The Library Coffee Bar

I’m one to skip meals if I’m out shopping or busy running errands; which was the case when I slipped into The Library st 5pm for a little pick-​me-​up. The Library was dimly lit with an abundance of tables downstairs. To my disappointment, the upstairs space felt cramped and had a large group claiming the back corner bringing me to climb back down the stairs to settle on a comfy cushioned bench against the window. (Side note: The couches and seating here is adorable from the outside and they would be once in the café too… but their popularity over the mini tables have gotten them soiled. I was wearing shorts and there was no way I was going to sit there.) I immediately regret my decision of not opting for fries from Johnny Rockets directly next door.
My eyes landed on the carrot walnut cake as I walked up to the counter to order. There was a menu with sandwiches and wraps, but this had three layers of what I assumed to be sweet cream cheese filling. Hello! I didn’t wait long between placing my order and being served at my seat. The sad reality of this carrot cake, however, brought me back to those international flights where we’re served edible cake that is almost delicious since we’ve been stuck in a cabin for hours. The carrot walnut treat didn’t have much flavor and lacked the wonderful texture of what a good moist veggie cake promises.
I won’t go on about the cake anymore. Especially since I finished it anyways. I was famished. Thankfully, the cappuccino served in a mug in the prettiest shade of blue was delightful.
I’ll keep my review at three stars because I liked my coffee, and it is a ‘coffee’ bar after all.

Nothing special about their coffees, it’s just like any other coffee shops. The composure of the place is what I like. Not really fancy about the upper level, being dark and chilly. I prefer the lower level, the brightness from the sunshine and in a ‘livelier’ mode of sorts.

My cousin and I wanted a place to chill and rest after shopping around Avenue K and we stumbled upon The Library and decided on that place. It was on a weekday, in the evening, the place wasn’t crowded at all. I remembered clearly the place felt chilly and the aircond was blasting. The ambience is relaxing and they used very dim lighting so the place is quite dark. It is definitely not suitable to read. Nonetheless, the interior of the space is designed well and the tiles used were appealing to me.
I tried the ice blended caramel green tea and Caesar salad. The caramel green tea beverage is way too sweet. I was surprised how sweet it was. I took a much longer time to finish my drink because it was just too sugary. The Caesar salad on the other hand was alright.

After my first visit, I just had to keep coming back because mainly, I love the ambience here. Most days, even during peak hours, it doesn’t get too crowded or overly noisy. Service is not the greatest though good enough.
I hear people all over the place raving about the waffles here so i decided to give them a go. Not the best I’ve had but not the worst. Just nothing to shout abut. I ordered the fruit waffle (RM13.50) which was a plain waffle drizzled with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and topped sliced strawberries. The waffles was much too soft for my liking and not very fluffy or airy. It was alright overall, but not something I would order again. They have a selection of savory waffles for those who don’t particularly fancy sweet treats.
If you’re in the mood for something heavier for lunch or dinner, I’d recommend the Cabonara pasta shells! The cabonara is thick and creamy and the breadcrumbs that are sprinkled on top add a lovely crunch and texture to it.

As you would know by now, many of my office hours are held at cafes. I’ve heard great things about this place (from reading local foodie blogs) and decided to check it out today. Well, to sum up my experience here, this place fall short on my expectations. I would definitely not recommend anyone to pop by this place for their food and/​or coffee.
Just to start of with their food, being a busy bee I’ve forgotten to grab breakfast. So I’ve opted for a heavier lunch and was recommended to get their signature hot waffle grilled chicken (RM17.80). They’ve even got a menu for cold waffles — who eats cold waffles anyway? Are waffles actually meant to be cold? Hmm. So I got it with a cup of coffee and headed straight up to the loft. When the food arrived, I took my first bite on its sliced wedges and almost choked to death. It was overly seasoned with pepper! The rest of the dish was alright. The chicken was slapped on with too much mayo until I had to scrape most of it off. The coffee was alright. It isn’t the best that I’ve had but for RM 13.00 (an above average coffee price), you would expect something more magnificent. Oh well.
The interior design is pretty sweet though (check out the pics!). Love the filled bookshelves. Unfortunately, the place is a bit too noisy to have a quiet read. What I found odd is that the upstairs loft and the downstairs seatings have different music playlists. It could get a little distracting to be honest. The song choices downstairs are more upbeat while the loft plays lounge music. A good thing about this place is that it’s filled with ample power point plugs — at least I don’t have to fight with anyone for it.
The place is quite easy to find if you’ve parked in Avenue K’s parking lot. It’s right next to Johnny Rocket’s. Moreover, they’ve got this huge banner outside of its café — you can’t miss it!
The service here is quite efficient actually. The lovely waiter had to put up with me and my WiFi problems. I might have did a slightly over-​dramatic flip out when I couldn’t connect to the café’s internet. :p I’m generally a nice person guys! I was just hungry this morning. I tend to get a little cranky when I’m hungry. Heh.
Overall, I gave it two stars for its service and décor. You won’t miss out much if you don’t manage to pop by this place for a visit. It’s not as hyped up as it seems. And that is also another reason to NOT rely on local foodie blogs — they’re so misleading!