On Ne Sait Jamais - Seoul, South Korea

After a couple of visits to different cafes, I've concluded that cafes in Seoul have very distinctive characters, and this cafe might top the list with its unique interior - what used to be a bath house is now turned into a cafe tucked in one of the many small alleys in Itaewon.

Namusairo - Seoul, South Korea

Namusairo, a hidden cafe with traditional Korean house setting located on Sajik-ro 8-gil in Gwanghwamun, approximately 10 minutes walk from Gwanghwamun Station. A perfect spot to stop by for a (really) good cup of coffee when you're tired of the traditional sites around the area.

Hands and Heart - Bangkok, Thailand

Tucked in the corner at the ground floor of Ascella Apartment in Sukhumvit Soi 38, Hands and Heart is a minimalist black-and-white space where the baristas take their coffee very seriously.

* 3-5 mins walk from BTS Thong Lo Stn.

Muharam Cafe - Melbourne, Australia

Instagram seems to be a more efficient research base to me nowadays! I came across the very pretty red velvet pancakes by Muharam Cafe while I was searching for #pancakes. Located in Hawthorn, Muharam Cafe is a less crowded brunch place (to my surprise!). Given the overall experience in this cafe, I personally think it's a bit underrated!

The Curious Goat - Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya

2 factors brought me here - initially it was the amazing and unique latte art(s) which I came across in Instagram; then as I was checking out their account, their posts attracted me. I love their narration for each photo - their posts make me think that they are very good story tellers, and that they are not using the usual marketing texts as an approach.

Judging from the comments online, I thought it'll be hard to locate, but it's not. It's pretty direct, just use waze :D The only fun part (or perhaps confusing to most) is that they do not have a signboard, but again, it isn't hard to locate, it is not that hidden. The art murals on both sides of the wall are easy to recognize.

To summarize my first visit:
It was my plan to go to The Curious Goat, but I got confused between this and TTDI's Frisky Goat. I got to know about both goats briefly based on Instagram's photos. So, upon arriving at Frisky Goat, I did another round of search on Google, only I came to realize that "Oh no this isn't the goat which I intend to go." So I had my brunch at Frisky Goat, and still made a visit to The Curious Goat after that.

I love how quiet it was on a Saturday afternoon, not only the cafe alone, including the area - simply away from the hustle bustle of the city (and practically everywhere else in the Klang Valley). Very, very friendly, warm and attentive service, with cosy setting. Nothing extravaganza, but I like the way it is. It's where I can spend hours sitting, not doing anything. Haha! However, I did not really enjoy my first cup of coffee. It was so so only, and I left feeling a tiny bit disappointed. Since the initial factor that drew me here was the latte art, I actually requested for a special one and I thought given that they're not busy, I was expecting something different than the usual rosetta / tulip but...this was what I got:

Nonetheless I still had an enjoyable afternoon there. My cousin and uncle though enjoyed their cuppa more than I did.