Dotty's Pastries & Coffee @ TTDI- Nice (Halal)

Today I visited Dotty’s in TTDI, a few lots away from Pickle & Fig Cafe, it’s a relatively new addition to this bustling neighbourhood, barely a year old. It is located at the entrance of TTDI, along the row of shops right next to the Balai Bomba & Penyelamat (Fire Fighters & Rescue), not the front side though, it is the row at the back, the one where McDonald’s is located. From the outside, it has a very English feel to it, the word ‘Dotty’s’ written in bold – somehow gives you a picture of opulence, the kind that says – Do not enter unless you are willing to spend 100 ringgit, lol. Get my drift? I was not surprised though, after all Dotty’s is owned by the Naza Brothers, and similar to their other Food venture – BLVD House, you get the exact same feel. Inside however, was more welcoming. My first thought was – Full house, it was. Full. Literally every table was taken. That is bound to tell you something, does it not? There were folk celebrating their birthdays, friends get together or simply a family outing. The atmosphere was jovial, filled with laughter and boisterous chattering. However – I would not say its a neighbourhood cafe, unlike Frisky Goat. Its not the kind of cafe you would feel comfortable visiting dressed up in short shorts, baggy t-shirt and a pair of slippers, the kind of get up you most probably would be in if you just woke up from bed. The kind of clientel that frequents this place is mostly made up of upper middle class to the riches, similar to that of Frisky Goat as well, but the difference between these two cafes is that it feels more comfortable wearing gym/exercise gear and t-shirts,shorts and slippers when you head to Frisky Goat as oppose to Dotty’s. At Dotty’, you somehow get this unspoken vibe that requires you to put some effort and be presentable before you pay a visit. The prices of the food and desserts served though, it does not differ much from the usual cafe prices – so I cant really say it lives up to the opulence atmosphere it tends to exude – which by the way, is an awesome factor for us patrons. An affordable cafe – what more can you wish for, right?

Soft Shell Crab Burger , RM 32

Would you look at that?? Does it not look yummy ? It was exactly what it was – YUMMMMM !! The soft shell crab was utterly delicious. The outer part of it was crunchy. What’s good about it was that the layer was made of little flour. I hate it when you ask for a burger and half of the patty is made of fried flour. I sure am NOT willing to pay 30 ringgit for something as crappy as that. Surely, that is a sentiment shared by many of you, it is a rip off ad not to mention unhealthy. That however is not the case here. The flour was kept to its minimal, which certainly kept me happy. The patty was made up of a lot of crab meat – YAY! It totally feels worth it that this meal cost 32 ringgit. The bun used was not the regular ones – it was one of those gourmet oatmeal bread. Have not tasted a burger that was made up of anything other than the regular plain buns, this tasted equally good – more cruncier and was more flavorful. In between the burger patty and the bun, some spinach and crated steamed carrots were inserted, with a dash of mayonaise. The whole combination was awesome. Very satisfying meal.

Cant say much about the fries. It was not any different to the ones served in many other cafe/restaurants. It was cooked well – thin and crisp. Not covered in oil and neither was it overpowering in salt. It tasted good. A perfect side to compliment the soft shell crab burger. Definitely a dish I would recommend.

Nutella Oreo Cheesecake, RM 13

Their desserts and pastries seemed to be doing very well. Literally every table had some sort of desert to accompany their mains. So yea, I decided to jump on that bandwagon and order myself one – although my choices were pretty limited by the time I decided that I wanted to try one. I am not exaggerating or joking when I say each table had a dessert. The dessert display was emptying as we speak. With limited options between the pavlova, creme brulee, flourless chocolate cake and nutella oreo cheesecake – I decided on the nutella. Was not really a fan of nutella – I do not hate it though, but of cheese I certainly am.

When you take your first bite – the taste of nutella was sooooo overpowering. For nutella lovers – this is definitely your kind of cake. For those of are not really a fan, here is my advise. Separate the whole layer of nutella from the other 2 layers and let it cool down. Give it 10 mins of so before you start consuming it. When you do start eating it – for every spoon of the cheese and oreo layer you take, include a quarter spoon of nutella. Follow this advise and your will have yourself a delicious nutella cake. Trust me on this. I liked it. Would I order it again ? I dont mind sharing it but no – it would not be a cake I would order to have on my own.

Would I head here again?

Would I head here again? Yes – I will. I am looking forward to trying the other items on their menu. However, it would not be a cafe I would frequent often, no – it would not be my hang out spot. That being said, it is worth a once in a blue moon visit – so yea, will head there again.