illy Caffè Pavilion Bukit Bintang  

illy Caffè Pavilion Bukit Bintang  

Words: Margaret Elizabeth
Photos: Rich Callahan

Kuala Lumpur has four illy Caffè outlets. Our visit was to illy Caffè at Pavilion, Bukit Bintang and it was fun and fabulous.

Toni Valero, a best-restaurant award-winning chef, joined illy Caffè as Regional Director of Food and Beverage not too long ago. And, when illy met Toni something wonderful happened to the food and spaces of the Italian coffee bars. 

illy Caffè Pavilion Bukit Bintang   

illy Caffè at Pavilion is an open and welcoming space. As soon as I walked in I had that, “Yes!” feeling. Stylishly designed it combines the simplicity and colour of Italian fashion with the warmth of an Italian neighbourhood. The varied seating provides spaces perfect for lunch, dinner, chatting, a quick pick-me-up on a shopping tour or a place to plug into the WiFi and get some work done. Artistic colour choices and clever lighting create an attractive and laid-back atmosphere that is soothing amongst the city’s bustle. 

Celebrating the beauty of life through all the senses is an important focus for iIly, so art is an integral part of the brand. Look up to feast on the modern chandelier crafted from coffee cups and decorated with designs created by renowned artists. While browsing by the long, Italian-style coffee bar; admire the coffee cup art in closer detail. You can even buy some to take home.

While I was doing just that, I was greeted by friendly staff, who were knowledgeable and excited to share what the illy experience is all about. 

You probably know illy as the provider of great tasting, premium coffee from sustainable origins, so I will start with the food and then move on to the fabulous coffees. Scroll down if you want to see coffee first. And, a quick shout out for – illycrema- it’s to die for!

illy Caffè Pavilion Bukit Bintang Menu

The illy Caffè Pavilion menu is extensive, so it’s grouped into helpful sections. Some items have an interesting food story such as, the delicious dessert, tiramisu which means, ”pick me up,” in Italian. Kinda obvious seeing as it’s a coffee-based dessert- but I never knew that. We had a snapshot of yummy things from breakfast to snacks to hearty, tummy-filling meals. 

Breakfast Menu

Croissants offer a small breakfast or light meal option. The croissants are baked in a special oven that brings them to perfect serving temperature within seconds to ensure that every croissant is consistently served at the perfect moment of fluffy, flaky texture. They’re light, flaky and buttery; utterly delicious. The flavour and texture of the plain croissant (RM10), makes it good enough to enjoy on its own but you can add butter and jam (+RM2). Why not? Butter upon butter is good, isn’t it?

The Pain au Chocolat (RM10.5) had just the right amount of rich chocolate to croissant resulting in a delightful combo of texture and flavour: rich, chunky, sweetness meets buttery, airy texture. Yummmmmm. I’m a chocolate croissant convert now.

Eggs Benedict (RM33) on brioche is a great pick. The crumb had a light buttery texture with a pleasing hint of sweetness. The beef bacon was plentiful with a delicate smokiness and not too much salt. It had a satisfying meaty, chewiness and the flavour complemented the slight sweetness of brioche. 

In my experience, you can taste and see the beauty of a free-range egg. Our breakfast eggs were golden-orange with a soft yolk with no transparent sticky bits floating around- a pet peeve of mine. The rich oozy, creaminess of egg yolk soaked into toasted brioche was highly satisfying. Hollandaise sauce can be tricky to get right. Thankfully, ours was velvety and smooth. The sauce was a perfect harmoniser for our combo of eggs, beef bacon and brioche. The salad serving was generous and added crunchy texture and leafy bitterness.

The brioche was good so we decided to try two more, Chicken Milanese Brioche (RM18) and Salmon Brioche (RM18). Both recipes looked inviting, plump, round golden buns that should have a label saying, “Bite me.” The first had chicken breast coated in a delicate seasoned crumb and deep-fried so that it is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Accompanied by creamy, mayonnaise for extra juiciness and salad to add a piquant flavour. Biting into it, I enjoyed the springiness of the brioche bun contrasted with the crispy bite of chicken. What’s not to love when you have chicken, herbs and mayonnaise all in one place?

I am fascinated by how changing a few components in a dish can result in a big flavour difference. The salmon version was luscious, delicate and fresh, melding into the softness of the bun. The profile was rounded out with avruga caviar adding a dash of sea saltiness – yum. Creme Fraîche unified the components whilst preserving individual flavours. 

