So, today I decided to pay Jam and Kaya Cafe a visit. I visited this cafe several times, when it first began operating, years ago. Back then, it was a cafe that I would go to if I wanted some peace and quiet. Simply a place that is warm, cosy and homely.
For some reason, this eatery popped up on my mind today, after ages. Since I was not in the mood for a cafe bustling with people and activities – Jam and Kaya would make a perfect spot for me.
Almost everyone familiar with Petaling Jaya knows where PJ Palms Sports Centre is – it is sort of the Go-to school for swimming and/or diving in the area and have been so for years. For those of you who are still unfamiliar with the location, just know that the sports centre is located just a few doors away from the iconic PJ landmark – the A&W PJ. So, within the sports centre is where Jam and Kaya Cafe is located. There are plenty of vacant car park available right outside.
As soon as I entered through the front door, I realized how much I actually missed the place. To me, it was perfect refuge from the busy world we are all accustomed to, albeit a temporary fix. I was happy, yay. The cafe was also noticeably bigger, they did some expansion, which only added more charm to the place. Well, the structure of the cafe was not the only thing that increased in size, lol, so did their menu. I remember back then when I used to head to Jam and Kaya regularly, they had a rather limited menu, mostly of the breakfast variety – e.g. big breakfast, pancakes. So, imagine my surprise when I saw their menu now and saw noodles, sandwiches and fried rice on it.
So, since I was at the cafe around lunch and was pretty hungry, I decided to give their Lunch Set a try. Keep in mind that the Lunch Set comes with a vegetable soup for starter and a chocolate brownie + ice cream for dessert and all these items ( starter + main meal + dessert) comes at a price of one. Totally value for money yyawwwww.
Lunch Set : Pad Thai with Lemongrass Chicken, 18.90 ringgit
This was some delicious stuff. Loved it. What you’d get is a plate filled with delicious pad thai noodles + lemongrass chicken + eggs + peanuts + garnish. The lemongrass chicken was delicious. It came in a generous portion and it was crunchy, meaty and flavorful, good enough to eat with the noodles or on its own. The noodles were da bomb. It totally tasted like a ‘Pad Thai’ should and the peanuts, chili flakes and eggs… it was the perfect combo, burst of flavors, plenty of crunch. Over all – a satisfying dish, indeed.
Set Lunch : Homemade Kimchi Fried Rice, 18.90 ringgit
Okay, if you guys are a fan of Korean food, this Fried rice could just be your Korean fix. Seriously, no joke. Each spoon of rice, the taste of kimchi is noticeable. Add in the Fried chicken that accompanies the dish, which is also cooked Korean style by the way and you’d get everything Korean. At first glance, it looked relatively simply, the fried rice with plenty of kimchi and fried onion, garlic as garnish + the fried egg , however, as soon as you taste it, man – this was some good stuff.
Banana Cake, 13 ringgit
So, I was one of those individuals that looked at the Menu, saw something she liked and ordered that dish without reading the rest. So, while I ordered the Lunch Set, I overlooked the fact that the Lunch Set comes with a soup and a brownie – lol. It so happened that today, I wanted to satisfy my sweet tooth, hence why I opted for a cake. Not wanting something overly sweet, I decided on their Banana cake, totally in La La Land and still not knowing that there were free brownies waiting for me, lol. When the brownies did make their appearance though – I had to request that they pack it up for me, as my tunny was filled to its maximum capacity.
Anyways, Back to the Banana Cake – it was delicious. The banana cake was your typical banana cake, all around bursting with banana flavor, it was moist, decadent and definitely not too sweet. The ganache was basically sweetened peanut butter cream with almond nuts sprinkled all over. Overall, the cake was delicious, not too sweet and overly creamy and sugary. Loved it.
Would I head here again?
I certainly will. I am totally glad I decided to head here again after god knows how long. I love the upgrade they made on their menu and the cafe interior. I am certainly coming back for more.
Address: PJ Palms Sports Centre, No. 1, Lorong Sultan, Petaling Jaya
Opening hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays to Sundays, 10 am – 6 pm. Thursdays, 10 am – 5 pm. Mondays Closed
Signing out now, Ciao.