then one dish arrived in 10 minutes …however nothing else in the next 10 minutes… we raised a complaint with the manager and the next 4 dishes arrived within 7 minutes later.

We noticed that the kitchen had a very bad system ie table orders called, dishes prepared but waiters just take the dishes to the table without any care which dish is for which table, and timing when the order was taken. So later table orders could be fulfilled earlier depending on which waiter picks up the dish for their table. If your table is assigned a waiter who failed to pick up your order quickly then happy waiting and reminding!

Staff training seriously required for special occasions. We asked the birthday cake to be brought out after our main meals. We expected staff to clear the table before bringing out the birthday cake! The poor manager realised what happened and proceeded to clear the dirty dishes from the table by herself . It’s a pity that she didn’t ask her team to help her so I ended up moving the dirty dishes to one side of the table for her to collect a few times.

The manager apologised but didn’t offer to remove their 10% service charge to compensate for the poor service. A missed opportunity to make it “right” for appalling service.

Manager acted as a waiter at all times - seating customers and clearing tables, instead of actually “managing” the waiters, drinks station and kitchen to proactively ensure customers are served well. Perhaps manager also needs training on how to be the best manager and empowered to do so?

Unsatisfactory service seems to be swept under the carpet and not recorded for staff performance review , with no incentive to do better for the customer.

It is possible that management is not interested to know how well their staff is serving customers, or does not have a system in place to monitor it.

Coliseum may be riding on their past history but if they do nothing about their service, they could be history...

When I was young, on New Years Eve, my uncle (British educated lawyer) used to take us to the original Coliseum which was located in Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman and it was like we were transported to a totally different ERA/Colonial times!!!! (This was in the 1980's).The way the waiters (mostly older chinese waiters) greeted us and were dressed in crisp, clean white and black uniforms was one of the main attractions to this restaurant. The impeccable way they carried themselves was like they were your own personal butlers!! We certainly felt special! Then, it was not a HALAL restaurant. The food, from the warm rolls to desert, were TO DIE FOR! Especially entertaining, were the theatrics when we ordered a sizzling anything!! Anyway, eventually, the restaurant started showing its years and the service was not the same as the older chinese waiters had passed on and the restaurant itself eventually closed down. When this new outlet opened at Plaza 33, I was soooo excited! While no pork is served here, that is ok, as most of the time, I now come here with my son and husband to be pampered with the wonderful service, good food and to rekindle memories of days long gone. The waiters greet you with a big warm smile . They remember what you like and ensure you are taken care of. The food is good and most of the time we would order our same favorite dishes! A MUST is always, a portion, or four, of those warm rolls with butter, to start...