Lunch Menu

Sandwiches are a good bet for lunch, and the Wild Mushroom with Truffle Mayonnaise on Focaccia (RM32) is a good veggie choice. We could see focaccia air pockets in the bread, the texture was slightly chewy, and the crust was crisp and light caramel in colour. The filling contrasted well with the slight nuttiness from yeast. I like the hint of acidity from radicchio leaves, which enhanced the meaty yet delicate flavour of wild mushroom. Truffle oil elevated the combination – close your eyes, smell the coffee aroma and you are in Italy. 

Tea Time

Yay! At last it is tea time so onto the sweet goodies, desserts and cakes. The cakes at illy Caffè Pavilion are baked by a champion, patissier and master chef so it is no surprise that they are excellent. Choosing is tricky but this is a good thing because it means you have a good excuse to return. 

Coffee Bean Cake (RM22) is a work of art shaped like a coffee bean. The skilful combination of simple things creates something so much bigger than cake when you eat it. The sponge is springy and light. The filling, a blend of light creaminess and sweet coffee. How it makes you feel is the real art. It is a moment in time where life stands still so that you can simply be happy. 

It seemed a shame to see so many gorgeous cakes and not eat another so we selected Cream Cheesecake (RM19). It’s cleverly designed to look like a mini wedge of Swiss cheese complete with holes. It’s a biscuit base stacked with thick creamy cheesecake the shade of white daffodils, covered in a fine yellow coating. The light base crumbled softly into the creaminess of cheesecake. 

Dinner at illy Caffè Pavilion 

The menu at illy Caffè Pavilion Bukit Bintang is versatile enough to take you through the day, and with enough variety to please several dietary preferences. Linguine Pesto alla Trapanese with Sun-dried Tomatoes (RM34) is a good meat-free option. Naturally, the pasta was cooked al dente so it had a smooth, silky feel with a little springiness. The traditional pesto recipe from Trapani in Sicily blended basil, almond, garlic, olive and cheese. Delish!

We finished with Italy’s best-known dessert, Tiramisu (RM22). The chef’s artistic version presented a roll of luscious dark sponge, wrapped in sweet, light mascarpone cream, served alongside a petite jug of espresso. You can decide your exact level of coffeeness and pour as much or as little as you like. This is one good-looking and good-tasting dessert.

illy Caffè Pavilion – Coffee

So what is illy famous for? Coffee. illy coffee is a unique blend of nine types of specially selected, 100% Arabica beans. The roasts are Classic, Intenso and Dark. All beans are roasted in Italy then sent to illy coffee bars around the globe. There is an amazing level of consistency and care. The brand is known for paying slightly more for beans to ensure growers and workers are treated fairly. You can read more about the illy story, in store, on a stunning red wall that is a great example of illy’s functional design, incorporating goodness and beauty.

We began our coffee tasting with the fundamental coffee, espresso. illy’s Espresso (RM9.5) is a secret intenso blend that is a mid-range roast. It is rich and full-bodied with a balance of sour and bitter in the aftertaste and an adequate crema. The blend has a light, fresh aroma and a pleasing creaminess with chocolate and blackcurrant notes. Perfecto. Single origin coffee beans (+RM3) from Ethiopia, Colombia, Brasil and India are also available and an upgrade on illy’s classic roast. 

I am a proud coffee cliche. I love hot cappuccino and drink it anytime, even in Italy. I accept my scolding from affronted Italian baristas because it’s worth it. iIlly Cappuccino (RM 14), in one word is, YUM. The espresso base is perfect and the milk foam is soft and full of tiny bubbles creating a perfect cappuccino froth. The lactose in the milk adds a basic sweetness so I do not add sugar.

If you have a sweet tooth, you must try illycrema (RM11). Frozen coffee crystals made from 100% Arabica beans are icy, velvety and subtly sweet. I LOVED it!  

Further catering to sugar lovers, Iced Coffee Nuvola (RM17) is almost a dessert and coffee in one. It’s served with a long spoon, so be sure to go to the bottom and scoop through all the yummy layers of hot chocolate, illycrema, whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Wow! This is a treat worth savouring.

Reasons to visit Illy Caffè Pavilion Bukit Bintang: a versatile space from morning to night; easy for meeting friends or catching up on some work on your laptop while staying well-caffeinated; consistent cup of coffee; illycrema is a must-try; if you have a sweet tooth don’t miss the Iced Coffee Nuvola and well-presented cakes.

Illy Caffè Pavilion Bukit Bintang
Lot C3.10.01B, Level 3, Pavilion KL,
168, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
@illymalaysia www.illy.my

Illy Caffè Pavilion Bukit Bintang Opening Hours
Daily 8 am to 10 pm
Menu prices are exclusive of SST 6% and 10% dine in service charge.

Find more cafes in Kuala Lumpur here and stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in KL’s food and beverage scene here and here.